Jesus Is Not the Angel of the Lord

 Jesus Is Not the Angel of the Lord


Many traditions claim that Jesus is the “Angel of the LORD” who appeared throughout the Old Testament—particularly in events like the burning bush or the encounters with Abraham and Gideon. However, this belief is based on assumptions that overlook clear biblical distinctions. As Biblical Unitarians, we affirm that Jesus did not preexist as an angel or a divine being but came into existence at his miraculous conception (Luke 1:35).


Let’s explore 15 key Scriptures that show why Jesus is not the Angel of the LORD and that the Angel is someone else—not God Himself, and not the future Messiah.



1. Exodus 3:2–6 – The Burning Bush


 "The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush..." (Ex. 3:2)

"God called to him from the midst of the bush..." (v. 4)




Some argue that this angel is God or Jesus. But the text shows that God speaks through the angel, as He often does through prophets or messengers (Hebrew malak = messenger). Just like God spoke through Moses, He spoke through the angel.


Jesus later quotes this passage in Mark 12:26, saying:


"Have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him..."




Jesus attributes the voice to God, not to himself or a preexistent form. If Jesus were that angel, he would be calling himself Yahweh—but he never does.




2. Hebrews 1:5


"For to which of the angels did God ever say, 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you'?"


This verse clearly excludes Jesus from the category of angels. He was begotten—not a repurposed angel. God never called any angel His Son in this way.




3. Hebrews 1:13–14


"To which of the angels has he ever said, 'Sit at my right hand...?'"


Jesus is superior to angels, and is distinct from them. Angels are ministering spirits, but Jesus is the exalted human Messiah.





4. Luke 1:35


"The holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."


Jesus is the Son of God because of his birth—not because of any preexisting role. He begins as God’s Son in time.




5. Galatians 4:4


"When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law..."



There’s no suggestion here of a preexistent being taking on flesh. Jesus was born, not incarnated.



6. Numbers 22:22–35 – Balaam and the Angel


The Angel of the LORD blocks Balaam and almost kills him. Would Jesus act this way before his human mission of grace and peace? The personality and mission of the Angel differs from the servant-hearted Messiah of the Gospels.



7. Judges 13:16


"If you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD."


Manoah tries to offer food to the Angel, but he refuses—saying it must go to God, not to him. This shows the Angel is not God, and certainly not a pre-incarnate Jesus.



8. Zechariah 1:12


"Then the angel of the LORD said, 'O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy...'"


The Angel of the LORD intercedes to Yahweh. He is clearly not Yahweh, and not Jesus praying to himself.



9. 1 Timothy 2:5


"There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."


Jesus is the man, not an angel. His role as mediator is based on his humanity, not a preexistent angelic identity.



10. John 1:18


"No one has seen God at any time."


If Jesus were the visible Angel of the LORD, this would be false. But it’s not. God was never seen directly—He worked through messengers.



11. Acts 7:30–32


Stephen says an angel appeared to Moses at the burning bush. He does not say this angel was Jesus or Yahweh, but that God spoke through the angel.




12. Matthew 1:20–21


"That which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit..."


Again, Jesus began his existence at conception—not before, not as an angel.





13. Revelation 1:1


"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show to his servants by his angel..."




Even after his resurrection, Jesus uses an angel to communicate. He is not the angel—he sends the angel.



14. Luke 2:10–11


"I bring you good news... a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."


The angel announces Jesus' birth. Jesus is not the angel, but the child being born.



15. 1 Corinthians 15:45–47


"The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit."


Jesus is the second Adam, not a preexistent angel. His identity and mission are human, not angelic.




Conclusion


The "Angel of the LORD" in the Old Testament was a representative of Yahweh, often speaking on His behalf. Sometimes, he even uses divine speech, but this does not make him God—just as Moses did not become Yahweh by carrying His words. Jesus, by contrast, is not a divine messenger-angel from the Old Covenant. He is the promised Messiah, born of a woman, begotten by God, and raised as Lord. The idea that Jesus was the Angel of the LORD not only confuses categories—it undermines the uniqueness of Christ’s human origin.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

No One Knows the Day or Hour — Matthew 24:36, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Witness of 70 AD

 No One Knows the Day or Hour — Matthew 24:36, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Witness of 70 AD When Jesus said in Matthew 24:36, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only," many have taken this to mean a far-future, end-of-the-world event. But what if this phrase had a much more specific meaning to Jesus’ Jewish audience—one tied to their festal calendar, their historical context, and even the events of 70 AD? Let’s unpack this verse and its connection to the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), the idea of two witnesses, and the prophetic imagery of Revelation 11—all pointing to a first-century fulfillment. The Feast of Trumpets and the Phrase "No One Knows the Day or Hour" The phrase “no one knows the day or the hour” was commonly associated in Jewish idiom with the Feast of Trumpets—the only festival that began on a new moon (Tishri 1). Since the new moon is difficult to predict precisely, ancient I...
Read more

Ezekiel 38-39 has been fulfilled in the book of Esther-Quick Reference

Ezekiel 38-39 has been fulfilled in the book of Esther-Quick Reference ***The Jews’ victory caused 75,310 people (Esther 9:10, 15, 16). This corresponds with the enemy deaths in Ezekiel 38-39. ·          Esther 9:10 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder . ·          Esther 9:15-16 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men , but they did not lay their hands on the plunder . 16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies . They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. ·          Ezekiel 39:11 11 “‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, ...
Read more

Ezekiel 40

Image
INTRODUCTION Picture yourself as a Jew in the exile. You lost your home, your family, and even questioning your faith in the midst of God’s promises. You are traumatized and broken by the events that have transpired. All hope seems loss. Then Ezekiel the Priest says that you will inherit a new Temple and a new land with more responsibility added to you. More responsibility that you couldn’t fulfill the first time, which is why you are exiled in the first place. And get this, it is all invisible. This would have not gone well for Ezekiel by simply telling the Jews their inheritance was invisible. However, that’s not the case. Thankfully, our God is very descriptive about the measurements and dimensions of the Temple. We have a basis to compare the old Temple and old land to these new promises. Since the Jews were involved in the construction, they would be familiar with the size of the Temple and the land. When Ezekiel was telling the Jews about these measurements, it blew their mind...
Read more