Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Psalm 110 (namely verses 1, 4-5) is a Trinitarian Psalm that begins with God the Father speaking to God the Son:
The LORD [God the Father] said to my Lord [God the Son],
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.”
“The LORD said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.”
Psalm 34:7 | David tells us the Angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him (Yahveh), and He rescues them. |
Psalms 35:5-6 | David wants his enemies thrown down and chased by the Angel of the Lord. |
Isaiah 63:9 | Isaiah, inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes whenever the people of Israel were in trouble, “Angel in whom He (Yahveh) revealed Himself saved them.” |
Ezekiel 1:26 | Ezekiel in a vision sees a form that looked like a Man. The Man is no other than the eternal Son who afterwards took the human form. Here is something interesting: Ezekiel also sees a rainbow in the background where the “Man” was standing. The rainbow is a familiar reminder of the covenant El Shaddai (God the Son) made to Noah (Genesis 9:8-13). |
Daniel 3:25-28 | An Angel (God the Son) who looks like Son of God rescues Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the furnace. |
Zechariah 1:7-13 | The Angel of the Lord comforts Israel. |
Zechariah 3:4-5 | An Angel of the Lord who has the power to Judge and take away sins. |
Malachi 3:1 | And the Lord whom you're looking for will suddenly come to His temple, yes, the Angel of the covenant whom you delight in--He will come," says the LORD of armies. The Angel of the covenant is none other than Jesus Christ. |
2 Samuel 14:20 | The wise woman tells David that he is as wise as the Angel of God. |
2 Kings 1:3-17 | The Angel of the Lord speaks to Elijah about Ahaziah’s death. Verse 17: So he (Ahaziah) died just as the Lord [Angel of the Lord?] had said through Elijah. |
2 Kings 19:35 See also Isaiah 37:36 | The Angel of the Lord kills 185,000 Assyrians. |
1 Chronicles 21:15 See also 2 Samuel 18:24 | Outside Jerusalem the Lord [Angel of the Lord] asks the destructive angel to “drop the sword.” Similarly, outside Jerusalem, Jesus commands Peter to put away his sword (Luke 22:38). |
1 Chronicles 21:16-19 See also 2 Samuel 18:24, 2 Chronicles 3:1 | David sees the Angel of the Lord near Jerusalem. The Angel of the Lord, through the prophet Gad, directs David to erect an altar for Yahveh on the threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah) the Jebusite. King Solomon built the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem on the threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah) the Jebusite. This place is called the Temple Mount today. |
1 Chronicles 21:30 | David cannot go to Gibeon because he is frightened by the sword of the Angel of the Lord. |
Job 33:23-24 | Elihu seems to talk about an Angel who can redeem. Who else can the Angel [Angel of the Lord] be other than the Lord Jesus Christ? A mediator between God and man. |
| Joshua 5:13-15 See also Joshua 6:2-5 | Captain of the Lord's Army (pre-incarnate Jesus) meets Joshua Joshua bows down with his face on the ground and worships the Captain of the Lord's Army. "Take your sandals off your feet," the Captain of the Lord's army told Joshua. "The place where you're standing is holy." – Reminds me of the burning bush incident in Exodus 3:2-22. |
| Joshua 6:2-5 | Malek Yahveh (pre-incarnate Jesus) gives instruction to Joshua regarding Jericho. |
| Judges 2:1-4 See also Joshua 24:28-31 | The Angel of the Lord appears to Joshua and Israel at Bochim. "I (Malek Yahweh) brought you up from Egypt," He said, "and into the land I (Malek Yahweh) promised with an oath to your fathers. Also reprimands Israel for not obeying Him. |
| Judges 4:8 | Barak: “I don't know the day when the LORD would prosper the Angel with me” (Greek translations have this passage) |
| Judges 4:15 | The Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his foot soldiers into a panic. The Lord is no other than Malek Yahveh, for whom Barak was waiting in Judges 4:8. |
| Judges 5:23 | Song of Deborah and Barak 'Curse Meroz,' said the Lord's Angel; Curse bitterly those who live there. |
| Judges 6:11-24 | Malek Yahveh meets Gideon at Ophrah Gideon Said "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face!" |
| Judges 13:3-24 | Angel of the Lord appears to Manoah and his wife (Samson’s parents) So Manoah said to his wife, "We'll certainly die because we've seen God." |
Special emphasis: Exodus 6:2-3 ( Pre-incarnate Christ tells Moses -- that He is Yahveh!)
