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Christ as the Angel of Jehovah (2)
Exodus 3:2
Good News From The Redeemer

Sermon by Pastor Daniel Parks
Radio Message #305 - February 5, 2000

In the preceding message we observed the following regarding "the angel of the LORD [which] appeared to [Moses] in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush" (Exodus 3:1f). I. This Angel of Jehovah is the special messenger from Jehovah. II. This Angel of Jehovah, although distinct from Jehovah, is nevertheless Jehovah Himself. 1. He bore the divine names. 2. The presence of this Angel was the divine presence. 3. He performed what Jehovah alone can perform. 4. He was revered by Moses as God. We here continue by proving that …

III. This Angel of Jehovah was Christ! All that has been revealed regarding this Angel is true of Christ also, to the exclusion of all other persons.

1. Christ is the special messenger from Jehovah - and infinitely superior to every other angel. (Remember: angel = messenger.)

i. Christ is the "Angel of Jehovah's Presence" sent by God to save and redeem and sustain His people (Isaiah 63:9). He is an angel by office, not by nature, nor a created angel. His presence is Jehovah's presence because God's name and nature and perfections are manifested in Him. He is indeed "the brightness of [God's] glory and the express image of His person" (Hebrews 1:3).

ii. Christ is the "Messenger of the New Covenant" (Malachi 3:1). The Old Covenant was delivered to Israel by God through angels (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19). But the New Covenant, the "better covenant" which has abrogated and replaced the Old Covenant (Hebrews 8:6ff), was delivered by none less than Christ its Mediator (Hebrews 9:15) and Surety (Hebrews 7:22).

iii. Christ is not only the special Messenger from Jehovah, but also the very Message itself. He is the divine Word of God (John 1:1) incarnate in human flesh (John 1:14). A word is a vehicle of communication by which the thought of one mind is made known to another. God the Father has communicated to man the thoughts and intents of His own mind in the person of Jesus Christ. Christ Himself therefore constitutes the complete and ultimate revelation of God, having "come from the bosom of the Father" and "declared Him" (John 1:18). There is nothing knowable by man concerning God which has not been revealed in and by Jesus Christ. Christ therefore declares to His Father at the completion of His earthly ministry, "I have given to them the words which You have given Me" (John 17:8,14).

2. Christ is distinct from God the Father, but nevertheless identified with the Father. He therefore declares, "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). His meaning is not that they are one merely in agreement and purpose (as in John 17:20-22) - else the Jews would not have desired to stone Him for blasphemy (John 10:31-33). Rather, Christ asserts that He and His Father are two separate Persons of one indivisible essence: "We are one!" As Augustine rightly said that the "We are" condemns the Sabellians (e.g. United Pentecostal Church), who deny the distinction of Persons in the Godhead, while the "one" condemns the Arians (e.g. "Jehovah's Witnesses"), who deny the unity of their essence.

3. Christ bears the divine names. For example, God's name par excellence, "Jehovah" - "the name which is above every name" - belongs to Christ (Philippians 2:9-11). And Christ is the "I AM" (John 8:58) - an assertion that again moved unbelievers to desire to stone Him for blasphemy (John 8:59). And Christ's name is so transcendently awesome that it is "Wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6).

4. The presence of Christ is the divine presence (Matthew 1:23): "'they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us'" (cp. Isaiah 7:14). Believers therefore, upon seeing Him, acknowledge Him as "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).

5. Christ performed what Jehovah alone can perform. When He declared "My Father has been working …, and I have been working" (John 5:17ff), yet another attempt to stone Him for blasphemy was made, because He was by this statement "making Himself equal with God."

6. Christ is revered as God. God the Father has decreed "that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father" (John 5:23; cp. Philippians 2:9-11).

Christ is the Angel of Jehovah. Do you worship Him?

Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205

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