Secondary Bible Themes 3 - Water, Sea, Ocean, Wash

Here is a list of themes in the Bible. Water in general and washing in particular plays a large thematic role in the Bible.  In fact it is mentioned with meaning from the very beginning of the Bible to the very end. When it is mentioned, water brings both destruction/death and new creation/life. On the second day of creation, right after light, God made and separated the waters of the earth. These waters were then filled with life to sustain on the fifth day. The rivers in the Garden of Eden were specifically mentioned as well and brought life to both the plants and animals (including people).



However, shortly after that God destroys the whole world and most of the population in a great flood in Genesis 6. 1 Peter 3:20-22 explains how this foreshadowed baptism. Likewise, the Egyptians chasing the Israelites slaves whom Moses Led, were drowned in the Sea in Exodus 14. As the Israelites became a people, God in instituted many ritual washings (Numbers 19). 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 explains how their wanderings in the desert foreshadowed baptism as well. Water and the word, 7 times is referring to the Holy Spirit. Namaan was washed clean of his sin and believed as did the blind man that Jesus healed.

Judaism requires converts into Judaism to immerse themselves fully in water in a mikveh or body of "living water." It did not become customary, however, to immerse converts to Judaism until after the Babylonian Captivity. John describes this as a process of going from a Gentile to Jew ritual practice. In the New Testament, it brings unbelievers into the family of God and replaced circumcision. "The ancients talked of the baptized as fish. Water is the Word of God. Fish die out of water so believers die without the word." - Herald Senkbeil (Dying to Live).

Also, yes, baptism is a washing away of sins, but violently, not peacefully as we often think about it. Baptism is drown the Old Adam to death every single day (Romans 6).

Then there’s the story of Jonah. When this prophet fled from God by boarding a ship, “the LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up,” (Jonah 1:4).

The songs and narratives that shape the thought of the Israelites do not speak of the sea the same way we often do, as a place of tranquility, postcard sunsets, and soothing waves lapping the beach. For them, the waters of the sea are a place of danger, judgement, confusion, evil, death. The psalms liken the threats of the enemy to the “roaring of the seas and the roaring of their waves,” (65:2). In another psalm, the souls of mariners melt within them as they rise up on stormy waves to the heavens and go down to the depths, reeling and staggering like drunken men, until the Lord finally causes the storm to be still (107:23-32).

In the New Testament Jesus talks about himself as the living water, that we can drink and never be thirsty (John 7). He compares himself to a well of fresh water, not the salty sea that we can't drink. Reading further in the New Testament we find that the waves of the sea bring impending death (Matthew 8:23-27); the sea is the place into which the herd of swine plummet to their death when the demons enter them (Matthew 8:32); and “the roaring of the sea and the waves” one of the signs of the second coming of Christ (Luke 21:25).

Sometimes, it is that way with us. We talk about people having a storms in life, being thrown about, swept to and fro, buffeted by waves of woe. During difficult times in life it is as if we are sucked out to sea, blown this way and that way by troubles. Finally, when life is over we talk of sinking beneath the dark waters of death.

For the most part, the Sea is a symbol in the Bible of a world gone wrong. As I mentioned earlier, water brings both destruction/death and new creation/life. However, there will be no sea in New Creation, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea." Revelation 21:1. There will be no more destruction and no more need for new life. We will already have a new and eternal life. But what about now, before the new creation is realized. What comfort do we have in this life? 

Jesus was with His disciples in the boat when a great storm arose in the sea, covering the vessel with waves, so that these men thought they were perishing, but he calmed the storm and saved them. So He is with us, when we endure the storms of life and the waves of sorrow. He is not a God who stands on the shoreline shouting instructions. He is the Savior who never leaves our side, for He has washed you into His open side by the waters of a new creation. He doesn’t tell you what to do, He says, “It is done. It is finished.” Yes, there will be many times when you doubt it; when, like the disciples, you will be of little faith (Matthew 8:26). But even when you are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). When the time is right, He will rebuke the winds and the waves, and there will be a great calm.

