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The Angel of the Lord: an Angel or Christ? Bible Figures and Symbols

Isaiah 63:7-11 ”I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord...For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?”
Hosea 12:3-5 "He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial."
Act 8:26, 39 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 7:30-33 "And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground."
Mark 12:26 "... have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?"

1. Who is the ONLY Connecting Link between God and man?

“Here is made a revelation of Jesus Christ as the only connecting link between God and sinful man, that the repenting sinner might find pardon.” {Ms13-1884.1}

Christ is the connecting link between God and man. He has promised His personal intercession. He places the whole virtue of His righteousness on the side of the suppliant. He pleads for man, and man, in need of divine help, pleads for himself in the presence of God, using the influence of the One who gave His life for the life of the world. As we acknowledge before God our appreciation of Christ’s merits, fragrance is given to our intercessions. As we approach God through the virtue of the Redeemer’s merits, Christ places us close by His side, encircling us with His human arm, while with His divine arm He grasps the throne of the Infinite. He puts His merits, as sweet incense, in the censer in our hands, in order to encourage our petitions. He promises to hear and answer our supplications.” {8T 178.2}

2. Who is the Medium of Prayer between man and God?

“Yes, Christ has become the medium of prayer between man and God. He has also become the medium of blessing between God and man. He has united divinity with humanity. Men are to co-operate with Him for the salvation of their own souls, and then make earnest, persevering efforts to save those who are ready to die.” {8T 178.3}

In Christ’s name our petitions ascend to the Father. He intercedes in our behalf, and the Father lays open all the treasures of His grace for our appropriation, for us to enjoy and impart to others. “Ask in My name,” Christ says. “I do not say that I will pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loveth you. Make use of My name. This will give your prayers efficiency, and the Father will give you the riches of His grace. Wherefore ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” {8T 178.1}

We can talk with Jesus. We can talk with Jesus as Enoch talked with God; he could tell his Lord all about his trials. Here was the way Enoch walked with God, and when the light shone out upon his pathway, he did not expect to say, “Why, what will my friends and relatives say of me if I take this course?” No, he did that which was right whatever the consequence.” {Ms83-1886.6}

Now Enoch sought to have a connection with God, and those who do not have a connection with God have a connection with some one else who will lead them away from everything good.” {Ms83-1886.7}

We can commune with our best Friend. He is right by our side. We need not go into the heavens to bring Him down, for He is right by us to help us. {Ms83-1886.5}

3. Who is The Angel of the Covenant, The Angel of the Lord, the Mediator?

“Pray, yes, pray with unshaken faith and trust. The Angel of the covenant, even our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Mediator who secures the acceptance of the prayers of His believing ones.” {8T 179.1}

"And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. " Judges 2:1

“A most forcible and impressive illustration of the work of Satan and the work of Christ, and the power of our Mediator to vanquish the accuser of His people, is given in the prophecy of Zechariah. In holy vision the prophet beholds Joshua the high priest, “clothed with filthy garments,” standing before the Angel of the Lord, entreating the mercy of God in behalf of his people who are in deep affliction. Satan stands at his right hand to resist him.” {5T 467.3}

Christ was not only the leader of the Hebrews in the wilderness—the Angel in whom was the name of Jehovah, and who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, went before the host—but it was He who gave the law to Israel. Amid the awful glory of Sinai, Christ declared in the hearing of all the people the ten precepts of His Father’s law. It was He who gave to Moses the law engraved upon the tables of stone. “{PP 366.2}

“Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to 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 name is in him.” Exodus 23:20-21

“The Israelites were continually losing sight of the fact that they were under divine guidance. They forgot that the Angel of the covenant was their invisible leader, that, veiled by the cloudy pillar, the presence of Christ went before them, and that from Him Moses received all his directions.” {PP 395.3}

4. Joshua and The Angel/Captain of The Lord’s Host

“This was no common angel. It was the Lord Jesus Christ, he who had conducted the Hebrews through the wilderness, enshrouded in the pillar of fire by night, and a pillar of cloud by day. The place was made sacred by his presence, therefore Joshua was commanded to put off his shoes.” {4aSG 61.4}

5. Moses and The Angel

“The burning bush seen by Moses was also a token of the divine presence, and as he drew nigh to behold the wonderful sight, the same voice which here speaks to Joshua, said to Moses, “Draw not nigh hither. Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” {4aSG 61.5}

6. The Angel and Balaam

Numbers 22:35 and 23: 12 "And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?"