1. Exodus 3:2-22 | Appears to Moses in the burning bush along with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Acts as a spokesperson for HaElohim. Malek Yahveh asks Moses to remove his scandals and declares that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Hs also asks Moses to tell Israel “I AM sends me to you.” |
2. Exodus 4:24 | Tries to kill Moses |
3. Exodus 4:27 | Tells Aaron to meet Moses in the Desert |
4. Exodus 6:2-3 | Here the pre-incarnate Christ tells His best kept secret to Moses -- that He is Yahveh! God the Son speaks to Moses and says to him, “I [God the Son] am Yahveh. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as One of The Mighty Ones [“El Shaddai.”], but by my Name, Yahveh, I was not known to them. This resembles the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4), as well as Jesus’ words in John 10:30-33 “I and my Father are One [i.e. Both are Yahveh or equal]. |
5. Exodus 14:19 | Then the Malek of [All] the Gods [haElohim], who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them. Also indicates that the Malek of [All] the Gods [haElohim] is a separate entity from the Pillar of Cloud. |
6. Numbers 20:16 | Moses talks about the Angel of the Lord to the King of Edom |
7. Numbers 22:22-35 | Balaam and the Angel of Yahveh When Balaam was with the Angel of Yahweh, he bowed down with his face on the ground and worshiped Him. The Angel does not stop Balaam from worshipping Him. (See Revelation 19:10) |
8. Deuteronomy 33:16
See also Gen 48:15-16, Exodus 3:2-22 | It is interesting to note that when Jacob blessed Joseph he wanted the blessing from the Angel (Malek Yahveh) who found him at Bethel and delivered him (Jacob) from all evil. |
VERSES | Incident / dream / mention |
1. Genesis 16:7-14 | To Hagar (Mother of Ishmael) Malek Yahveh said: "I will give you many descendants, too many to be counted." Hagar called him El-roi, ("God-Who-Cares-for-Me") |
2. Genesis 19 | Two Angels [God the Son and God the Holy spirit] rescue Lot * |
3. Genesis 21:17-20 | Appears to Hagar near a well. The Angel of the Lord offers her and Ishmael water. Similarly Jesus (incarnate Christ) offers living water (water that can provide eternal life) to the Samaritan woman in John 4:13. |
4. Genesis 22:10-18 | To Abraham and prevents him from sacrificing Isaac Malek Yahveh Said: “I will bless you richly and give you many descendents” |
5. Genesis 28:10-18 (See Genesis 35:7 in Hebrew) | [All] The Gods [haElohim], they appeared [plural verb] to him [Jacob]” at Bethel Jacob calls the place Bethel [House of El] |
6. Genesis 31:10-13 | Malek Yahveh again appears to Jacob in a dream and says He was One of the persons of [All] The Gods, who appeared to Jacob at Bethel |
7. Genesis 32: 24-32
Also see Hosea 12:4 | Jacob wrestles with Malek Yahveh and wins by weeping and pleading with him. The same Angel Jacob saw at Bethel changes his name to Israel Jacob Calls the place Peniel [Penuel] – meaning Face of God |
8. Genesis 48:15-16 | Jacob blesses Joseph – He (Jacob) also wanted the Angel (the Angel who found him in Bethel) who delivered him (Jacob) from all evil to bless Manasseh and Ephraim. |
* Genesis 18:20: The LORD [God the Son] continued: "The outcry over Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sins are so terrible, 21 I'm going down to see whether or not they've done everything I'm told by those who cry to Me. I want to know." Genesis 18:22: The Men [the Son and Spirit] left and went on to Sodom while Abraham kept standing before the LORD. – Abraham starts his haggling with God the Father Genesis 19:24: Then Yahveh [the Son and Spirit] rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahveh [the Father] out of the sky | |
Psalm 2 is widely viewed by Jewish scholars as a messianic psalm, and first-century Christians believed the messiah to whom the Psalm refers was Jesus (some at the risk of their own lives!). While scholars who deny Jesus Christ may quibble over the translations, particularly of verse 12 (e.g., Hebrew vs. Aramaic translation of "son"), the fulfillments in the NT make it clear that this is a messianic psalm.
As with all scriptures inspired by God the Holy Spirit, Psalm 2 records the conversation that took place between God the Father and God the Son (the Anointed or Messiah or Christ).
