The Pre-Incarnate Christ

Written By Karyn Shalda

Angels are prevalent throughout scripture, in the Old and New Testaments. However, if we look closely, we see references to “an angel” and “angels” of the Lord, and then we see references to “the angel of the Lord.” I believe, as many do, that this is the pre-incarnate Christ Jesus.

Jesus, because He is not only the Son of God, but God Himself also (see John 10:30) has existed before the beginning of the world (see John 1:1). In the New Testament, we do not see any references to “the angel” of the Lord, because Jesus had become man, and remains both man and God to this day. But in the Old Testament, Jesus was all over the place! Let’s take a look at this powerful and mysterious journey of Christ through the Old Testament.

  • In Genesis 16:7-13, we have the angel of the Lord’s first recorded appearance, to a woman named Hagar. I love how the first record of His appearance is to a woman, just as His first appearance was to a woman, Mary Magdalene, after His Resurrection. Hagar is alone in the wilderness with her son, having been exiled by her master and his wife, Abraham and Sarah. The appearance is in Genesis 16:7-13, and we know this is God, because it says, “She called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God of seeing.” [El Roi].

  • Genesis 22: 11-18.

    • Between Genesis 12 and 26, God promised Abraham (and Isaac) that “all the nations of the earth” would be blessed through his offspring. Jesus was descended through Abraham’s line, fulfilling this promise, because Jesus came that all the world would be saved through Him (see John 3:17). “The Angel of the Lord” in the Old Testament is widely believed to be the pre-incarnate Christ - and if this is true as I believe it is - Jesus Himself stopped Abraham and provided a substitute for Isaac, just as Abraham believed God would provide, and just as later Jesus Himself would step in and provide Himself as a substitute, taking upon Himself the punishment intended for us.

  • Exodus 3:1-6: the Burning Bush

  • Exodus 14:19: Going before Isarael, leading them to the Red Sea

  • Exodus 23:20

  • Numbers 22:22-35

  • [NOT THE ANGEL, but Joshua 5:13-15]

  • Judges 2:1-5, 6:11

  • Judges 13:3

  • 1 Kings 19:5-7 need to double check this one

  • 2 Kings 1:3, 15 (also see 2 Kings 3:12)

  • 2 Kings 19:35

  • 1 Chronicles 21:12

Karyn Shalda https://www.purposeabove.com/