Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I believe that previous discussions on the ebible.com website (such as at https://ebible.com/questions/3427-who-is-the-angel-of-the-lord) have indicated that the use of the phrase "the Angel of the LORD" (using the definite article "the") is indicative of a visible appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ, which would thus indicate the triune nature of God, since Jesus specifically referred to God the Father as a spirit (John 4:24).

As noted in that previous ebible.com response, "The angel of the Lord speaks as God, identifies Himself with God, and exercises the responsibilities of God (Genesis 16:7-12; 21:17-18; 22:11-18; Exodus 3:2; Judges 2:1-4; 5:23; 6:11-24; 13:3-22; 2 Samuel 24:16; Zechariah 1:12; 3:1; 12:8). In several of these appearances, those who saw the angel of the Lord feared for their lives because they had 'seen the Lord.' Therefore, it is clear that in at least some instances, the angel of the Lord is a theophany, an appearance of God in physical form.

"The appearances of the angel of the Lord cease after the incarnation of Christ. Angels are mentioned numerous times in the New Testament, but "the angel of the Lord" is never mentioned in the New Testament after the birth of Christ."

Jesus declared Himself to be existent "before Abraham" (John 8:58), so it is logical that He would have been active and manifest in the world prior to His incarnation.

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Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

At the very least it is a theophany, an appearance of God to man in physical form.

"Then Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "Please let us detain you so that we may prepare a young goat for you." The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord." For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord. Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "What is your name, so that when your words come to pass, we may honor you?" But the angel of the Lord said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?" So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the Lord, and He performed wonders while Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came about when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. Now the angel of the Lord did not appear to Manoah or his wife again. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. So Manoah said to his wife, "We will surely die, for we have seen God." But his wife said to him, "If the Lord had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have let us hear things like this at this time." " Judges 13:15-23

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