Days of Noah are Here!

Jesus is Jehovah?

The identity of who Jesus Christ is, the reason for his life, and how his life matters today is the cornerstone for every human being who wants to answer the big questions in life.

This first section is a compilation of scripture selections, with my comments, put together by an individual named Dave Reid, a brethren from the Gospel Hall background who was dealing with people who were challenging the divinity of Jesus Christ. One of the biggest groups who challenge his identity and work is the religion of Islam. Of course they do not accept the Bible as the complete and only revelation of the true God. A smaller group of challengers has been the Jehovah Witnesses. And of course when you examine many other religious groups they also have a significantly downgraded view of who he was and what purpose his life had and how it affects the world today.

In the second section we bring Old Testament scripture to light, which shows Christ appearing and ministering to many. Many have termed this the pre-incarnate appearances of Christ. In other words, Christ took on the appearance of a man and personally met with Old Testament saints such as Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Samson, Daniel and many others. There are some fascinating scriptures, which we will consider.

So, we want to bring to bear in this article a presentation of Jesus in the Old Testament and the New Testament, focusing on scriptures which help us clear up the identity confusion. And also look at some of his personal appearances he made to Old Testament saints. I know for one, that it is sometimes just hard to grasp the infinite creator of the universe limiting and confining himself to a human frame. Hiding his infinite glory behind a veil of flesh. Yet is this not what the scriptures we look at will declare? Many will declare him to be the "son of God", but when pressed further that he was "very God" there is a strange disconnect in their minds and the light seems to dim abit. Hopefully this article will brighten the mind with light and we may contemplate Jesus in a far deeper way.

The scriptures used are from the King James Version. Before we begin, we should mention that there are different words for God translated out of the original languages of Hebrew and Greek. There are three main words used for God, which predominate in the Old Testament. The first is "Jehovah" translated as "LORD", and its primary meaning points to God as the "self-existent one" (no beginning or end), his personal nature, and his moral righteousness. Jehovah is used 6,283 times in the OT. The second word for God is a plural word "Elohim", translated as "God", and focuses on his sovereignty, his omnipotent power and his great glory. It is used with singular verbs in many cases pointing to the trinity and yet as one. Elohim is used 2,570 times in the OT. The third word is "Adonai" translated as "Lord", also a plural word and focuses on God as the master, ruler and owner. It occurs some 300 times in the OT.

In the New Testament let us briefly consider the words translated from the Greek for the "Lord Jesus Christ". The Greek Word for Lord is "Kurios" and refers to authority and supremacy. It is used mostly as the equivalent of "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" in the New Testament. It is also used in some contexts as "sir", "owner" or "master". The Greek word for Jesus is "Iesous" and is derived from the Hebrew word "Joshua" or "Y’shua" and means "Jehovah is salvation" or "Jehovah is the Saviour". Very interesting you might say. The Greek word for Christ is "Christos" and is equivalent to the Hebrew word for "Meshiach" or "Messiah" or "the Anointed One". These Hebrew words identified the one who would undo the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Again, a most interesting connection. Let us now proceed with the unveiling.

The very first chapter of the New Testament opens with an astounding proclamation of who this Jesus is. We read its proclamation in Matthew 1 v 21 and 23 declaring Jesus as both God and the Savior of people from their sins.

Matthew 1 v 21,23 reads

  1. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
  2. 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is (means), God with us.

As we move through the Old and New Testament we will show Jesus as the great I Am, the Creator, the Redeemer from the Power of Sin, the Mighty God, the Pierced One, the Savior from Sin, the Sovereign King, the All-knowing Searcher of Hearts, and the Alpha and Omega without beginning or end

The Great I Am!

As we read in Exodus we find Moses asking God by what name should he use to tell the children of Israel that God had sent him to lead them out of Egypt. If you have ever heard someone say that Jesus never claimed to be God, read on.

Exodus 3 v 13-15 reads

  1. 13 And Moses said unto God, behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say unto me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?
  2. 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
  3. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: THIS IS MY NAME FOREVER, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

John 8 v 53, 56-58 reads

  1. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
  2. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.
  3. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? V58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

John 8 v 23,24,28 v23 reads

  1. 23 And he (Jesus) said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
  2. 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins.
  3. 28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

John 11 v 30-33 reads

  1. 30 (Jesus speaking) I and my Father are one.
  2. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
  3. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
  4. 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

The Creator

Can that man from Galilee be the one who also created space, time and matter? Is he the one who programmed the incredible complexity of the genetic code and set the universe in motion?