There will be no sea in the new creation. Amen to that good news. But even better news is that, even while we endure storms at sea in this old creation, the God who baptizes us also abides with us in these tumultuous waters, holds us up, and will never leave us nor forsake us, for we are dearer to Him than life itself.

Spying in the Bible 1 - Before 2166 BC

Historical Background

Espionage is commonly referred to as the second oldest profession in the world. Civilizations have likely been spying on each other since their prehistoric formation and spying itself has probably been around since one of Adam’s children inconspicuously sneaked a peak to see what another was doing. Also, deception and other espionage tactics have been around since the very beginning of time. The Bible even starts, in Genesis 3 with the Devil’s deception of Adam and Eve, when he tricked them into eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Shortly thereafter, Cain deceives his brother Abel to lure him into a trap to kill him.

While the first instance of espionage in the world will never be known, the earliest recorded instance in history is in the Bible and involves Joseph and his brothers in Egypt. From that point on, cases of intrigue, deception, and espionage are quite prevalent throughout the Bible. Many major events that changed the course of God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments are tied to cases of espionage, from entering and leaving Egypt, to entering the Promised Land, to Jesus’ birth, ministry, and death, along with the formation and growth of the early Christian church.

This series of posts will take an in-depth look at all of the cloak and dagger stories in the Bible throughout the history of God’s people, from and intelligence analysis perspective. All dates that are given are approximate and some are even hotly disputed by reputable historians. Dates are given for historical context only as this work is not intended to be a biblical timeline or archeological text, but rather to explore and analyze cases of espionage throughout the Bible. The early history of the world from Creation and Adam and Eve up through Noah (a descendent of Adam and Eve’s third son Seth) and the flood likely takes place mostly in the Stone Age, before written history began. Genealogies from early Genesis appear to be incomplete, so it is very difficult, if not impossible, to date biblical figures or events before Abraham.

After the flood came God’s command to Noah’s three children Shem, Ham, and Japheth to spread throughout the world and settle it. However, people did not disperse as commanded until God confused their language during the construction of the Tower of Babel. Sometime after the tower of Babel incident is probably when the story of Job takes place. According to tradition, and more recently some genetic studies, the Semites (descendants of Shem) moved mostly into the modern day Middle East and include the Israelites and Arabs, the Hamites (descendant so Ham) moved mostly south into Africa, and the Japhites (descendants of Japheth) moved north into Indo-Europe and Russia. The language barrier, no doubt, helped to lead to the formation of nations/ethnic groups, which has been where most of the espionage in the history of the world has been focused.

The Early Bronze Age occurred between 3500 and 2200 BC and saw the rise of the first large civilizations. The first such known civilization of city dwelling people was the non-Semetic, black haired (most likely Hamitic), Sumerians from the southern Mesopotamian region (modern Iraq). Archeologist have found some commerce records written in the ancient Sumerian language that may date to very early in their culture and are generally considered to be the earliest examples of writing that we have today. It is interesting to note that other, later writings of the Sumerians include stories of a worldwide flood as well as references to a common language spoken by all people. Some also mention fire signals between villages, showing that the idea of communicating intelligence information rapidly, such as warning of an approaching army, has been around since the dawn of civilizations.

However, recorded history is generally accepted to have begun when Egyptians used hieroglyphs to describe the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under Menes in c. 3100 BC. This event started the Early Dynastic Periods of Egypt, which was the second known of the ancient great civilizations, and also likely Hamitic. A few hundred years later, the next period in ancient Egypt began, which is referred to as the Old Kingdom. After about a thousand years of a unified Egypt, many foreign invaders began moving into Egypt, greatly disrupting the fledgling nation, and starting the First Intermediate Period (c. 2160 BC – c. 2040 BC), which corresponds to the Intermediate Bronze Age.

