WHO IS "THE ANGEL OF THE LORD"???

[Gayle Wheat]

I met Kim over at another Christian site. She told me that if I read the Old Testament looking for Jesus, that I would definitely find Him and that my experience with the Hebrew Scriptures would be much richer and more meaningful. Well, I did as she told me and you know, she was absolutely right. Since then I have even taught a Sunday school class on finding Yeshua in the Old Testament. It was fascinating.

So my first discussion question is...who is the angel of the Lord spoken of in the OT? Is he a pre-incarnate appearance of Yeshua? What do you think? What can you teach the rest of us?

Here's some of the info I found. First here are couple of scriptures that pertain and then an article I found online. I will be anxiously awaiting your opinions and knowledge. ...Gayle

Exodus 23:20-23
God's Angel to Prepare the Way
20 "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23 My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.

Numbers 22:21-35
Balaam's Donkey
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.
24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.

26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"

29 Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."

30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?"
"No," he said.

31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

32 The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. [a] 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her."

34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back."

35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
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http://www.gotquestions.org/angel-of-the-Lord.html

The precise identity of the "angel of the Lord” is not specifically given in the Bible. However, there are many important "clues" to his identity. There are Old and New Testament references to “angels of the Lord,” “an angel of the Lord,” and “THE angel of the Lord.” It seems when the definite article “the” is used, it is specifying a unique being, separate from the other angels. The angel of the Lord speaks as God, identifies Himself with God, and exercises the responsibilities of God (Genesis 16:7-12; 21: 17-18; 22:11-18; Exodus 3:2; Judges 2:1-4; 5:23; 6:11-24; 13:3-22; 2 Samuel 24:16; Zechariah 1:12; 3:1; 12:8). In several of these appearances, those who saw the angel of the Lord feared for their lives because they had "seen the Lord." Therefore, it is clear that in at least some instances, the angel of the Lord is a theophany, an appearance of God in physical form.

The appearances of the angel of the Lord cease after the incarnation of Christ. Angels are mentioned numerous times in the New Testament, but “THE angel of the Lord” is never mentioned in the New Testament. It is possible that appearances of the angel of the Lord were manifestations of Jesus before His incarnation. Jesus declared Himself to be existent “before Abraham,” (John 8:58), so it is logical that He would be active and manifest in the world. Whatever the case, whether the angel of the Lord was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ (Christophany), or an appearance of God the Father (theophany), it is highly likely that the phrase “the angel of the Lord” identifies a physical appearance of God.

[Kim]

So that is how your quest started! I couldn't remember what I had said that sparked your interest in Messianic things. I don't remember anything of what I wrote, but I'm sure glad I wrote it!

[Gayle Wheat]

That's how it all started Kim. I am sure glad that you told me that! And I thank the Lord that He allowed our paths to cross...NOW...what about the angel of the Lord?????
Love ya...Gayle