MP #6 Revelation Through the Exodus

INTRODUCTION Exodus 3; Genesis 16:7-12; Genesis 21, 22, & 31.

For the last couple of lessons we have seen how Moses typified the Messianic Concept in his person and his work.

Tonight our focus shifts from Moses to the Exodus event and the revelation therein that helps to reveal Messiah in even greater detail.

There may not be a greater series of Messianic Revelations than during Exodus period in history.

From the angel of the Lord to the Passover, to the Tabernacle, it was a time rich with Messianic implications.

Tonight we shall begin to unravel them.

I remind those who participate in Bible study to train yourself to pay close attention to individual words.

We need to take note of what words are used and when.

Equally important is how they are used.

The Bible is built upon language, and language provides us the opportunity to mine the depths of the mind and plans of God.

YHWH is the supreme communicator, able to say what He means, and mean what He says.

Certain words and phrases are used to make known that which was previously unknowable.

Tonights lesson is a great example of how the Lord uses words and phrases to communicate a great Messianic truth, one that is often missed.

REVELATION THROUGH THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

If I were to ask you out on the street, who appeared to Moses at the burning bush, most would respond, God or YHWH.

But if I pressed you to be more specific, would you be able to do so?

Read Exodus 3:1-22.

In verse 2 we are told clearly that it was actually “the Angel of the Lord” that appeared to Moses at the burning bush.

Taken at face value, we might assume this to be an angel of some higher rank and or purpose.

We know that within the angelic realm there are Seraphim, Cherubim, Arch angels and hosts of angels.

Is the Angel of the Lord just another order or type of an angel?

It helps when we understand the word angel.

It is interesting that this Hebrew word for angel, “malak” is translated with a Greek word.

Angel is really a Greek word, it is what we call a transliteration.

The Greek is angelos, and we simply pronounce it in English as angel.

If the word “malak” were translated it would read “the messenger of the Lord”

Angels are messengers, sent to deliver messages and carry out the will of YHWH.

That is the meaning of both the Hebrew and Greek words, Malak or Angelos is a messenger.

Next I want to introduce you to a sound hermeneutical principle, inductive Bible study.

Hermeneutics is the art and science of Biblical interpretation.

Inductive Bible study simply means, we are going to let the Bible interpret the Bible.

If we are to rightly understand any Biblical passage, then it must fit with what we already know to be true, and free of contradiction.

YHWH is not a God of confusion.

He speaks clearly and plainly in His word most of the time, and if we will let the Bible interpret the Bible, generally speaking we shall arrive at a right interpretation.

Christianity is a revealed religion, constructed not on the basis of speculative philosophy but in response to what God Himself as plainly said.

Our God is a God who speaks, and He speaks to men through His word, thus it would do us well to pay close attention to the details of His word.

So who is the Angel of the Lord?

According to our text, it is the Lord Himself.

This is where paying close attention to words and scripture is so important.

We might be tempted to say, the Angel of the Lord is this or that, but what does the scripture tell us?

Verse 2, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses.

Verse 4, When the Lord saw, and God called to him from the midst of the bush.

Verse 5, the One speaking to Moses announces this is holy ground.

Verse 6, I am the God of of you father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.

In each of these declarations, Elohim is used.

I am the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Elohim is the eternal transcendent name of God.

It is the name that appears in Genesis 1:1, and remember, it is plural.

The plurality of Elohim is a key thought.

Even the Hebrew scholar Cassuto refers to Elohim as a unity, Gen 1:1.

Now, who is the Angel of the Lord?

It is God Himself, it is Elohim if we let the scripture inform us.

I would bet most of you would have said to my earlier question that God spoke to Moses from the bush, and you would have been correct.

But why then do we have those words Angel of the Lord?

If this is Elohim, the Creator God, why the new title?

This burning bush experience is a theophany.

A theophany is a visible manifestation of God to man.

Moses encountered Elohim, and there was a visible manifestation of fire that did not consume the bush.

Umberto Cassuto one of the premier Jewish scholars suggests that this was no ordinary fire, but that it was the glory of God which is often revealed as fire.

Evidence to support this view is that the bush was not consumed.

The fire continued to burn, or glow, yet the bush remained.

We have previously noted, nobody can see the full glory of YHWH’s being and live.

Thus if YHWH is to appear it must be in a way that conceals His full glory.

A Christophany is a preincarnate appearance or manifestation of Messiah in the OT.

