We are moving into Exodus chapter three with our word for today which is actually a phrase. מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה Angel of the LORD or Angel of YHWH. It is used 116 times in the Old Testament. We find the Angel of the LORD speaking from heaven. Genesis 22:11, 15 But the מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied… The מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time. The Angel of the LORD can also appear as a man. A good example is when Balaam’s donkey sees him three times and avoids him until Balaam himself is allowed to see him. Numbers 22:31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. When experiencing the Angel of the LORD when people recognize who it is they give the same reverence as one would give God himself. Judges 6:21-22 Then the מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff...Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה angel of the Lord disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה angel of the Lord face to face!” This is the sense we see our phrase used in our chapter today. Exodus 3:1-6 And the מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”...And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. What I find interesting is that The Angel of YHWH is also referred to as both YHWH and God in verse 4, “The LORD saw…God called to him out of the bush” and later in verse 6, “Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. So Angel of the LORD or YHWH is definitely a messenger of YHWH as we have seen when we looked at the word for angel. But Angel of YHWH seems to be more than just an ordinary angel or messenger. At the least this is a special representative of YHWH who speaks with God’s authority at best it is God himself. Some have speculated that this is none other than the pre-incarnate Son of God Jesus himself. We just don’t know for sure because the Bible doesn’t specifically say. One interesting thing we do find is this description of his name when talking with Samson’s father about his birth. Judges 13:17-18 Then Manoah inquired of the מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?” And the מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?” Other translations say, “It is beyond understanding.” This word for wonderful has both these ideas of something so wonderfully miraculous that it is beyond comprehension. Here is a good example of the word Psalm 139:6 Such knowledge is too פִּלְאִיָּה wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. This is so true. When we try to completely figure God out it is just not possible from our limited perspective. I’m just grateful he makes himself known to us in ways that we can understand and have a rich and amazing relationship with him. I’ll close with this Messianic prophecy predicting Jesus rule described with this word that the Angel of the LORD hints at referring to himself with. Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called פֶּ֠לֶא Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