God the Father (Paterology)

So far, in previous posts, I have discussed God the Son (Filiology), as well as the Personal and Work of the Incarnate Son Jesus Christ (Christology). I have also discussed the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology) as well as his relationship to the other two with a discussion of the Filoque. However, this is my first post exclusively on God the Father.

He is usually pictured as an old man with a big gray beard in the clouds, probably just to look fatherly.  The Bible actually begins by talking about the work of the Father, Genesis 1:1 "In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth" It continues by showing how he created everything, "And God said..." He speaks everything into existence. In fact, both the Apostles and Nicene creed simply state: "I
 believe 
in 
one
 God, 
the 
Father
 Almighty, 
maker 
of 
heaven
 and
 earth." After creation and the fall, God came up with a plan for our salvation.

Since, in our sinfulness we cannot go to God, or even see His face (Exodus 33:18-20), He sent his only begotton, but not made, Son to save us (John 3:16 - objective justification) and his Spirit to create faith in us to justify us (subjective justification). The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God the Father (Romans 8:9), He proceeds from the Father (John 15:26) and is sent by the Father (John 14:26). We have to through Jesus, being the mediator between man and God, to get to the Father (John 14:9).  We pray to the father, in the name of the Son, through with the help of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 6:9).

God's primary work is to love us and to give us life (both originally in creation, and new life through salvation).

God's Alien work is to punish sin.

Numerology

Being an Engineer by training, numbers have always been interesting to me. Numbers clearly have meaning in the Bible, so I researched what the numbers meant and have put my notes here for a reference:

1 “Unity”

One clearly represents unity, primacy, the first, the best, the only, it has no divisors, no factors, no components, it is universal, whole and complete. One usually represents God, His sovereign rule, His omnipotence, His supremacy, His unique character. One excludes all differences for there is no second with which it can either harmonize or conflict.

2 “Union or Division”

Two is unity plus another, thus we have a difference or a contrast between the one and the other, or disunity.  However, two can also work together for good.

Night and Day, Light and Darkness

Right and Wrong (Good and Bad), for or against, saved or unsaved, heaven or hell.

Cain and Able; Jacob and Esau; Israel and Judah

Dual nature of Jesus (Man and God)

Bipartite Substance (spiritual and physical or body and soul)

Genders are 2, marriage of 2.

^“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he fall; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?” Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

2 kinds of sin – original and specific

2 kinds of revelation – general and specific

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” Romans 1:20

2 great commandments – love God and love your neighbor

2 testaments/covenants of the Bible
2 kinds of God's will - hidden and revealed
2 kinds of revelation - general and specific
law and gospel,
God's alien and proper work
2 kinds of righteousness - vertical and horizontal
2 kings of justification - objective and subjective
2 kinds of sanctification - wide and narrow

3 “Godly/Divine Perfection or Completeness”

Number of Godly completeness, or divine or spiritual perfection or completeness.

Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Tripartite Nature of Man

Jesus had a 3 year ministry

Jesus rose on the third day

The three divisions of time - past, present and future.
Three parts of the tabernacle/temple
The sum of all human capacity (and sin) is threefold - thought, word and deed.

Temptation from 3 sources: internal, world, and the devil.

4 “Worldly/Creation Perfection or Completeness”

Number of worldly perfection, or the entirety of creation.  Four is three plus one, and it denotes therefore that which follows the revelation of the three in one God, namely His creative works. God is known by the things which he created.

4 directions (N,E,S,W) or corners of the earth.

4 seasons

We read in Genesis 1:10 that the river that flowed out of the Garden of Eden divided into four rivers. “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.”

5 “Grace”

Five is four plus one, we have seen that there are three persons in the Godhead, four represents their created work. The creation was made subject to corruption, so he next thing, of five, is Grace.

Five kinds of animals were sacrificed under the Old Covenant: goats, sheep, cattle, pigeons, and doves

Jesus bled from 5 wounds on the altar of the Cross.