Remember, Christ and Messiah are Greek and Hebrew counterparts.

God then is a plurality, one being who exists as three distinct persons.

True Christianity is trinitarian.

We believe that there is One God who exists in 3 persons, that shares one life, one essence, and one nature.

This view accounts for the language used in Exodus 3 as well as other places.

The Lord has His reasons for communicating the way He did, and He chose particular words at particular tines to reveal spiritual truth.

So we must concede, that there is purpose in this interesting twist of language.

The Angel of the Lord is divine, that much is clear.

The Angel of the Lord appeared and when He spoke, it was God who was speaking.

The question then is this, it this a theophany, just a visible manifestation of YHWH or is it a Christophany, a visible manifestation of Christ?

Exodus 23:23 LSB

“For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I will annihilate them.

And Ex 32:34

Exodus 32:34 LSB

“But now go, guide the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

These are two interesting verses of scripture.

For many years, all I ever heard was that God led the Israelites through the wilderness and to the promised land.

But here the language is different.

How can it be that God led them, and an angel led them?

I think the key is in that little possessive word, My.

My angel will go before you?

How can that be?

There is only one possibility, the Angel of the Lord is the second person of the Trinity!

It should not bother us that this person is called an Angel, since angel means messenger.

Messiah, even in preincarnate form, was a messenger.

Even here, we see the Angel of the Lord bringing a message for Moses, that is being a messenger.

But just to be safe, lets look at some other passages where this same Angel of the Lord shows up.

Hagar had a similar encounter in Genesis 16.

Sarai was Abram’s wife and they had no children.

YHWH had promised Abram a child 10 years previously.

But now they have grown impatient, and Sarai suggests that Abram sleep with Hagar, one of their servant girls.

Abram did, Hagar conceived, Ishmael was on his way, and then Sarai was mad.

So mad that she drove Hagar out of camp and into the wilderness where Hagar would surely die of exposure.

Hagar has found a spring of water in the wilderness, and is resting there when the Angel of the Lord appeared to her.

Read Genesis 16:7-12.

Notice, the Angel of the Lord speaks with the authority of God.

We see several commands.

Return, submit, name the child Ishmael.

Those are all commands.

Notice also the Angel of the Lord speaks with the omniscience of God.

You are with child.

You will have a son.

He will be a wild man.

That demonstrates omniscience.

So one could argue this is God speaking to her as the Angel of the Lord.

But look closes at the last line in verse 11.

The angel of the Lord makes it clear he is speaking for YHWH, that is what Lord means.

So if this is not YHWH, yet it is God, then it must be the second person of the trinity, Messiah.

Notice also how Hagar responds in verse 13?

She called on the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees.”

Clearly Hagar understood that God was talking to her.

She even notes, and I didn’t die.

Put it all together, and again the Angel of Lord is not the Father, so it must be the second person of the Trinity, Messiah.

The Angel is not identical with God, yet speaks as God, we are left with a second person within the Godhead.

Then in Genesis 21 we find an Angel of God.

Read Genesis 21:9-21.

Different title just a bit, but very much the same as previously seen.

The Angel of God is not identical with God yet He speaks for and as God.

First saying, God has heard you, omniscience.

Second saying I will make a great nation of Him.

That line speaks of divine authority and power.

Then again in Genesis 22 we find the Angel of the Lord.

Read Genesis 22:1-12.

Abram has been told to sacrifice Isaac, the son of the promise upon whom the covenant depends.

Abraham takes Isaac to the place YHWH directs, assembles an altar, Isaac gets on the altar, and Abraham is a milisecond from plunging the knife into Isaac.

Then we read Genesis 22:11-12

Genesis 22:11–12 LSB

But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the boy, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me.”

Again we must pay special attention to the frame of the language used.

I know that you fear God, not me.

The Angel of the Lord makes that statement, so Abraham fears a person other than the one speaking to him at this moment.

We would argue Father and Son are in view here.

Then the Angel says, you have not withheld you only son from ME!

In this statement we again see that it is God who is speaking.

Yet this Angel also speaks of God as another person.

Are you starting to see why even Trinitarian theology is taught from the OT?

Then in verse 17, the Angel of the Lord using language that defines himself as deity, reiterates the Abrahamic Covenant and promises to fulfill it.

Clearly the Angel of the Lord is God, yet also different from God.

He speaks as God Himself, and also for God.