Isaiah 42 v 5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Isaiah 44 v 24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things]; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Colossians 1 v 12-18 reads

  1. 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
  2. 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:
  3. 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:
  4. 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
  5. 16 For by him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
  6. 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
  7. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.

John 1 v 1-3,10,14 reads

  1. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
  2. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
  3. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
  4. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
  5. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The Redeemer (Rescuer, Ransom Payor)

Can it be that the Creator, though guilty of no sin, took my punishment due me, to pay the penalty of sin and to break the power of sin in my life? Is this the love of God demonstrated towards me? Can I accuse God of any wrongdoing, can I blame him for anything? Should I not blame myself for my sin and see God’s nail scarred hand of love reaching down to me and grasp it?

Isaiah 48 is most interesting because you have the trinity laid out in verses 16 and 17. Note "Lord GOD", "his Spirit" and "LORD thy Redeemer". Same thing in Genesis 1 v 26, Genesis 11 v 6,7 and Isaiah 6 v 8 which follow.

Isaiah 48 v 12,13,16,17 reads

  1. 12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I [am] he; I [am] the first, I also [am] the last.
  2. 13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: [when] I call unto them, they stand up together.
  3. 16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there [am] I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
  4. 17 Thus saith the LORD (Jehovah), thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I [am] the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way [that] thou shouldest go.

Revelation 5 v 8,9 reads

  1. 8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
  2. 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
  3. 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Genesis 1 v 26 reads

And God (Elohim plural) said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Genesis 11 v 6,7 reads

  1. 6 And the LORD (Jehovah) said, Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
  2. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

Isaiah 6 v 8 reads

Also I heard the voice of the Lord (Adonai), saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here [am] I; send me.

Job 19 v 25,26 reads

  1. 25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
  2. 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Could not Job be speaking of that scene in Revelation 19 when Jesus returns to Jerusalem and puts down all rebellion and begins the millennial kingdom?

Revelation 11 v 11-16 reads

  1. 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
  2. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
  3. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
  4. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
  5. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
  6. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The Mighty God

Can it be that Israel will stand before the mighty God who was one of them? Oh Israel your God is coming to your rescue, the Lion of Judah, the Gentiles salvation, the Passover Lamb, slain for your sins.

Isaiah 10 v 20, 21 reads

  1. 20 And it shall come to pass in that day (the end times or 7 year tribulation), [that] the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
  2. 21 The remnant shall return, [even] the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

Isaiah 9 v 6

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The Pierced One

Can it be oh Israel, that your Messiah will come to Jerusalem and deliver you from the nations who seek to destroy you? Was it not Jehovah whom you pierced? Was it not the son of Man? Will he not fulfill his promises to David?

Zechariah 12 v 1,4,9,10 reads

  1. 1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
  2. 4 In that day (the end times or the 7 year tribulation), saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
  3. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
  4. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.

John 19 v 33-37 reads

  1. 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
  2. 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
  3. 35 And he that saw [it] bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
  4. 36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
  5. 37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

The Saviour

Can one save himself by good works? Can you come to God in your own way? How is it that Jehovah says that he is the Saviour and not we ourselves? Saviour from the bondage of sin?

Isaiah 43 v 11 I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no Saviour.

Acts 5 v 30,31 reads

  1. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
  2. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 4 v 10,12 reads

  1. 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, [even] by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
  2. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The Sovereign King

Are we not all undone before the King? Does not our self-righteousness vanish at the sight of Jesus the King? Yet the King, will he not pardon those who come to him? Yes and yes and yes, though your sins be as high as the heaven, his blood can cleanse. For this is why he came to this fallen world of bondage and self willed people, to set those in captivity free? Are you free?

Isaiah 6 v 1-5, 8 reads

  1. 1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
  2. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
  3. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory.
  4. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
  5. 5 Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
  6. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I (Isaiah near fulfillment, Jesus future fulfillment), Here [am] I; send me.

John 12 v 36-41 reads

  1. 36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.
  2. 37 These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
  3. 38 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
  4. 39 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
  5. 40 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
  6. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

The Searcher of Hearts

Who knows our innermost thoughts, can read our minds and still seeks our best. Who knows the foul thoughts of the sin nature and still seeks our best. Who knows the vain thoughts of grandeur and pride, which lurk in the human heart. Who in spite of this would die for the ungodly that the ungodly might be set free?

Worthy is the Lamb

1 Chronicles 28 v 9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

2 Chronicles 6 v 14,29,30 reads

  1. 14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, [there is] no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and [shewest] mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:
  2. 29 [Then] what prayer [or] what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:
  3. 30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)

Mark 2 v 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

Revelation 2 v 18, 23 reads

  1. 18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet [are] like fine brass;
  2. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

The Alpha and Omega

An infinite life which the grave could not hold? An infinite payment for sin? A person of infinite intelligence? A person who can see the unseen? His words carrying the weight of infinity? Are you heeding the words of the Alpha and Omega?