Daniel proclaimed the Fifth Kingdom to be an Everlasting Kingdom

God sealed his unconditional promises to Abram by the covenant of circumcision and by changing his name to Abraham. In the Hebrew this involved adding one letter to Abram’s name. The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Sarai, Abram's wife also had her name changed to Sarah by the addition of the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Thus God is showing that His covenant with Abraham was through grace and by grace only.

6 “Weakness of Man”

Six is clearly stamped in the bible as the number of man. It was on the sixth day of creation that God created people. Six could be seen as being four - the creation or mankind's world, plus two - division or mankind's separation from God. Alternatively six could be five - the grace of God, plus one leading to the grace of God being made of no effect by mankind's addition to it. Finally six might also be viewed as seven - spiritual perfection minus one, i.e. mankind's coming short of spiritual perfection.  Therefore, three sixes is the imperfect or anti-trinity.

7 “Spiritual Perfection or Completeness”

In the Hebrew, seven is from a root word meaning to be complete or full.  God rests on the 7^th day and gave his seal of approval.  Sabbath.  Old testament forgives debts every 7 years.

Spiritual completeness 3 + worldly completeness 4 = 7.

In Matthew 18:22 Simon Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive a brother who has sinned against him.  Peter asks "As many as seven times?"  Jesus' response is "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times," indicating not a literal 77 times but that Peter's forgiveness is to be given without limit-an abundance of forgiveness using the "perfect" number 7 which represents both covenant and spiritual perfection.

There are multiple sevens in the Book of Revelation including.

seven Spirits of God [ Revelation 4:5].

seven Seals [ Revelation 5:1].

seven Angels with Seven Chalices [Revelation 15:5-7].

8 “New Births, New Beginning”

Eight is seven plus one, and is hence the start of a new order, the beginning of a new era. Eight thus represents regeneration and resurrection. When the flood washed the earth clean, in a type of baptism, eight people were saved in the ark.  Circumcision on the 8^th day symbolizing new man, or belonging to the covenant.  Jesus rose on the first day of the week.

With this in mind it is interesting to note that the Bible records eight individual resurrections other than the Lord Jesus and the saints.

(1) Elija: widow’s son 1 Kings 17:17-24

(2) Elisha: child 2 Kings 4:31-37

(3) :Elisha 2 Kings 13:20-21

(4) Jesus: only son of a widow Luke 7:11-18

(5) Jesus: Jairus’s servant Luke 8:40-42, 49-56

(6) Jesus: Lazarus John 11:39-44

(7) Peter: Tabitha Acts 9:36-43

(8) Paul: Eutychus Acts 20:7-12

Jesus is the 8th covenant

(1) Covenant with Adam [Genesis 1:28-30; 2:15-17; Hosea 6:7].

(2) Noah and the earth [Genesis 6:18; 9:9-17; Sirach 44:17-18].

(3) Abraham [Genesis 12:3; 15:1-18; 18:18; 22:18; Sirach 44:19-20].

(4) Sinai Covenant [Exodus 19-24; 34:10, 27, 28; Deuteronomy 5:2-3].

(5) Aaron and Sons high priestly covenant[Exodus 40:15; Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; Sirach 45:7; Jeremiah 33:21].

(6) Phinehas: perpetual priesthood [Numbers 25:11-15; Sirach 45:24].

(7) David and descendants [2 Samuel 7:11; 23:5; Sirach 45:25].

(8) Jesus the Priest-King of the New Covenant

9 “Divine completeness from the Father”

Three threes = 3+3+3 = 3*3

Nine fruit of the spirit

“Endings”

Nine is not yet the full or complete, number ten, but it does mark the ending. It is the last of the single digits, in our decimal numbering system. Thus it can represent the conclusion or ending of a matter.

It was in the ninth year of the prophet Hosea that the king of Assyria destroyed the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and carried the people away into exile [2 Kings 17:6].

It was in the ninth year of King Zedekiah's reign that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah, destroying the city of Jerusalem and the Temple [2 Kings 25:1].

It was the ninth hour, Jewish time (3PM) when Jesus gave up His life on the cross for the sins of the world [Matthew 27:46].