Only a second person of the One God could do such a thing.

Next in Genesis 31 in the life of Jacob we see again the exact kind of language.

Read Genesis 31:1-13.

In verse 11, the Angel of God spoke to Jacob.

But then in verse 13, this angel clearly claims to be the God of Bethel.

Where you made a vow to Me.

Clearly the Angel of God is claiming to be the One and only God which again drives us to a Trinitarian view of God.

THE ROLE OF THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

First, the Angel of the Lord was a messenger, that of course is implied in the title.

Second, the Angel of the Lord is Israel’s guide and protector.

Exodus 14:19 LSB

Then the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.

Exodus 23:20 LSB

“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to keep you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

Exodus 23:23 LSB

“For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I will annihilate them.

Exodus 32:34 LSB

“But now go, guide the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

Exodus 33:2 LSB

“And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

This angle of God performs divine works as a guide, warrior and protector of Israel.

Again we see the Angel will do this, and then the pronoun changes to “I” alerting us to the fact that this is no ordinary angel but one of divine power.

Scholar have long debated this person, but in my view and that of most conservative Bible believing scholars, the Angel of the Lord as God makes known the plurality within the divine Being.

Moses understood perfectly who he encountered at the burning bush and what his task was in response to that encounter.

When Moses stood before Pharaoh in Ex 5:3

Exodus 5:3 LSB

Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God, lest He confront us with pestilence or with the sword.”

Moses and Aaron knew exactly who they had encountered in Ex 4 where God spoke to both of them.

Chapters 3 & 4 of Exodus form one dialogue, and it began with an Angel of the Lord appearing and speaking, yet throughout the claim is that God is speaking.

Hence, plurality in the divine Being.

When we looked at Hagar and Abraham, both of them also were very well aware that the Angel of the Lord was divine.

The Angel of the Lord displays a royal image of King.

Remember part of the Messianic role was kingly, the Messiah was and is to be the king.

In these interactions between man and the Angel of the Lord, we see just that.

Commands are given.

Authority is exercised.

The angel of the Lord speaks as sovereign over Israel and Egypt without hesitation, demonstrating His role as royalty.

Even from the narrow view of Messiah, the conclusion is that the Angel of the Lord is indeed Messianic, these are preincarnate manifestations of Messiah.

Especially in the wider view of Messiah do we see Messianic implications tied to the Angel of the Lord.

The angel of the Lord functioned as a shepherd of Israel.

He performs all the functions one would expect of Messiah.

He delivers His people while at the very same time brings judgment upon the oppressors.

That is a divine fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.

He protects and guides the freed slaves through the wilderness.

If you didn’t pick up on it, many scholars see the Angel of the Lord in the pillar of fire and the cloud because, that is how YHWH led them.

Yet, it was YHWH who said I will send My angel before you to lead you.

Last, the Angel of the Lord is markedly different from any man or any angel.

You simply cannot help but notice the divine qualities that accompany His presence

The Angel of the Lord has some remarkable features are true of the incarnate Messiah who would appear hundreds of years later.

The close identification of the Angel of the Lord with deity is undeniable.

He spoke as the sent One, but also as the sender.

He spoke divine words and carried out the function of divinity.

It would be tragic to miss the truth that this is Jesus, the preincarnate Son of God.

REVELATION THROUGH THE FIRST BORN

As one reads through the Genesis and Exodus account the term “first born” appears many times.

Careful inspection of these passages make it clear, the first born had special significance both to the YHWH and the people.

The question, does this teach us anything about Messiah?

The answer is yes.

In the first born concept we see a type of Christ.

The firstborn enjoyed certain prerogatives that others did not.

They were the father’s family representative.

They would one day assume the role of patriarch, the leadership of the family.

Not just there own immediate family, but really of the whole clan, brothers and their families as well.

The first born received preferential treatment.

A double portion of their fathers estate was their inheritance.

A blessing that was usually superior to that of other sons.

The firstborn was the Father’s representative in all things in his absence.

This is really an important distinction.

The firstborn represented the Father in all future activities.

In the OT the term firstborn is used of two specific kinds of people, Israel, and the firstborn sons of Israel.

Israel is called God’s firstborn.

In this the Lord was laying claim to Israel as His chosen representative to care for His estate and lead the world in His absence.

Ironically, Pharaoh claimed this same right, hence the struggle between YHWH and Pharaoh.

Israel was to represent the Lord here on earth.

