Jesus In The Old Testament
The Godhead • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: The Godhead
Hope: To draw closer to God through a better understanding of the harmony between the Godhead by looking collectively and individually at them.
Last week, we took a break from our Sunday morning theme “The Godhead” to look at Biblical Dads on Father’s Day.
But two weeks ago we began looking at “God the Son” of the Godhead and his work in creation.
Today, we are turning our attention to “Jesus In The Old Testament.”
Obviously, God the Son is not called Jesus in the Old Testament but knowing what we talked about concerning his role in creation and in the Godhead we can make logical and reasonable conclusions.
Interestingly enough, Jesus is the only one of the Godhead that isn’t mentioned in the New Testament as with the same name or names found in the Old, outside of a few instances.
Though we don’t see any of the Godhead specifically named “Jesus” or “God the Son” in the Old Testament we clearly see Jesus in the Old Testament with the title, “The Angel Of The Lord.”
So, with this in mind let us take time this morning to examine this.
Facts About This Angel
Facts About This Angel
He Plays A Vital Role.
He Plays A Vital Role.
Some might be surprised to learn that the Angel of the Lord is found all over the Old Testament and in places they might not even expect.
It is the Angel of the Lord that talks with Hagar after she flees from Sarah.
7 The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.”
It is the Angel of the Lord that stops Abraham from sacrificing his son.
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
It is the angel of God that talks with Moses in the burning bush.
2 And the 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.
It is the Angel of the Lord that blocks the Egyptian army from attacking Israel (Ex 14:19-20) and led them to the promised land.
1 Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you,
It was the angel of the Lord that stood in front of Balaam’s donkey.
23 And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.
v It was the angel of God that was often used to destroy the sinful and unjust.
36 And the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.
Summary
Summary
We have just scratched the surface of the Old Testament passages that contain the angel of the Lord and His interaction with people in the Old Testament.
He is found from Genesis through Malachi.
Why does anyone think the “Angel of the Lord” is Jesus, or for that matter deity?
After all aren’t angels created?
The Angel of the Lord is without a doubt…
A Divine Being
A Divine Being
Created Beings Aren’t Divine.
Created Beings Aren’t Divine.
No created angelic being has been called God or been worshiped and accepted such.
We see the apostle John fall down and worship an angel and is told to get up and only worship God.
10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
Yes, created beings are not to be worshiped and therefore not divine but we certainly find…
The Angel Of The Lord Was Worshiped.
The Angel Of The Lord Was Worshiped.
The Angel of the Lord is not only called God but he doesn’t refuse the name and is also worshiped without stopping it.
Hagar calls the angel of the Lord “God.”
13 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
The messenger of Jehovah said he “swore by himself as Lord” to Abraham.
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
The angel of God said He was God to Jacob.
11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’ ”
In the burning bush it is the angel of the Lord that calls Himself God.
2 And the 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.
6 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.
The “commander of the army of God” accepted worship.
13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Summary
Summary
There should be no doubt that the “angel of the Lord” is divine and worthy of being called God and worshiped.
But how do we know the “Angel of the Lord” is Jesus and not the Father, or the Spirit.
We can determine this by noticing he is…
Distinct From The LORD
Distinct From The LORD
Jehovah LORD.
Jehovah LORD.
The Hebrew word Jehovah or LORD is derived from the root “havah” meaning “to be” or “being” suggesting self-existence.
The Father, Son, and Spirit are without a doubt “self-existing.”
In Exodus 23:20-33 Jehovah promised to send an angel before the Israelites as they travel through the wilderness, keep them safe, and bring them to the land of Canaan.
Notice what God or LORD says about this angel.
Exodus 23:21 (ESV)
21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.
Clearly, we see a divine reality about this angel being sent and he is “Jehovah LORD.”
But again we ask…
Is He Jesus?
Is He Jesus?
In the Old Testament prophecies we find this in Malachi 3:1.
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
Notice the “messenger” here is John (Matthew 11:10) but he was to prepare the way fro the “messenger of the covenant.”
We know that is Jesus whom John prepared the way for and isn’t it interesting that Jesus is described here as the “messenger or angel.”
Also, it was the angel of the Lord that brought the Israelites to the promise land and Paul clearly states Jesus was there during this time.
1 Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you,
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
We know there is no other name but Jesus’ that saves (Acts 4:20) and in Isaiah 63:8-9 we read this…
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.” And he became their Savior. 9 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; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
The proof positive however is found in Jesus’ words while here on earth.
As we mentioned the Angel of the Lord was at the burning bush and when Moses asked what his name was we remember those infamous words.
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
Jesus would say this about the great “I Am.”
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Summary
Summary
…
Conclusion
Conclusion
…
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.