10 “Orderly Perfection or Completeness”

Completeness of order.  The number ten is the start of a whole new order of numbers and the culmination of the numbers that come before it.  Counting basis, 10 fingers, 10 toes.  10 commandments.

10 righteous would be enough to save Sodom and Gomorrah.

Noah was the 10^th generation before the covenant.

11 "Disorder or Judgement"
One more than orderly completeness and one less than perfect completeness.

10+1 or 12-1

12 “Governmental Perfection or Completeness”

Spiritual completeness 3 x worldly completeness 4 = 12

12 tribes of Israel (Old Testament fullness of God's people)

12 disciples (New Testament fullness of God's people)

The city of God in Revelation Chapter 21, symbolic of the church and also called the bride of Christ.

“¹⁰And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, ¹¹Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; ¹²And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: ¹³On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. ¹⁴And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. ¹⁵And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. ¹⁶And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. ¹⁷And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.”  Revelation 21:10-17

13 “Apostasy or Rebellion”

12+1 adding to perfect government is rebellion

“Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.” Genesis 14:4.

40 “Trial and testing”

40 day epic periods during the great flood [Gen 7:4, 12, 17,8:6].

40 years was the age of Isaac when he married Rebekah [Gen 25:20].

40 years of Moses in Egypt [Ex 7:7; Dt 34:7; Acts 7:30].

40 years of Moses in Midian before his return to Egypt [Ex 7:7; Acts 7:30].

40 years from the Exodus until Moses' death [Dt 1:3; 34:7]. 

40 years Israel ate manna [Ex 16:35; Dt 29:5].

40 days Moses was on the Mountain to receive the Law of the Sinai Covenant [Ex 24:18].

40 days the children of Israel were tested while Moses was on the mountain [Ex 32:1].

40 days Moses was on the Mountain after the golden calf. [Ex 34:28].

40 days after his birth, according to the Sinai Covenant, a male child of Israel was dedicated to God at the Sanctuary [Lev 12:1-4].

40 days the Israelite spies reconnoitered the land of Canaan [Num 13:25].

40 years was Caleb's age when Moses sent him to reconnoiter Canaan [Josh 14:7].

40 years that Israel spent in the wilderness before they camped by the Jordan River [Num 14:33; Dt 1:1-3; 8:2].

40 years from the giving of the Law at Sinai to the conquest of the Promised land [Josh 5:6].

40 year intervals of peace in the age of the Judges [Judges 3:11; 5:31; 8:28].

40 years Eli judged Israel [1 Sam 4:18].

40 years of war between Israel and the Philistines.

40 years David ruled as King of Israel [2 Sam 5:5; 1 Chr 29:26-27].

40 years of Solomon ruled Israel. [2 Chr 9:30].

40 days Jonah was in the Assyrian city of Nineveh [Jonah 3:4].

40 years Josiah ruled Judah [2 Kng 12:2].

40 days Ezekiel lay on his right side to symbolize the 40 years of Judah's transgressions [Ez 4:6].

40 days Jesus fasted in the wilderness before His trial of temptation by Satan [Mt 4:2; Mk 1:13; Lk 4:2].

40 days Jesus taught His disciples after the Resurrection.  On the 40th day He ascended to the Father [Acts 1:3].

40 years from the Resurrection to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD.


1,000 "A very large completeness number, all of a lot"

