“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

[Hebrews 1:14 – NIV]

Angelology — or the study of angels — is one of the most underemphasized and misunderstood doctrines in all of Scripture.

Many have oversimplified their understanding of the unseen realm by reducing it down to God, the devil, and a few angels. This simplistic view of the heavenly host does not accurately represent what the Bible says about the heavenly host .

Putting church tradition and popular culture aside, we always must ask what does the Bible really say about these angelic beings?

For starters here are some fun facts about angels.

1. The host of heaven — including but not limited to angels — numbers in the hundreds of millions, if not more. [Daniel 7:10, Psalm 68:17, Nehemiah 9:6, Luke 2:13, Hebrews 12:22, Revelation 5:11]
2. Although angels are invisible spirits, they typically manifest in human form and sometimes get mistaken as mere men. (Genesis 18-19, Daniel 10:18, Luke 1:19-26, John 20:12, Hebrews 13:2)
3. There is NO Biblical teaching that states or even implies that humans turn into angels when they die.
4. Although angels have the capacity to fly (Daniel 9:21), they are never described in Scripture as having wings. [Only the cherubim and seraphim are described as having wings]
5. Angels often are described as being dressed in white (Acts 1:10) and sometimes radiant in appearance (Matthew 28:3, Luke 24:4).
6. The Scriptures imply that there is an order of rank among angelic beings which includes archangels, or chief princes, such as Michael (Daniel 10:21, Jude 1:9, Revelation 12:7-9)
7. Several angels are personally named in Scripture — Satan, Michael, Abaddon (Apollyon), Gabriel, Legion, and Beelzebub.
8. Angels are also called holy ones, sons of God, stars, winds, and spirits.
9. Scripture teaches that some angels “sinned” and abandoned their proper domain, introducing all sorts of evil to mankind [Genesis 6:1-5, Psalm 82, 2 Peter 2:2-4, Jude 1:6-7]. In response to these serious transgressions, the LORD punished this group of angels, casting them to the bottomless pit and binding them with chains until the day of judgment.
10. Jesus says that the fires of hell are reserved specifically for “the devil and his angels” [Matthew 25:41].

I will limit my focus for this post on the God-fearing angels who faithfully serve and obey the LORD. I will not address the cherubim and seraphim, having dealt with them in my last post here. And you may also want to read my post about The Angel of the LORD here.

I will deal with the fallen angels — aka demons — in my next post.

Angels are Created Spiritual Beings

Angels are called holy ones and the sons of God, and although they are portrayed to have extreme power, supreme intelligence, and some god-like atributres, they are created beings nonetheless. This means that the very existence of all spiritual beings is entirely contingent upon the One True Creator God (Colossians 1:15-17). No angel could or would exist without God, who is the only Necessary Being who exists.

“You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.”

[Nehemiah 9:6]

And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”

[Hebrews 1:6]

“The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!”

[Psalm 103:19-21]

Angels are Servants of the Most High

It is important to understand the title of angel as more of a job description than anything else. In others words, “angel” more appropriately describes role and function than essence or being. While the ontological descriptions in the Bible include holy ones, sons of God, morning stars, and heavenly host, angel better implies what a being does as opposed to what a being is.

The Bible sheds some light on the jobs that angels perform.

Angels perpetually serve and worship Yahweh, presenting themselves before His throne (Daniel 7:10, Revelation 5:11-12), and are ever prepared to do His holy will as emissaries and ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:7).

Angels attended to Jesus immediately after he resisted the devil’s temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:11) and as he agonized in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43). Jesus also made reference to having the authority to command 12 legions of angels at any moment to serve Him.

“Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?”

[Matthew 26:53]

The LORD sent an angel to deliver Peter from prison (Acts 12:6-10), and angels are identified as end-time reapers, who harvest both the righteous and the wicked at the end of the age (Matthew 13:39-41, Revelation 14:14-20).

Angels are God’s Heavenly Messengers

The word angel — both the Hebrew word, malak, and the Greek word, aggelos — literally means messenger. Again, the word angel is more descriptive of function, and one of the primary jobs of angels is to deliver God’s messages to mankind.

The Greek word used for evangelism (euaggelizó,) which literally means to bring good news, finds its root in the same word, aggeols, or angelic messenger.

