Discovering Jesus in Old Testament Appearances

Discovering Jesus in Old Testament Appearances 

Introduction:

From the USMB website: “At the same time, we recognize the priority of Jesus’ teaching. When we read the Bible, we use Christ’s teaching as the first ‘lens’ for reading other scriptures. We want to know what Jesus said or taught about something, believing that, as God in human form, we should look to Him first for a correct undemanding of Scripture. Or progression is to read the gospels through the lens of the sermon on the mount, the rest of the New Testament through the lens of the Gospels, and the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament.”

Logical Fallacy: It is impossible to prioritize God’s Word over God’s Word or to set Scripture against Scripture.

Note: The “impulse” of the statement is good — the desire for Jesus to be the center is . The centrality of Jesus is not .

Note: The position of the Old Testament in the progression — is at the . 

The question needs to be raised: Does Jesus in the Old Testament? 

If we showed Jesus to clearly in the Old Testament –Would this change the “progression”? 

What we know of Jesus:

A. Jesus is the Eternal Son of God

All of God’s , God’s Messages, and God’s Actions are identified with the Second Person of the Trinity! 

Jesus not only existed before the incarnation but was active in God’s purposes, messages, and actions. 

B. God speaks through His Son

“Holy men of old know God only by beholding him in his Son as a mirror (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18). When I say this, I mean that God has never manifested himself to men in any other way than through the Son, that is, His sole wisdom, light, and truth. From this fountain, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and others drank all that they had of heavenly teaching. From the same fountain, all the prophets have also drawn every heavenly oracle that they have given forth.” ~ John Cavin

Prophets may have been the mouthpiece of God, but the Son was the ultimate speaker!

C. The Son is how God is revealed to Humanity

“Just as the Son of God is the usual way God speaks to humanity, so also the Son of God is the usual way God appears to humanity.” ~David Murray 

The Son of God was the audible voice of God and the face of God.

“When we read in sacred history what God did from time to time towards his church and people, and what he said to them, and how he revealed himself to them, we are to understand it, especially of the second person of the Trinity. When we read of God’s appearing after the fall, from time to time, in some visible form or outward symbol of his presence, we are ordinarily, if not universally, to understand it of the second person of the Trinity.” ~Jonathan Edwards

The Angel of the Lord

The phrase occurs more than times in the Old Testament. 

We can add a lot more to this list if we add phrases like “Angel of God” or “Glory of God.” 

The word “angel” means “.” 

Is the “Angel of the Lord” the pre-incarnate Christ? Malachi 3.1-10

To show that the Angel of the Lord is the second person of the Trinity — the only thing one must do is show the Angel of the Lord to be divine. ~ David Murray

The Angel of the Lord claims divine authority and in Genesis 16 as He speaks to Haggar.  

In Judges 5:23, the Angel of the Lord spells out divine curses and judgment. 

Exodus 23 — Do not rebel against Him, or he will not pardon you. To obey the Angel is to obey God. 

“If this were a casual matter if in or two instances the messenger spoke in the name of him who sent him, we might assume that the person thus designated was an ordinary angel or minister of God, But this is a pervading representation of the Bible; when we find that these terms are applied not first to one, and the not another angel indiscriminately, but to one particular angel; that the person so designated it attributed to him is elsewhere attributed to God himself; and that in the New Testament, this manifested Jehovah, who led his people under the Old Testament economy, is declared to be the Son of God, the LOGOS, who was manifested in the flesh, it becomes certain that by the angel of Jehovah in the early books of Scripture, we are to understand a divine person, distinct from the father.” ~ Charles Hodge

Two Passages: 

A. 2 Kings 18-20

Who is the deliverer? 

Psalm 46:8-10

What are you to be still (or stand in awe) at? 

B. Genesis 22

Abraham’s incredible obedience shouldn’t be from all that God had him throughout his life. 

Eventually (after more time than most of us have), Abraham learned that when God tells you something — He will deliver!

The Angel of the Lord communicates Grace to Abraham as He stops him from slaughtering Isaac and a Ram for the sacrifice. 

The Angel of the Lord communicates Grace to Abraham as He stops Abraham’s hand, steps in, and is so that Isaac wouldn’t have to be.