OT PROPHESY | NT FULFILLMENT |
1. Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD (God the Father) and against his Anointed (God the Son), saying, 3. “Let us burst Their (plural) bonds apart and cast away Their (plural) cords from us.” | Psalm 2 is quoted in the believer’s prayer (Acts 4: 23-28) and clearly states that Jesus Christ is the Anointed prophesized in Psalm 2:1. “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your (God the Father) holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to take place”. |
4. He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord [Adonai – God the Holy Spirit] holds them in derision. | See also Psalm 110: 5-6 |
6. “As for Me (God the Father), I have set my King (God the Son) on Zion, My holy hill.” | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God (God the Father) will give to him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33 |
7. I (God the Son) will tell of the decree: The LORD (God the Father) said to Me, You are My Son; today I have begotten You. | “This is my beloved Son” Matthew 03:17
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God's angels worship him.” Hebrews 1:5-6
And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this He has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,
“You are my Son, today I have begotten you.” Acts 13:29-33 |
12. Kiss the Son (God the Son), lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him (God the Son). | 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31 |
Psalm 22 is a fascinating picture (and messianic prophesy) that foretells the events that come to fruition during the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The early church declared this Psalm as messianic.
Beyond poetic prophesy, Psalm 22:1 serves as a Trinitarian proof. According to Yoel Natan, a Trinitarian Proof is a text that "suggests or speaks of the deity of the Messiah." The Trinitarian evidence is Christ’s fourth word on the cross – a fulfillment of Psalms 22:1 -- when He cries out in Aramaic, Eloi (the Father), Eloi (the Spirit), lama sabachthani?"; that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:45-46). Why would Christ say “My God” twice if to only call out to God the Father? Clearly, He was calling out to both God the Father and Spirit as he suffered alone. This is also a clear departure from the Trisagion (“Thrice Holy”) liturgical formula sung by the angels. “Holy, Holy, Holy is Yahveh of hosts.” Isaiah 06:03 has three mentions of “holy” while the name, Yahveh, is mentioned once. The three-in-one aspect of Trisagions suggests that God is the Trinity. We also sing a hymn in our churches, “Holy, Holy, Holy. "
| OT PROPHESY | NT FULFILLMENT |
| 1. My God (the Father), My God (the Spirit), why did You forsake Me (God, the Son)? Why are You so far from helping me, as I roar out? | "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"" Matthew 27:46
His fourth word on the Cross |
| 8. "He put His (God, the Son) confidence in the LORD. -- Let Him rescue Him and save Him, seeing He delights in Him!" | He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him now if he wants Him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God. Matthew 27:43 |
| 15. My (the Son) strength is dried up like a piece of broken pottery, My (the Son) tongue sticks to My (the Son) jaws. You (the Father) have brought Me (the Son) down to the dust of death. | Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." John 19:28
His fifth word on the Cross |
| 16. Dogs (gentiles) gather around Me (the Son), a gang of villains surrounds Me. They have pierced My (the Son) hands and feet. | They Crucified Jesus Christ
Matthew 27: 35, John 19:18 |
| 18. They divide My (the Son) clothes among themselves and throw lots for My (the Son) garment. | "Let's not tear it (the seamless undergarment)," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did. John 19:24 |
| 31. They will come and tell a people still to be born about His righteousness and what He (the Son) has done! | When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." John 19:30
His Sixth word on the cross |
| Note: Other messianic prophesies found within Psalm 22 include 22:5 (Romans 5:5), 22:6-7 (Matthew 27:39; Mark 15:29; Luke 23:35, Galatians 3:13), and 22:22 (Hebrew 2:12,17). | |
“Then Malek Yahveh (Angel of YHWH) said to those who were standing ready to serve Him, "Take his (Joshua) dirty clothes off." And He (Malek Yahveh) said to him (Joshua), "See, I (Malek Yahveh) have taken your SINS from you, and I dress you in festival garments."
Zechariah 3:4
Christophany is the strikingly evident, but largely overlooked, theological phenomenon of Jesus Christ appearing throughout the Old Testament (OT) and embodied when He came, in human form, to live on earth and after he rose from the dead in the New Testament (NT). In our study of Christophany, we will learn whether there is any obvious mention of the appearances (either in a dream or in person) of the pre-incarnate Christ in the Old Testament. One such record is this mysterious appearance of an angel called Malek Yahveh (mal'akh YHVH or Malakh Hashem). Malek in Hebrew means "messenger" and is often interpreted to mean "angel". Malek Yahveh literally means Angel-God or translated as the Angel of the Lord (Angel of Yahveh). We will see in the coming days (links will be given below) that people react to this angel as if they have seen God. This angel is no other than the pre-incarnate Christ, an angel who has the power to forgive sin.
Angel of the Lord appearances in Genesis 01/17/09
Angel of the Lord Appearances in Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy 01/17/09
Angel of the Lord Appearances in Joshua and Judges 01/18/09
Angel of the Lord Appearances in Samuel, Kings, Chronicles and Job 01/19/09
Angel of the Lord Appearances in Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah & Malachi 01/19/09
Word of the Lord – Dabar Yahweh 03/08/09