The Bible says that when the LORD gave the law to Moses on Mt. Sinai, it was mediated by angels. [Acts 7:53, Galatians 3:19]. Angels announced “good news for all people” to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-14, and God will send an angel to proclaim the eternal gospel to every nation before the return of Christ [Revelation 14:6-7].

Angels were there to tell the women at the tomb that Jesus had risen from the dead and also to encourage the disciples at the ascension of Jesus. The angel Gabriel in particular is named in both the Old and New Testament, as he helped Daniel understand his visions of the last days (Daniel 8-9) and later announced the birth of both John the Baptist and Jesus (Luke 1).

Angels War against the Spiritual Forces of Darkness

The Scriptures provide rare glimpses into the spiritual battle raging around us at any given moment, but we can be sure that there are angelic armies at war in the heavenly realm. Although the LORD sometimes sends his angelic army to engage in earthly affairs, such as when God struck down the Syrian army in the days of Elisha (2 Kings 6), the heavenly conflict is just as real (Ephesians 6:12).

John’s account of the Revelation of Jesus is one of the most obvious references to this spiritual war in heaven.

“Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

[Revelation 12:7-9]

An angel also informed Daniel on one occasion that the dark prince of Persia prevented him from coming to Daniel sooner.

“However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia … ‘Do you know why I have come to you?’ he said. ‘I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I have gone forth, behold, the prince of Greece will come.'”

[Daniel 10:13, 20]

Angels Carry out God’s Divine Judgments

From beginning to end, the Bible speaks of angels as God’s instruments of judgment upon the ungodly.

In Genesis 18-19 the LORD sends two angels into Sodom to deliver Lot before the destruction of the plain.

In the account of the Exodus, the LORD sends the destroying angel throughout Egypt to strike down ever first born son.

The Day of the LORD is described as a day of great judgment and fire and is often associated with an angelic army, such as with the prophet Joel.

“The LORD utters his voice
before his army,
for his camp is exceedingly great;
he who executes his word is powerful.
For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome;
who can endure it?”

[Joel 2:11]

When Jesus returns in all His glory, He is coming on the clouds with all His holy ones with Him to judge and make war on His enemies (see Matthew 25:31, Jude 1:14-15, Revelation 19:11-16).

“To grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

[2 Thessalonians 1:7-8]

Angels are Amazed by the Divine Mystery of the Gospel

While the Scriptures implicitly teach that the fate of the devil and his angels is sealed and that they cannot be redeemed for their rebellious treason against God, salvation has been offered to mankind through the Person and work of Jesus Christ. It is perhaps the greatest divine mystery of all! How can a holy God forgive sinful man and yet maintain His righteousness?

Of course the answer is found in the cross of Jesus Christ, who is both the Just and the justifier of all who believe. The Bible says that there is “joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10), and the Apostle Peter says that the revelation of God and the gospel of our salvation is of great significance to the angels.

“It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.”

[1 Peter 1:12]

Angels Protect God’s People from Harm

Although we can’t be dogmatic about the existence of individual guardian angels, the Scriptures do seem to suggest that God’s angels are tasked with protecting His people.

Consider these passages.

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

[Hebrews 1:14]

“For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.”

[Psalm 91:11]

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

[Matthew 18:10]

Angels will be Judged by the Saints of God

One of the most profound statements in all of Scripture is found in Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth. Almost in passing Paul says …

“Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!” 

[1 Corinthians 6:2-3]

As joint heirs and co-regents with Jesus Christ — the King of kings – the saints of God will be given authority to rule and reign with Christ in His eternal kingdom, which means that the redeemed of the LORD will be given the right to judge the world and even the angels.

“He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

[Genesis 3:24 – ESV]

The Word of God is unique in that the Holy Spirit inspired human authors as His divine instruments to communicate heavenly concepts to an earthy audience within the limits of human language. One of the greatest challenges for Biblical authors, therefore, was attempting to convey spiritual realities in an earthly context.

Whenever the heavenly realm intersects with the earthly realm, one would expect some things to get lost in translation. No matter how hard we try, there are spiritual realties that simply cannot adequately be described by the human language. As the Apostle Paul says about his translation into the third heaven, “And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter” [2 Corinthians 12:3-4].

Even if Paul could express what he heard and saw in the third heaven, he was not permitted to do so.

