Can God Be His Own Messenger?
The Greek word for messenger and angel, are the same word, "Aggelos."
a. So what is a messenger? Concerning men, they are those who are sent in order to announce, teach, perform, or explore anything, as in
1. Matt.11:10, "Behold, I send my messenger(John the Baptist.)"
2. Gal.4:14, Paul said to the Galatians, "Ye -- received me (Paul) as an angel of God, even as Jesus Christ."
3. Mal.2:7, "The priest, -- he is the messenger of the LORD."
4. In Rev.1:20, The angels of the seven churches are probably the bishops or pastors of these churches, who were the delegates or messengers of the churches to God in offering of prayer.
In Scripture, angels from God, meaning celestial messengers, seem to be superior to man. God is represented as surrounded by a race of beings who are of a higher order than man. God employs these messengers as agents in administering the affairs of the world, and in promoting the welfare of individuals, as well as the whole human family.
1. Matt.1:20, "The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream."
2. Matt.22:30, "The angels of God in heaven, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage."
3. As to the numbers of the angels, see Heb.12:22:
"Innumerable company." Rev.5:11, "The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand," this in the Hebrew implies an innumerable amount.
So the question is, can God be His own messenger? Let's establish the answer to the question straight away. It can be found in:
John 1:14, "The Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us." Then we have the rest of the story of the message of salvation from our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 14:26, Jesus said, "The Comforter (which is the Holy Ghost) will the Father send in my name. He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
But let's not end the story here, for we must examine the O.T. Scriptures to get further insight to the many events which preceded the two above verses concerning, "The angel of the LORD."
The angel of the Lord is a title of Jesus Christ. This title and these characteristics give us a clearer picture of His appearing to the patriarchs, as well as others throughout the Old Testament. Let's examine a few of these events.
1. Gen.3:2, The angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in a flame of fire. This same angel calls out to Moses from the bush, and says:
Gen.3:6, "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."
2. When the angel of the Lord found Hagar in the wilderness:
Gen.16:7, "The angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, ---."
Gen.16:13, "She called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me."
In Acts 7:30, we read, "When forty years were expired, there appeared to him (Moses) in the wilderness of Mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush."
Stephen here is alluding to the history of Moses before the council of the Jews. These verses prove that the phraseology, "The angel of the LORD," was in use among the Jews in Stephen's day. Also, this particular angel, as well as Jehovah, was regarded as being the same person, according to the Jews.
Stephen now adds, Acts 7:38, "He (Moses) was in the church (assembly) in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in Mount Sinai." Concerning this time in the history of the Jews who left Egypt, and traveled for 40 years in the wilderness, Stephen's comments established that the Jews distinguished this angel from all other created angels. He was to be heard and given immediate particular attention.
Exodus 23:20, "Behold, I(God) send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him, and obey His voice, provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for my (God's) name is in Him."
This Angel is represented as the guide and protector of these wandering Jews. The Israelites owed to Him their victories, the safety of their journey, as well as the entry and settlement into the promised land. In other parts of the Scriptures these are the works and agencies of God.
The Jews were warned to "Beware of Him," to reverence Him, to stand in fear of Him, that the pardoning of their transgressions belonged to Him, and that the name of God was in Him. Jehovah, the Great I Am, was God's name. This distinctive title or name was assumed at His first appearing to Moses at the burning bush. The names of God are indicative of His nature, because the name of God is in this angel, He must also have God's essence.
Moses and the people understood this view. When the sins of this people had provoked God, He threatened not to go up with them, but to commit them to, "AN angel (not, The Angel) who should drive out the Canaanite." When the people heard this, they mourned.
Moses now took it upon himself to make a special intercession, not resting until he had obtained a repel of the threat by God, with a renewed promise: Ex.33:14, "My (God's) presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." It is so clear that Moses and the Jewish people considered the promise of the angel, in whom "The name of God," was a promise that God Himself would go with them.
Judges 13:3, "The angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman (Zorah, the mother of Samson.)" He again appears to Samson's father Manoah." In ver.18, "Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name?" In ver.22, "Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God."
Joshua 5:13-14, Joshua was near Jericho, and saw a man with a sword drawn in his hand. Joshua walked over to him, and asked "Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?" The man said, "Nay; but as Captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship."
In ver.15, "The Captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so."
The Jews held this Word, that the Angel of the Lord was to be the future Messiah, as it appears from the writings of ancient Rabbis. The Angel of the Lord appears as Jehovah, yet is invariably described as a separate person from the unseen Father who sends Him. Jesus was then called the Word of God, who was made flesh to dwell among His people which was opening the way to the Father in heaven, by His sacrifice and finished work.
Also we read in Gen.17, where God made a covenant with Abraham. In Gen.18, when "The LORD appeared unto Abraham in the plains of Mamre." In Rev.1, the Lord appears to John, giving John the full "Revelation of Jesus Christ."
Hope you enjoyed this.
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com.