7. Gideon and The Angel

“Gideon desired some token that the one now addressing him was the same that spoke to Moses in the burning bush. The angel had veiled the divine glory of His presence, but it was no other than Christ, the Son of God. When a prophet or an angel delivered a divine message, his words were, “The Lord saith, I will do this,” but it is stated of the Person who talked with Gideon, “The Lord said unto him, I will be with thee.” {ST June 23, 1881, Art. A, par. 16}

8.The Angel in Judges 6

“The Lord did not permit the sins of His people to pass without rebuke. There were still faithful worshipers in Israel; and many others, from habit and early association, attended the worship of God at the tabernacle. A large company were assembled upon the occasion of a religious feast, when an angel of God, having first appeared at Gilgal, revealed himself to the congregation at Shiloh... This angel, the same that appeared to Joshua at the taking of Jericho, was no less a personage than the Son of God.... He showed them that He had not broken His promises to them, but they themselves had violated their solemn covenant.” {ST June 2, 1881, par. 9}

9. The Angel announcing Samson’s birth

“Christ, enshrouded in the cloudy pillar, had spoken again and again to Israel for their good; but they had not heeded his voice. Again he appeared to Manoah and his wife with definite instructions concerning the course she should pursue to insure physical and moral health to her offspring. God had a work for the promised child of Manoah to do,—a work which would require careful thought and vigorous action. It was to secure for him the qualities necessary for this work that all his habits were to be carefully regulated.” {ST September 29, 1881, par. 8}

Manoah and his wife knew not that the One thus addressing them was Jesus Christ. They looked upon Him as the Lord’s messenger, but whether a prophet or an angel, they were at a loss to determine. Wishing to manifest hospitality toward their guest, they entreated him to remain while they should prepare for him a kid. But in their ignorance of his character, they knew not whether to offer it for a burnt offering or to place it before him as food.” {ST September 15, 1881, par. 10}

“The answer was, “Why askest thou after my name, seeing it is secret?”...They knew that they had looked upon the Holy One, who, veiling His glory in the cloudy pillar, had been the guide and helper of Israel in the desert.” {ST September 15, 1881, par. 12}

10. The Hebrews in Babylon

“He who walked with the Hebrew worthies in the fiery furnace will be with His followers wherever they are. His abiding presence will comfort and sustain.”{PK, 513. 1}

11. Daniel and The Angel

"No less a personage than the Son of God appeared to Daniel. This description is similar to that given by John when Christ was revealed to him upon the Isle of Patmos." {RH February 8, 1881, par. 27} " [Cyrus] the [Persian] monarch had resisted the impressions of the Spirit of God during the three weeks while Daniel was fasting and praying, but Heaven’s Prince, the archangel, Michael, was sent to turn the heart of the stubborn king to take some decided action to answer the prayer of Daniel." {RH, February 8, 1881.31}

12. The high priest Joshua and The Angel

Then the Angel, who is Christ Himself, the Saviour of sinners, puts to silence the accuser of His people, declaring: “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” Israel had long remained in the furnace of affliction. Because of their sins they had been well-nigh consumed in the flame kindled by Satan and his agents for their destruction, but God had now set His hand to bring them forth. In their penitence and humiliation the compassionate Saviour will not leave His people to the cruel power of the heathen....” {5T 469.1}

13. The Angel of The Lord in the book of Acts

The God of heaven, the mighty Ruler of the universe, took the matter of the imprisonment of the disciples into His own hands, for men were warring against His work. By night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and said to the disciples, “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.” This command was directly contrary to the order given by the Jewish rulers; but did the apostles say, We cannot do this until we have consulted the magistrates and received permission from them? No; God had said, “Go,” and they obeyed. “They entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.” {AA 79.2}

14. The Angel and John the Revelator

"The whole Bible is a revelation; for all revelation to men comes through Christ, and all centers in Him. God has spoken unto us by His Son, whose we are by creation and by redemption. Christ came to John <exiled> on the Isle of Patmos to give him the truth for these last days, to show him that which must shortly come to pass. Jesus Christ is the great trustee of divine revelation. It is through Him that we have a knowledge of what we are to look for in the closing scenes of this earth’s history. God gave this revelation to Christ, and Christ communicated the same to John." {Ms129-1905.2}