Fortunately for us, the prophets and Apostles under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit were allowed to describe their own heavenly visions and supernatural encounters. Men like Ezekiel, Isaiah, and the Apostle John all provide interesting perspectives into the spiritual realm, and more specifically into the very throne room of the LORD God Almighty.

In these peculiar visions, we are introduced to a unique class of celestial beings — aka living creatures — called cherubim and seraphim.

Of all the depictions in the Bible, there are perhaps none stranger than these.

Basic Etymology and Introduction

Before discovering what the Bible says about these mysterious creatures, it would be beneficial to consider the original Hebrew meaning behind these words.

The Hebrew root for cherub and its plural form cherubim is “kerub,” which has an unknown Hebrew derivation but universally is understood as an order of angelic beings. The majority of Biblical references to cherubim are found in Exodus and 1 Kings, specifically concerning the imagery in the tabernacle of Moses and Solomon’s temple, as well as in the prophetic visions of Ezekiel.

The Hebrew word for seraph, or seraphim, is “saraph,” which literally means a fiery serpent, or a burning one. This word is used to describe both the poisonous snakes that plagued the Israelites in the wilderness and the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up in Numbers 21. It is also used by Isaiah to describe the spirit beings who surrounded the throne room of the LORD in Isaiah 6.

As we will see, the cherubim and seraphim from the Old Testament undeniably are synonymous with the “living creatures” described by the Apostle John in Revelation 4-5.

Cherubim were Posted as Guardians of Eden

The first Scriptural reference to the cherubim is found after man’s expulsion from the garden in Genesis 3:24, where the LORD “placed the cherubim and a flaming sword” to guard the entrance to Eden and restrict man’s access to the tree of life. Genesis provides little description of the cherubim beyond their function as guardians or sentinels. The flaming sword may also be considered a clue to the manifestation of these spirit beings as being “fiery ones.”

Cherubim Imagery was Included on the Ark of the Covenant and Solomon’s Temple

Once the Israelites are redeemed out of Egypt and brought to Sinai to enter into a covenant with the LORD, Moses is commissioned with the task of constructing the tabernacle — or tent of meeting — as the centerpiece of Israel’s encampment. At the heart of the tabernacle was the Holy of holies, where the ark of the covenant was kept. The ark was considered the mercy seat of God and the footstool of the LORD and was the place where heaven and earth was meant to intersect. Holy God meeting with sinful man.

On the top of the ark of the covenant, the LORD instructed Moses to overlay two cherubim images with gold, facing each other, as a covering for the mercy seat.

“The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.”

[Exodus 37:9]

This is the first reference we have describing the cherubim as winged creatures. Unfortunately because of the influence of Renaissance art, cherubs became synonymous with plump, angelic babies with wings, which is nothing like the Biblical representation.

Later, when Solomon was commissioned to build the permanent Temple in Jerusalem, the king posted two massive cherubs within the inner sanctuary of the Temple to provide imagery consistent with the presence of the LORD and the holiness of His throne room.

“The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub. He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house. And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms.”

[1 Kings 6:26-29]

Cherubim and Seraphim Perpetually Serve the LORD as His Personal Throne Guardians

Near-Eastern archaeologists and historians have discovered mystifying hybrid creatures in the typography and iconography of ancient Mesopotamia and Babylon. These unusual creatures have since been mythologized but they provide a historical context for the Biblical portrayals of cherubim and seraphim.

The enigmatic sphinx of Egypt and Babylon, as well as the majestic griffin of the Assyrians, are just a few exotic examples of these hybrid creatures found in ancient cultures. Almost universally these hybrid creatures were depicted as throne guardians of the ancient kings and their inner court.

We know that the cherubim in Solomon’s Temple were described as kruvim arayot, or “Cherub-Lions” (1 Kings 7:36), which suggests that the Cherubs had a lion-like appearance, just as the Mesopotamian kuribu often had [kuribu in Akkadian, karabu or kirubu in Babylonian and Assyrian].

Most ancient pagan cultures would place large statues at entrances to important venues which served as guardians. They typically had the body of a bull or lion, with wings, and a human head.

At times these unique beings were worshipped as pagan guardian deities, but the Scriptures provide the true nature of these created beings, as always deferring to the LORD God and worshiping Him alone as King and Creator.

