THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF CHRIST (IN THE O.T.)

Christ appears in the O. T. under the Title the Angel of Jehovah

 

This Angel Appears in Many Passages in the Entire Old Testament - He Was Very Busy

Some of many: They Call These Theophanies

Gen. 16:7 “And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.”

Gen. 21:17 “And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.” The Lord is identified by His majestic name instead of His redemptive name in this verse.
Gen, 22:11, 15 “And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.”
Exod. 3:2 “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.”
Num. 22:22, 26 “And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.”

Jud. 13:2-3 “And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.”

This particular angel, as distinguished in Scripture from all others, is often referred to in the O.T. (cp. Gen. 16:9; 22:11; 48:16; Exod. 3:2; 14:19; Num. 22:22; Jud. 2:4; 6:11; 13:3; 2 Kings 19:35; Isa 63:9; Zech. 1:12; 12:8).

(1) He is named "the angel of the LORD [<Jehovah>]" (Gen. 16:7), "the angel of God" (Gen 21:17), "The angel of his [God's]  presence" (Isa. 63:9), and probably "the messenger [angel]  of the covenant" (Mal 3:1).

(2) He is clearly identified with the LORD Himself in His self-manifestation to men. In Gen 31:11 -13 the angel said to Jacob, "I am the God of Bethel." In Exod. 3:2 - 6 the same angel said to Moses, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham."

(3) Divine attributes and prerogatives are ascribed to this angel. He said to Hagar, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count" (Gen. 16:10), and Hagar spoke of him as the all-seeing God (v. 13). Jacob referred to him as "the angel who has delivered me from all harm" (Gen 48:16). The place where this angel appeared was holy ground and he was to be worshiped (Exo 3:5 - 6), whereas worship is sternly forbidden in the case of ordinary angels (Rev 22:8 - 9). "The angel of the LORD" was the keeper of Israel, and his voice had to be obeyed, for the name of God was in him” (Exod. 23:20 - 23).

 

This Angel can be Identified as Christ in His Pre-Existent Pre-Incarnate State

Judges 13:15-18 ASV with Isa. 9:6 and Isa. 28:29  “And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor?  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?”

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

“This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.”

In the light of N.T. revelation, this O.T. angel may properly be identified with the pre-incarnate Son of God. In Jud 13:18 the angel referred to his name as "beyond understanding" or, literally, "wonderful," and Isa 9:6 gives this name to the predicted Messiah of Israel.

Mal. 3:1 - "Messenger (angel) of the covenant" Malachi affirmed that "the LORD" who would "suddenly . . . come to his temple" would also be "the messenger [angel]  of the covenant" (3:1).