"The instruction to be communicated to John was so important that Christ came from heaven to give it to His servant, telling him to send it to the churches. This instruction is to be the object of our careful and prayerful study; for we are living in a time when men who are not under the teaching of the Holy Spirit will bring in false theories. These men have been standing in high places, and they have ambitious projects to carry out. They seek to exalt themselves and to revolutionize the whole showing of things. God has given us special instruction to guard us against such ones. He bade John write in a book that which should take place in the closing scenes of this earth’s history." {Ms129-1905.4}

"The Lord himself revealed to his servant John the mysteries of the book of Revelation, and he designs that they shall be open to the study of all. " {RH August 31, 1897, par. 5}

"No less a personage than the Son of God appeared to Daniel. This description is similar to that given by John when Christ was revealed to him upon the Isle of Patmos." {RH February 8, 1881, par. 27}

15. All the Communication between heaven and the fallen race has been through Christ !!!

“Since the sin of our first parents there has been no direct communication between God and man. The Father has given the world into the hands of Christ, that through His mediatorial work He may redeem man and vindicate the authority and holiness of the law of God. All the communion between heaven and the fallen race has been through Christ. It was the Son of God that gave to our first parents the promise of redemption. It was He who revealed Himself to the patriarchs. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses understood the gospel. They looked for salvation through man’s Substitute and Surety. These holy men of old held communion with the Saviour who was to come to our world in human flesh; and some of them talked with Christ and heavenly angels face to face.” {PP 366.1}

“It was Christ that spoke to His people through the prophets.The apostle Peter, writing to the Christian church, says that the prophets “prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.” 1 Peter 1:10, 11. It is the voice of Christ that speaks to us through the Old Testament. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10. {PP 366.3}

“Paul made the prophecies in the Old Testament relating to the Messiah, and the agreement of those prophecies with the life and teachings of Christ, clear in the minds of all among his hearers who would accept evidence upon the subject. Christ in his ministry had opened the minds of his disciples to the Old-Testament scriptures; “beginning with Moses and the prophets, he expounded unto them, in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself.” Peter, in preaching Christ, produced his evidence from the Old-Testament scriptures, beginning with Moses and the prophets. Stephen pursued the same course, and Paul followed these examples, giving inspired proof in regard to the mission, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. He clearly proved his identity with the Messiah, through the testimony of Moses and the Prophets; and showed that it was the voice of Christ which spoke through the prophets and patriarchs from the days of Adam to that time.” {8Red 45.1}

It was Christ that spoke through Melchisedec, the priest of the most high God. Melchisedec was not Christ, but he was the voice of God in the world, the representative of the Father. And all through the generations of the past, Christ has spoken; Christ has led his people, and has been the light of the world.” {RH February 18, 1890, par. 10}

Jesus was the One who was communing with Abraham, and thus we see Christ in the Old Testament; then down through the New Testament we see Him constantly giving the apostles light, and we want to be gathering all the rays of light that have been shining down through the prophets and apostles. We have the advantage of all the light they had.” {Ms83-1886.11}

16. Christ the Ladder, without Him there is NO Communication, NO angels ascending or descending

Christ is the ladder, the foot on the earth in His human nature, the top in heaven in His divine nature. His human arm encircles the race while His divine arm lays hold upon the Infinite. All the intercourse between heaven and earth since the fall is by the ladder.” {Ms13-1884.4}

“I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” As Creator of man He is the root of David. As bearing the nature of man, that He may be the world’s Redeemer, He is the offspring of David; that He may lay down His life for the saving of the human race He became Mediator in behalf of man.“{Ms61b-1895.31}

17. The angels and the word: A Balanced View

"While the mind is put to the tax to comprehend depth and breadth of the meaning of the sacred utterances of the Word of God, angels are by the side of the contrite soul who hungers and thirsts for knowledge." {Lt70-1893.12}

"Because you are feeding on the Word of life and angels are right around you to make the due impression upon the human heart." {Ms131-1909.13}

"When we search the word of God, angels are by our side, reflecting bright beams of light upon its sacred pages. The Scriptures appeal to man as having power to choose between right and wrong; they speak to him in warning, in reproof, in entreaty, in encouragement. The mind must be exercised on the solemn truths of God’s word, or it will grow weak. {RH March 4, 1884, par. 11}

18. The Angel of the Lord in the Writings of Pioneers

"Questions and Answers vol. II" by Milton C. Wilcox, page 22. Gathered from the Question Department of the Signs of the Times.

"Views of the Prophecies and prophetic Chronology" by William Miller, page 25.

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