Jewish scribes and scholars historically have placed the cherubim and seraphim as preeminent within the hierarchy of angelic beings because of their proximity to the LORD and their role as guardians of His throne. The Scriptures also distinguish the winged cherubs from among the angels and the rest of the heavenly host.

The cherubim and seraphim are tasked with the perpetual responsibility of preserving the sanctity and sacredness of God’s holy space in the third heaven — aka the highest heaven. Whenever these unique creatures are seen in Scripture, it is almost always associated with the majesty of God’s throne and His immense glory and power.

Comparative Texts

There are three primary texts that attempt to describe these throne-guardians. When the accounts are harmonized, it is clear that Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John all were granted a glimpse into the throne room of heaven. Although these passages are a bit lengthy, it is necessary to read them in context and compare them in order to harmonize them.

First, let us consider how Isaiah describes the seraphim.

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

[Isaiah 6:1-7]

Next, consider Ezekiel’s depiction of the living creatures, which he later calls cherubim in Ezekiel 10.

“As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle … As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning … And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

[Ezekiel 1:4-10, 13-14, 26-28]

Finally, John sees a similar vision of the throne room of heaven and shares it in Revelation 4.

“And before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”

[Revelation 4:6-8 – ESV]

Although we may not fully understand the nature of these mystical creatures, I believe we will see the day when the Lord Jesus returns to establish His eternal throne in Jerusalem and all of heaven and earth will reunified under the glory of God. On this day, we should expect to see the heavenly host made manifest in the kingdom of God, which undoubtedly will include the cherubim and seraphim guardians of God’s holy throne.

For more insight, you can watch the following video by Dr. Michael Heiser.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”

[Colossians 1:16]

The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most complex and transcendent concepts within the Christian faith. We believe in the One True God who eternally exists in three distinct Persons within the Godhead — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

While it is apparent that the LORD has chosen to progressively reveal the majesty of His divine nature to His people — culminating with the Incarnation of God the Son, Jesus Christ — the concept of the Trinity is not a purely “Christian” doctrine, as many Jewish scholars suggest. While most Talmudic Jews insist that the LORD is one (singular) in a strict monotheistic sense, the Hebrew Scriptures actually reveal something entirely different.

The Old Testament is full of language that implies a divine plurality when speaking of the nature of the LORD, where the oneness of God is not denied but it is revealed in three distinct Persons. Many misunderstand the doctrine of the Trinity by applying the following equation.

1+1+1 = 3

This misapplication leads both Jews and Muslims to accuse Christians of polytheism, or the worship of three different Gods, but a better mathematical formula can be used to help convey the Biblical concept of the Trinity.

1x1x1=1

Just as multiplication is exponentially more complex than addition, so the concept of the Trinity is more complex than strict monotheism. In other words, God is one but He is not a singularity. He is a triunity. He is not static. He is dynamic. He is not simplistic, but rather He is infinitely complex and compounded in His nature. He is One God in Three Persons. I will not pretend to grasp all of it, nor should I. Yet I believe it with full conviction because it is what the Scripture teaches, and no man could every conceive of such an idea on his own.

To discover how the Old Testament portrays the complexity and plurality of God’s triune nature, it would help to begin with “the Angel of the LORD.”

The angel of the LORD is first revealed in Genesis 16, as He appears to Hagar in the wilderness. This is the first of many manifestations of the angel of the LORD in the Old Testament, and the nature of these encounters leaves me convinced that this is no ordinary angel.

Encounters with the Angel of the LORD

In Hebrew the angel of the LORD literally means “the messenger of Yahweh,” and in some cases this divine messenger is called “the angel of God (Elohim)” [see Genesis 21:17]. As we will see, there seems to be a purposeful distinction made in the Hebrew language by using the definite article “the” angel of the LORD, as opposed to just “an” angel or angels.

When “the” angel of the LORD shows up in Scripture, several interesting things happen. First, He speaks as if He is God, but at the same time He distinguishes Himself from Yahweh. Second, those who encounter Him believe and behave as if they have just encountered God Himself.

Let’s look at a few examples.

The Angel of the LORD and Hagar

In Genesis 16 the angel of the LORD appears to Hagar and promises her things that only God can do, such as multiplying her descendants.

The angel of the LORD also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.”