10*10*10 = 10^3 = 1000
A Very Long Time
God keeps his covenant for a thousand generations (forever) Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Chronicles 16:15, Psalm 105:8, 
Better is one day in God's courts than a thousand elsewhere, Psalm 84:10
"For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night." -Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8 shows God is eternal
The Millennium in Revelation 20
A lot of money, but the full amount for things
Genesis 20:16, 1 Samuel 25:2, 2 Samuel 18:12, 2 Kings 15:19, 2 Chronicles 1:6, Song of Solomon 8:11, Isaiah 7:23
A Large Distance, but the correct measurement for things
Numbers 35:4, Nehemiah 3:13, Ezekiel 47:3-5
A Large Amount of People, but the right amount, or Everyone that needs to be included
The Israelite Army had 1,000 from each tribe (=12,000), Numbers 31:5-6
Also, Deuteronomy 32:30, Joshua 23:10, Judges 15:16, Judges 20:10, 1 Samuel 13:2, 1 Samuel 18:13, 2 Samuel 19:17, Psalm 91:7, Isaiah 30:17, Daniel 5:1, Daniel 7:10, Amos 5:3, 


144,000 "The entire church triumphant from every age"

The symbolic number who will be saved in Revelation 7 and 14, which incorporates all of the completeness number for both the old and the new covenant.
12x1000 from the Old Testament/before Christ x 12x1000 from after Christ
(3x4x10^3)*(3x4x10^3)

Genesis 1:1-2:3 - The Beginning

Genesis, Chapters 1-2:3  —  The Beginning

1.  What three important things does Gen. 1:1 say:

  a) about God (who He is and what He does)?________________________________________

  b) about everything that exists? ___________________________________________________

  c) about how it came to be? _________________________________(see first words in Gen 1:3,6,9)

2.  How does Genesis 1 reveal that all that is, life, and human existence are not blind chance or accident but God’s intent and will?  (what does “God said” imply?  And how often does that phrase occur?) 

________________________________________________________________________

3.  Genesis 1:2 focuses on the earth as “formless and empty.”  This phrase may give structure to the 6 days of creation:  3 days of forming and 3 days of filling.  Summarize what is created on each day- what order can you find, both vertically and horizontally? 

Day 1	Day 4
Day 2	Day 5
Day 3	Day 6

4.  How does Genesis 1 show a sense of order and progression?

________________________________________________________________________

5.  Genesis 1 has been called a “creation symphony,” showing the distinctively Biblical way of seeing the beginnings of everything, of human life, of history; what do Rev. 21:1-3 and 22:1-3 disclose about its end/goal? 

________________________________________________________________________

6.  Throughout Genesis 1, what does the word good imply?  (how often is it used?)­­­­­­­

________________________________________________________________________

7.  Read Genesis 1:26-27.  What does the phrase “image of God” say?  What does it mean?

________________________________________________________________________

8.  In Exodus 20:11 and 31:16-17, the only other two passages in the Bible which refer to the six Creation days, what is the seventh day for?

________________________________________________________________________

9.  What do you think happened on the 8^th day?

________________________________________________________________________

The Pre-Incarnate Son, The Word of God, The Angel of the Lord (Filiology)

The second person of the trinity, the Son of God, the pre-incarnate Jesus, is mentioned throughout the Old Testament.

The Word of God

The first time the second person of the trinity is mentioned is at the very beginning of the Bible in the creation story, in Genesis 1:3. This is clearly referring to the Word of God, who is God's Son as explained by John 1-4,14,18. This shows that the first thing the Son did was be the Father's vehicle of creation and life. This was confirmed again in Colossians 1:16, 1 Corinthians 8:6, and Romans 11:36. 





The Mediator Between God and Man

Extending from that role, the Son was also then the liaison, or mediator between the Father and the creation. No one can see the Father directly without dying (Exodus 33:20, 1 Timothy 6:16) and because of our sinfulness, no one can go directly to the Father, so we must go to the Father through the Son (John 14:6b-7, 9b-10).








     The Messenger (Angel) of the Lord

As the Word of God and the mediator between the Father and creation, the Son's second role in the world was as the Father's messenger. This is why he was known as the Angel of the Lord (the word Angel means messenger).  He came to Abraham to make his covenant with him (Genesis 15:1-6). In Genesis 16:7-12, he appeared to Hagar as she was fleeing and told her to Go back. He also told her that she was pregnant and should name her son Ishmael. He appeared to Abraham again in Genesis 22 to tell him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, as a test, and then to stop him from doing it. Later, in Genesis 32,  we are told that Jacob wrestled with a "Man" (verse 24) who identified Himself as God (verse 28). In fact, Jacob says, "I have seen God face to face..." (verse 30). Since we know from John 1:18 that no one has seen God the Father, Jacob must be talking about the Son in a pre-incarnate appearance. This is confirmed in Hosea 12:3-5 where we are told that the Jacob wrestled with was "the Angel" who is also the "the Lord, the God of hosts."

