SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANGEL OF THE LORD (BDB 521 construct BDB 217)

It is obvious that Deity manifests Himself physically in human form in the OT. The question for Trinitarians becomes which person of the Trinity fulfills this role. Since God the Father (YHWH) and His Spirit are consistently non-corporeal, it seems possible to suggest that these human manifestations are the pre-incarnate Messiah.

To demonstrate the difficulties one faces in trying to identify a theophany from an angelic encounter the following list is illustrative.

1. the angel of the Lord as an angel (often "His Angel," "an Angel," "the Angel," "the Angel of God," even "pillar")

a. Gen. 24:7,40

b. Exod. 23:20-23; 32:34

c. Num. 22:22

d. Jdgs. 5:23

e. 2 Sam. 24:16

f. 1 Chr. 21:15-30

g. Zech. 1:12-13

2. the angel of the Lord as theophany

a. Gen. 16:7-13; 18:1-33; 22:11,15; 31:11,13; 48:15-16

b. Exod. 3:2,4; 14:19 (13:21)

c. Jdgs. 2:15; 6:22-24; 13:3-23

d. Hosea 12:3-4

e. Zech. 3:1-5

f. Acts 7:30,35,38

Only context can distinguish between the two options.