Israel’s firstborn sons were also claimed by YHWH.

The firstborn son of every family was a reminder of God’s fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.

Children are a gift from the Lord.

He is the source of life and strength.

And it was YHWH that formed, grew and sustained the nation Israel.

YHWH providing families, ie the nation with a firstborn son was a reminder of His blessing upon them.

But like the nation, the firstborn enjoyed a special relationship and purpose with YHWH.

But here is the twist, each family had to pay a redemption price for their firstborn.

Then as YHWH established the Levitical priesthood, each Levite took the place of the redeemed firstborn, and were dedicated to special service.

In other words, the Levites as a whole were called to serve as the firstborn.

It must be understood, that by the time of the NT, the term firstborn came to mean more that just a reference to the chronology of the birth order.

The Greek term is prototokos, it is translated firstborn, but came to mean the pre-imminent one, the supreme one.

When you put it all together, it is clear how the firstborn had Messianic implications.

In the OT the ground work is laid, special significance is attached to the term and person firstborn.

The idea of a Son representing YHWH to the people brings out the royal concept of Messiah.

For it reminds us the firstborn of God is of the royal family.

As such, the firstborn of YHWH is called to lead and watch over the family of God.

Everything the firstborn of Israel was to do for the family, Messiah as the firstborn was to do for YHWH’s people.

He was called upon to lead, and that gave evidence He was from YHWH and functioning on His behalf.

The firstborn evidenced the strength of the Father as well.

This is why you find Jesus Messiah doing the very same works the Jewish people knew the Father did.

Last, as Messiah the firstborn, the role of mediator came into view.

The firstborn of YHWH represented the people before the Father.

The NT writers rightly saw and understood the significance of the firstborn typology.

Hebrews 1:6 LSB

And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God worship Him.”

This was clearly a reference to Jesus.

All in all 6 times Jesus is referred to at the firstborn in the NT.

And always the emphasis was on superiority, or supremacy.

For example, two times Jesus is referred to as the firstborn from the dead.

Revelation 1:5 LSB

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—

Colossians 1:18 LSB

And He is the head of the body, the church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

This is significant because we know that Jesus was not the first one chronologically to be raise from the dead.

There were previous resurrections to that of Jesus.

Both Elijah and Elisha raised a person from the dead.

Jesus Himself raised three people from the dead.

Jairus’ son, the widow’s only son, and Lazarus.

So how is Jesus the firstborn from the dead?

He is the prototokos, the supreme resurrected one, the most important resurrected from the dead.

This is emphasized in Romans 8:29

Romans 8:29 LSB

Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers;

Today there are many who are the sons of God, but Jesus is the pre-imminent one among them all.

You see, in the Biblical idea of adoption is the idea that we are all sons of God.

I am not throwing shade on you ladies.

You see in the Roman culture to which Paul wrote, only male were adopted, and they were adopted by wealthy families who wanted and needed a firstborn son who was capable or caring for the family estate.

It was an honor to be adopted an adopted Son and it spoke of great privilege and position.

This is why the apostle refers to all believers as adopted sons, we have great privilege and position.

But Jesus is the prototokos, the supreme Son among many sons of God.

When the NT writers applied the concepts of the firstborn to Jesus, they saw the Messianic ideas inherent in the concept of the firstborn.

The OT firstborn then was a type of Christ.

A picture of the Messiah.

Everything the firstborn son of a family was to be to his family, Messiah was to be to the family of God,

CONCLUSION

Are you starting to see why theologians refer to the Bible as His story, the story of Jesus.

The pictures or types of Jesus are every where in the OT.

YHWH had a reason for establishing the laws of the firstborn.

YHWH had a reason for sending the pre-incarnate Jesus as the Angel of the Lord.

These and so many more typified the coming Messiah.

As we study them, we see both the identity and work of Messiah revealed.

All in all, Moses did indeed write about Jesus.

Through the Angel of the Lord, the firstborn, the Exodus, through Moses example, through the Passover, and so much more, Moses wrote of Jesus.

Which is why studied like this one are so important.

So today we learned that Messiah……..

As the Angel of the Lord is the protector and provider of YHWH’s people.

As the Firstborn, He is the head of God’s people, the one who looks after them and insures they are cared for both now and into the future.

As the Angel of the Lord, we are reminded of His great power to do great things.

And as the Firstborn, He is the supreme One.

All of which helps to paint the OT picture of Messiah.