Jesus Christ’s appearances in the Old Testament–pt. 2

The final physical appearance of Christ in the Old Testament was in Judges 13:3-23 when he encountered Samson’s parents before Samson was born.  He is referred to as “the angel of the Lord” in this chapter.  You may ask “Why is he called an angel when we know Jesus is not an angel? He’s the Lord.”  Well, you would have to examine what the word angel actually means.  Angel not only refers to the spiritual beings who carry out God’s commands, it refers to the office one holds as delivering messages from God.  If you read Revelation chapters 2 and 3, the pastors of the seven churches in Asia are called angels based on this second definition.  Therefore, it stands to reason that the ultimate angel, or messenger, of the Lord would have to be Jesus.  Throughout his ministry Jesus said repeatedly that he was speaking what the Father told him to speak.

Now, getting back to Samson’s parents, Jesus appears to tell Samson’s parents what is required of them to raise Samson.  The first clue we have that this is Christ is when Samson’s father, Manoah, asks the angel what his name is.  The angel replies that his name is “secret” in Gen. 13:18.  This word “secret” also means “wonderful”, the adjective version of the noun “Wonderful” used as one of the names of Christ in Isaiah 9:6. 

The second clue occurs when Manoah and his wife offer a burnt offering to the Lord after the angel suggests it.  As the offering is burning, the angel ascends up to heaven in the flames.  This signifies that the offering is acceptable and pleasing.  No one except God has the right or authority to consider an offering acceptable, so this angel was undoubtedly Jesus Christ.  The final clue is given to us from Manoah who says “we have seen God” after the angel ascends in the flames.

It is clear that all three members of the Trinity played an active role in the affairs of men in both the OT and NT.  This proves that the word of God is consistent and not contradictory.  We serve a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus Christ’s appearances in the Old Testament–pt. 1

The God we serve is very complex in his character and many times it is difficult to comprehend why or how he does what he does.  This is one reason why critics of Christianity resist having the Lord as part of their lives.  When they look at the Old Testament (OT) and compare it to the New Testament (NT), they fail to see how the two interconnect.  They deny that all three persons of the godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) were active in the Old Testament and claim that the Trinity is nothing more than an idea conjured up in the New Testament. 

Mankind in his sinfulness is more comfortable serving gods who are created in his image, but the God of true Christianity expects us to be like him because everything he does is done in truth and righteousness.  Critics of the true and living God fail to realize that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are his ways our ways because his thoughts and ways are much higher than our thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8,9).  Furthermore, the existence of the Trinity is expressed in the very first chapter of Genesis (Gen. 1:1,2,26) where God’s name is Elohim, which is plural (yet at the same time is singular), and where in v. 26 God refers to himself in the plural.

Careful study of the OT also reveals that Jesus Christ made several bodily appearances, or Christophanies, long before he entered Mary’s womb.  One such appearance was in Gen. 18 when Jesus, along with two of his angels, visited Abraham.  In v. 3 of that chapter Abraham greets one of the men as “My Lord” (“Adonai” in Hebrew) which is a phrase in scripture used only to refer to God (see Ps. 110:1).  Starting in Gen. 18:13, this man is called “the LORD.”  Whenever the word LORD appears in scripture with all caps, this identifies God’s name Jehovah or Yahweh.  As this chapter ends, two of the men begin a journey to Sodom while Jesus remains behind to tell Abraham that Sodom will be destroyed.  Upon learning of Sodom’s upcoming destruction, Abraham intercedes on their behalf to Jesus.  In the next chapter the two angels who were with Jesus arrive at Sodom to rescue Lot and his family.

Jesus also made an appearance to Jacob in Gen. 32:24-30 where he wrestled with Jacob all night.  Several theologians have said that Jacob was merely having a psychological battle, not a physical one, because of his feeling guilty for taking Esau’s birthright.  However, I have never heard of someone having a psychological battle where their hip gets knocked out of joint as Jacob’s did–have you?  Since Jacob held his own against Jesus in the wrestling match, he was granted a blessing.  His name was changed to Israel, which is proof that this man had to be Jesus.  Israel means “he who prevails with God” or “he will rule as God (rules).”  Jacob had literally prevailed with God by wrestling with him in the person of Jesus.  This was a reflection of Jacob’s spiritual growth in that he could persevere and overcome by faith without cheating as he had done in the past.  Jacob realized who he wrestled with in Gen. 32:30 by naming the place Peniel, meaning “the face of God,” knowing he had seen him face to face and lived.

Jesus appeared to Joshua also in Josh. 5:13-15.  Joshua was near Jericho when he saw a man with a sword drawn.  Immediately Joshua wanted to know if he was friend or foe and he was told by the man that he was captain of the Lord’s host.  Upon hearing this, Joshua fell on his face and worshipped him.  This man did not stop Joshua from worshipping him as any other servant of the Lord would do (see Acts 10:26; 14:15; Rev. 19:10; 22:9 where servants of God stopped other men from worshipping them).  Joshua asked Jesus what his message was and Jesus responded by telling Joshua to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground, which is the same thing he told Moses in Exodus when he appeared to him in a burning bush.