Our Conquering King

Introduction

Who is the Angel of the Lord?

Initial Observations

He appears many times in the Old Testament (Gen. 16:7; 21:17; 22:11; 24:7; 31:11; Ex. 3:2; 14:19; 23:23; 32:34; Num. 22:22; Jdg. 2:1; 5:23; 6:11; 13:3; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Kgs. 19:7; 2 Kgs. 1:3; 19:35; Psa. 34:7; 35:5; Isa 37:36; 63:9; Zech 1:11; 3:1).

Hagar

Abraham & Isaac

Abraham’s servant & Rebekah

Jacob

Jacob blessing Joseph’s sons

Burning bush

Red Sea

Sinai

Balaam

Rebuke in Judges

Song of Deborah

Gideon

Samson’s parents

Threshing floor of Araunah

Elijah

185,000 Assyrians slain

Zechariah

And then…no appearances in the New Testament…

He is Yaweh (Gen. 16:7-13; 22:11-18; Ex. 3:2-6; Jdg. 2:1-4).

He is a distinct Person (Gen. 16:13; 2 Sam. 24:16; Zech. 1:12-13).

He can be seen face to face.

God instructs Him.

He converses with Yahweh.

Deeper Observations

We can imply other sightings (Gen. 18:1-33; 31:13; 32:24-30; 48:15-16; Josh. 5:13-15; Dan. 3:25; 8:11).

He appears “as a man” (Gen. 18; 32; Josh. 5; Dan. 3).

He is called wonderful (Jdg. 13:18; cf. Isa. 9:6).

He is an intercessor (Zech. 1:12; 3:1-7).

One more possible reference (Mal. 3:1).

Looking Backward

Jesus fits many of these observations.

But we can be more explicit than that (Acts 7:30-38; Num. 20:16; Jude 5).

Jesus is the Angel of the Lord.

Jesus has Always Been God’s Champion

So when we see Him presented in this fashion, it should be familiar imagery (Rev. 19:11-16).

We see glimpses of this power while He walks among men (Matt. 8)

“Even the winds and the sea obey him” (Matt. 8:27).

The demons big HIS permission to move (Matt. 8:31).

The centurion get’s it, REAL true power and authority are in this man (Matt. 8:8-9).

But do you see the conquering power of the cross?

There is a kind of king who conquers by shedding the blood of those who resist Him (Rev. 13:7).

The is only one king who conquers all nations by shedding His own blood for those who resist Him (Rev. 5:9).

We are told He exposed the powers at the cross (Col. 2:15).

The word for disarmed is the same verb used in Matt. 27:28 for stripped.

The same word for the public display is the word used for “open shame” in Hebrews 6:6.

Rome claimed to be the most advanced, powerful, and just nation that had ever existed. Jesus showed they could not (would not) protect the most innocent man who ever lived.

Jerusalem claimed to be the most righteous people in the world. They claimed to be the very source of all truth and goodness.

But when perfect truth came and walked among them, they shouted crucify.

They are exposed and they are made an open shame. But what’s more, the spiritual powers represented by them are exposed and put to open shame.

Rome actually had a goddess to represent her. She wore purple and scarlet and was adorned with gold and stones and pearls (Rev. 18:16).

This was the extent of their power and Jesus walked away (Acts 13:33; Psa. 2).

It turns out, all they did was participate in the inauguration ceremony (Matt. 27:28-29).

They ushered Him into the throne room (Acts 1:9; Dan 7; Rev. 5).

Conclusion

Jesus has always been gaining victory over God’s enemies and the enemies of His people both in the flesh and in the spirit.

At the cross, He dealt the decisive blow from which the dragon and all who serve him will not recover.

The dragon is a defeated and wounded animal. He is still powerful enough to lash out and cause harm. But he is a loser in the truest sense of the word.

People who deny Jesus are not just choosing the wrong side, they are looking at a scene of a warrior King with His hand around the throat of the dragon, ready to cast him into eternal flames and saying, I’ll side with the dragon.