[Genesis 16:10]

Yet in the very next verse, the angel of LORD speaks of Yahweh (the LORD) in third person, which clearly makes a distinction between Him and Yahweh. [Genesis 16:11]

Finally, Hagar’s response is telling. She obviously saw the angel of the LORD in human form and believed that she had spoken to God.

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

[Genesis 16:13]

The Angel of the LORD and Abraham

Abraham’s encounter with the LORD in Genesis 18-19 is unique, and although the exact title “angel of the LORD” is not used, there is good reason to believe that this is the same Person who revealed Himself to Hagar. Genesis 18:1 says the LORD “appeared” to Abraham in physical form, along with two angels. Abraham clearly distinguishes the LORD from the two angels and bows down to Him before inviting them to stay and refresh themselves with a meal.

The LORD speaks as only God would. He says that He is the One who is about to destroy Sodom and that He is the One who has chosen Abraham to be blessing to all nations [see Genesis 12:1-3]. He also speaks of Yahweh in the third person [Genesis 18:14,19], which would be quite strange unless He were distinct from Yahweh. Again, we have the LORD appearing in physical form and speaking of the LORD as an entirely different Person.

The next time Abraham encounters the angel of the LORD it is on Mount Moriah with his beloved son Isaac. This time the angel of the LORD calls out to Abraham from heaven to stop him from following through with the sacrifice of his son. Interestingly, the angel of the LORD speaks of God in third person again, but also clearly refers to Himself as God — the One who will bless Abraham.

“But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

[Genesis 22:11-12]

The Angel of the LORD and Jacob

Jacob had a dream in Haran where he saw “angels of God ascending and descending” on a stairway to heaven. Then he sees the LORD in physical form standing above the stairway, and says, “surely the LORD is in this place.” [Genesis 28:10-17]

Later in Genesis 32, Jacob wrestles with a man until daybreak, but he quickly discovers that this is no ordinary man. This is the angel of the LORD.

So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 

[Genesis 32:30]

The Angel of the LORD and Moses

Moses encounters the angel of the LORD appearing in physical form from within the burning bush and on Mount Sinai [Exodus 33:17-23]. Once again, the angel of the LORD clearly is God but is also distinct from God.

And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.“

[Exodus 3:2-6]

Other Examples

Without attempting to compile an exhaustive list, I must only mention a few more encounters with the angel of the LORD.

Joshua meets the Commander of the LORD’s army, having His sword drawn for battle [Joshua 5:13-15]. Just before Joshua dies, the same angel of the LORD meets with the whole house of Israel to rebuke them for their disobedience [Judges 2:1-4].

The angel of the LORD appears to Gideon and calls him to deliver Israel [Judges 6:11-24], and Gideon is overcome in God’s presence.

Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” 

[Judges 6:22]

Samson’s parents had an encounter with the angel of the LORD [Judges 13] and reacted in a similar manner, saying, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.”  [Judges 13:22]

The Angel of the LORD aND Jesus

It is clear that nearly every Old Testament encounter with the Angel of the LORD was a visible, physical encounter with God Himself. It is also clear that the Angel of the LORD is distinct from God but also expresses the same power and speaks with the same authority as God.

So if the LORD is one, how do we explain this counterintuitive concept?

Fortunately, the New Testament brings everything into clear focus with the incarnation and personal revelation of God in human form — the Lord Jesus Christ. It is interesting to note that while the New Testament has much to say about God’s angels — His messengers — it does not specifically mention “the” Angel of the LORD.

That is because the Angel of the LORD is God the Son — Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul says that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God,” and that “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” [Colossians 1:15, 19]

What this means is that each and every time the Immortal, Invisible, Eternal God and Creator of the universe appears in physical form, it is God the Son. God the Father is an invisible spirit. God the Holy Spirit is an invisible spirit. But God the Son, Jesus Christ, is the image of the Invisible God.

Jesus is the Eternal Word who became flesh [John 1:14] — God in human form — and He is the “radiance of the glory of God and the exact representation of His nature.” [Hebrews 1:3]

Every encounter with the Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament was an encounter with God the Son appearing in physical form, revealing the Invisible God to mankind. This is also known as a Christophany or Theophany, which is a physical manifestation of Jesus Christ prior to His being born of woman in the fullness of time [Galatians 4:4].

So the concept of the Trinity was already well established in the Old Testament and further solidified in the New Testament. There is only One True God who eternally exists in three distinct Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
      Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father …”

[John 14:7-9]