He appeared to the prophet Balaam and gave him orders (Numbers 22:22-35). He appeared to all of Israel to tell them to stop worshiping idols (Judges 2:1-4).  He instructed Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites (Judges 6). He prophesied the birth of Samson and sent up in a flame of the altar. (Judges 13). In both of those last two instances, Gideon, as well as Maboah and his wife thought they would die from seeing God after the Angel of the Lord came to them, but they did not. He called Sameul as a boy (1 Samuel 3) as spoke to him throughout his life (1 Samuel 15:10-11,23). He spoke to Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1, which is confirmed to be pre-incarnate Jesus in John 12:41 and Philippians 2:5-8. He spoke to Malachi (Malachi 3:1), telling him he was sending His Son, who is his messenger (Angel). He spoke to Zechariah (Zechariah 1 and 3), where he refers to the Word of the Lord, the Angel of the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, and "the Branch" interchangeably. Jesus is referred to as the branch, shoot, or root of Jesse throughout scripture (John 15:1-8, Romans 15:12, Revelation 5:5).  He also spoke to other prophets, such as Nathan (2 Samuel 7:4), David (2 Samuel 22:1-3, 1 Chronicles 21:18), Gad (2 Samuel 24:11), Solomon (1 Kings 6:11), and Elijah (1 Kings 19:3-5).

Further evidence that the Angel of the Lord was the pre-incarnate Jesus is the fact that the Angel ceased to appear after Jesus became incarnate in the flesh. At that point in time, the Angel Gabriel took over the responsibility of serving as God's chief messenger.

The Shepherd of His People

In Genesis 48:15-16, we see that the God of Abraham and Isaac, is the "the God who has been my shepherd" is the same "Angel who has delivered me from all harm." This shows that the Angel of God is also the good shepherd.  Jesus says he is the good shepherd in John 10:11. This shows that the third

     




     He Protects His People

When the Assyrians threatened to destroy Jerusalem, it was the Angel of the Lord who killed 185,000 of them in one night, forcing those remaining to retreat (2 Kings 19:35). Also Psalm 34:7 states "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them"






      He Leads His People

In Exodus 3, the Angel of the Lord appears to Moses in the burning bush to tell him what to do and states that He is God, accepts Moses' worship, and names himself as, "I Am." Jesus confirms that was him in John 8:58. He also led the Children of Israel in the wilderness as a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (Exodus 14 and Judges 2:1). Interestingly, in Revelation 10, John sees in his vision the "strong angel" coming down from heaven, who has the title deed of the earth in his hand. He puts one foot on land and the other in the sea and lifts the title deed in the air as a symbol of his claiming all of creation for himself. He has a "face like the sun" (just like the transfiguration) and has feet that are like "pillars of fire." Jesus was also providing the sustenance to the Israelites (Exodus 17:1-7) as the rock from which the water comes from, as confirmed in 1 Corinthians 10:1-4. 

Summary

He is the Word of God
God Created the World through Him
He is the mediator between man/creation and God
     He is God's messenger to man/creation
He protects and leads people as the good shepherd

Now looking at the roles of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son, they make a lot of sense:

He is God's revealed Word to us in these latter days, instead of prophets (Hebrews 1:1-4)
God redeemed the world through Him (John 3:16)
He is the mediator between man and God (1 Timothy 2:5)
     He reconciled us to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
     He intercedes for us with the Father (Romans 8:34)
He is our good Shepherd (John 10:11)
He will come again to Judge the world (Matthew 25:31-46)