Isaiah 44 v 6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God.

Revelation 1 v 12,13,17,18 reads

  1. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet
  2. 11 Saying (Jesus speaking to John), I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last…
  3. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
  4. 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
  5. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last
  6. 18 I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Christ’s Personal Appearances to Old Testament Saints

I trust that you have opened your mind and will to the awesome reality that Jehovah came to earth on a rescue mission. A rescue mission that could only be completed by one being. A rescue mission where the god of this world (Satan) would oppose him every step of the way. A rescue mission successfully completed for you and I. I would never ask you to surrender your life to any spirit or human being. There is only one being who can be trusted with your life and that is Jehovah the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We now look at Christ’s work in the Old Testament. For Jesus Christ has been a shepherd to Israel and yet they did not recognize him when he came to them some 2,000 years ago. Yes, Jesus is Jehovah.

Genesis 18 v 1, 10-15 reads

  1. 1 And the LORD (Jehovah) appeared unto him (Abraham) in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
  2. 10 And he (Jehovah) said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
  3. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
  4. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
  5. 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
  6. 14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
  7. 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh

Genesis 32 v 24-30

  1. 24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
  2. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
  3. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
  4. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
  5. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
  6. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
  7. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

One interesting phrase, which is used quite often in the next few scriptures is "the angel of the LORD". At first glance it would seem that it refers to some angelic being, however the phrase is also used for someone who is a messenger of God. So who it is must be determined from the context of events. As we read on you will see from the encounters themselves that this was much more than an angel.

Exodus 3 v 2,4,6 reads

  1. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
  2. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
  3. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God

Exodus 24 v 9-12 reads

  1. 9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
  2. 10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
  3. 11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
  4. 12 And the LORD (Jehovah) said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

It is very interesting that Jesus many times veils his glory and appears as a man when meeting with Old Testament saints but this time he gave Moses a glimpse.

Exodus 33 v 11, 18-23 reads

  1. 11 And the LORD (Jehovah) spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
  2. 18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
  3. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
  4. 20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
  5. 21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
  6. 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
  7. 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

This next set of verses is also very interesting. Here the "captain of the host of the LORD" accepts worship from Joshua. This is something that angels would never allow and many times we have instances of them forbidding such an attempted act. Joshua obviously knew this man was Jehovah by his behavior.

Joshua 5 v 13-15 reads

  1. 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
  2. 14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?
  3. 15 And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Here we have the "angel of the LORD" speaking words only Jehovah could speak confirming that the term is not speaking of an angel but of the second person of the trinity.

Judges 2 v 1-3 reads

  1. 1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
  2. 2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
  3. 3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

Judges 13 v 2, 3, 15-18, 21-23 reads

  1. 2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
  2. 3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
  3. 15 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
  4. 16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
  5. 17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
  6. 18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
  7. 21 But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
  8. 22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
  9. 23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

Who was this "son of Man" here in the fiery furnace? Did not Jesus have a fondness for being called "the son of Man" in the New Testament?

Daniel 3 v 12-14, 16-29 reads

  1. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
  2. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
  3. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
  4. 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
  5. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
  6. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
  7. 19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
  8. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
  9. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
  10. 22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
  11. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
  12. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
  13. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
  14. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
  15. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
  16. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
  17. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

In closing, it is hard to put into words the awesome picture we’ve seen of Jesus in the Old Testament and the New Testament. The shepherd in the Old and in the New. The one life that has made all the difference. Shepherding Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon and many others. Telling them of the future suffering Messiah, who would undo mankind’s fall into spiritual and physical death. And yet, he knew that suffering Messiah would be himself, Jehovah.

If you already know Him, and have received the new spiritual birth, as Paul did, seek to know him and the power of his resurrection to walk in increasing victory over your flesh, the world and the devil. Pay the price to be a full ambassador for Him. For you have not struggled against sin to the point of shedding blood.

If you do not know this God Jehovah and your heart has been softened to His conviction of your sinfulness, your slavery to pride and self-will, turn from your sin and turn control of your life over to the only person you can trust, Jesus the Great I Am, the Creator, the Redeemer, the Mighty God, the Pierced One, the Saviour, Jehovah Captain of Hosts, the Alpha and the Omega.

Being reconciled to the true God is the only thing worth getting right, all else is vanity and meaningless if you seek everything else and spend eternity separated from the grace and goodness of God.