God's Holy Angels (Pt.2)

This morning we are continuing our study on "God’s Holy Angels." We have already looked at their existence, definitions, number and nature. Today we are going to look at their classification. But before we look at their classification, I want to focus your attention on one special angel in the Bible who is called "the Angel of the LORD" or "the Angel of Jehovah."

The Angel of the LORD

The appearances of the Angel of the LORD "are unique to the Old Testament. His first appearance is to Abraham, and His last appearance occurs in Zechariah" (John MacArthur, God, Satan and Angels, p.145).

His Appearance

To Hagar - Gen.16:7-13

To Moses - Exod.3:1-4,6

To Gideon - Judges 6:11-13

To Manoah - Judges 13:21-22

"In four separate incidents the Angel of the LORD is equated with God" (Ibid., MacArthur, p.146).

His Distinction

Zech.1:12-13 - "Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, ’O LORD of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?’ And the LORD answered the angel who talked to me, with good and comforting words."

His Identity

C. Fred Dickason,

"The title Elohim (’the mighty one’) was used of both the true God and the gods of the heathen. But the title Jehovah (Heb. Yaweh) was reserved for the God of Israel, the eternally self- existent One who made heaven and earth and who entered into covenant relationship with His people. The angels in general are called ’the sons of God’ (bene elohim), but never ’the sons of Jehovah’ (malak yaweh), we may suspect that he was more than an angel, perhaps Jehovah Himself" (Angels: Elect and Evil, p.78).

He is God as Noted from the Previous Scriptures

Specifically, He is the Lord Jesus Christ in a Preincarnation Appearance which is called a Theopany or better a Christophany.

His Ministry

"The ministry of the Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament parallels the ministry of Jesus Christ in the New Testament" (Ibid., MacArthur, p.147).

He Revealed God’s Word

Exod.3:7-10

John 1:18 - "No one has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."

He Called Leaders like Moses, Gideon, and Samson into God’s Service Just as Christ Called His Disciples

Moses - Exod.3:7-10

Gideon - Judges 6:14 - "Then the LORD turned to him and said, ’Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?’"

Samson

Judges 13:5 - "For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

Judges 13:24-25 - "So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him at Maheneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol."

Mat.10:1-4 - Jesus commissions the twelve

He delivered His People through Moses, Gideon, and Samson Just as Christ Delieved His People through the Work on the Cross.

From the Egyptians - Exod.14:19-20 - "And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night."

1 Cor.10:1-4 - "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ."

From the Midianites - Judges 7:22 - "When the thee hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acaia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath."

He Protected His People - Ps.34:7 - "The Angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them."

He Interceded for Israel. Similarly Christ is our Intercessor.

Zech.1:12 - "Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, ’O LORD of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?’"