THE MEDIATOR: CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
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I TIMOTHY 2:5 "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."
When Adam and Eve sinned a great gulf arose between God and man. Man was estranged from God. He lived in fear and distrust of the Creator. As soon as man was separated from the Father by his sin, a Mediator stepped in, to bring him back into a trusting, love relationship. Who was this Mediator? The Bible says it was, and is Christ, the divine Son of God, the "one mediator between God and man."
NO MAN HAS SEEN GOD THE FATHER
JOHN 6:46 (Jesus speaking) "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father."
JOHN 1:18 "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."
If no human being has ever seen God the Father, then how do we understand those Old Testament passages which say that God “appeared” to patriarchs and prophets, and spoke with them.
EXODUS 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
THE LORD APPEARED TO ABRAHAM
GENESIS 17:1-22 "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.'" ... "Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham."
(Remember that Christ is called "Mighty God" in Isaiah 9:6. He is divine.)
GENESIS 18:1-33 “Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre” ... “three men were standing by him.” (One of the men said to Abraham) “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (As the “men” are ready to depart) “And the Lord said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing...?’ 'I will go down now (to Sodom) and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.....If I find fifty righteous...then I will spare all...’ Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. ....So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.” (19:1) “Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening...”
The three "men" who visited with Abraham were actually Christ and two of His heavenly angels. The three beings appeared like ordinary men. The two angels went on to Sodom to warn Lot, while "the Lord" continued speaking with Abraham.
CHRIST : "THE ANGEL OF THE LORD"
GENESIS 22:1-18 "But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, 'Abraham, Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' And He (the Angel of the Lord) said, 'Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son your only son, from Me.'"
The Angel of the Lord speaks as a divine being saying, “You have not withheld your son . . . from Me.”
The word “angel” means “messenger” or “one sent.” Christ clearly stated that He had been “sent” by the Father.
He was “the Word” even before He became flesh (John 1:14). I believe that the Son of God, represented His Father to all created beings.
"THE ANGEL" WHO WRESTLED WITH JACOB AND BLESSED HIM
GENESIS 32:24-30 Jacob wrestled with "a Man" who blessed him and changed his name to Israel. Jacob said "I have seen God face to face and my life has been preserved."
HOSEA 12:3 Writing of Jacob and the Angel, Hosea says of Jacob, “He struggled with God.”
HOSEA 12:4 "He (Jacob) had power over the Angel and prevailed."
GENESIS 31:10-13 Jacob said, “The Angel of God spoke to me in a dream saying, 'I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me.’”
GENESIS 48:16 Jacob speaking "the Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the lads:"
"THE ANGEL" WHO CALLED MOSES
EXODUS 3:2-6 “And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of the burning bush:”
(v.4) “God called to him out of the midst of the bush,”
(v.5) “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”
(v.6) “I am the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
EXODUS 3:16 (I AM speaking with Moses at the burning bush) Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: (Exodus 4:5)
EXODUS 3:13-14 (From the burning bush) “And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM,’ And He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.'”
JOHN 8:58-59 “Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you before Abraham was I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at him ...”
"THE ANGEL" WHO LEAD ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS.
EXODUS 14:19 "And the Angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them."
EXODUS 33:9-11 "The cloudy pillar descended to "the door of the tabernacle and the Lord talked with Moses."
(v.11) "So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend."
Note: Remember “No man has seen the Father."
EXODUS 23:20-21 (Exo. 20:1) “And God spoke all these words, saying . . . Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice: do not provoke Him for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.”
To an ancient Israelite, to Moses, the phrase “My name is in Him” meant, “He is My Son.” Moses understood that the “messanger” in the pillar of cloud Who went before the camp of Israel, Who spoke with Moses “face to face” was the Son of the God of Israel.
In Exodus 6:3 The Being who appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the name of “God Almighty” now takes the name JEHOVAH. We recognize this as the name of the Father in Psalm 110:1. When Christ came to earth, He said, “I have come in my Father’s name” (John 5:43). When Christ acted in place of the Father, He took His Father’s name.
JUDGES 2:1-2 "And the 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 swore unto Your fathers, and I said, I will never break My covenant with you." (v.2) "... but you have not obeyed My voice."
ISAIAH 63:9 "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His presence saved them."
(Christ is the Messenger of the Lord's presence, the Mediator between God and men. See 1 Cor 10:1-4.)
IT WAS CHRIST WHO SPOKE TO THE DISLOYAL PROPHET, BALAAM.
NUMBERS 22:1-40 "The Angel of the Lord said to him ... your way is perverse before Me."
Notice that the Angel did not say, "Thus says the Lord, 'Your way is perverse...'" He was not speaking for God. The Angel was speaking for Himself.
IT WAS CHRIST WHO SPOKE WITH JOSHUA
JOSHUA 5:13-15 “And it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, 'Are You for us or for our adversaries?’ So He said, 'No but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth to Him, 'What does my Lord say to His servant?’ Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, 'Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And Joshua did so.”
Only the divine presence could make the ground “holy.” (See Exodus chapter 3.)
IT WAS CHRIST WHO SPOKE WITH GIDEON.
JUDGES 6:11-40 "Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree ..."
(v.14) "then the Lord turned to him and said ... Have I not sent you?"
(v.17) "If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me."
(v.21) the sign;
(v.22) "Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord." .... "So Gideon said,
'Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face."
Notice once again that "the Angel of the Lord" speaks as a divine being saying, "Have I not sent you?"
IT WAS CHRIST WHO SPOKE WITH THE PARENTS OF SAMPSON.
JUDGES 13:1-25 (v.18) "And the Angel of the Lord said to him, 'Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful'" (v.20) "the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar." (v.22) "We will surely die, because we have seen God!"
"And His name shall be called, Wonderful..." Isaiah 9:6.
IT WAS CHRIST WHO SAVED DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS.
DANIEL 3:25-28 “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (v.28). “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His Angel, and delivered his servants who trusted in Him.”
DANIEL 6:22 “My God has sent His Angel, and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me ...”
CHRIST IS REPRESENTED IN BIBLE PROPHECY
AS THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, AS THE ANGEL OF HIS PRESENCE
AND AS OUR HEAVENLY HIGH PRIEST.
ZECHARIAH 3:1-7 REVELATION 8:3-5 ISAIAH 63:9 HEBREWS 4:14
MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL
The name Michael means “like unto God.” Christ the Son of God was “the brightness” of His Father’s glory and “the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3). He existed “in the from of God” and did not “consider it robbery to be equal with God” (Philippians 2:5). For a created being to take the name “like unto God” seems blasphemous. But for the Son of God to take that name seems appropriate.
The word “angel” means “messenger.” Archangel would mean “chief messenger.” Christ was the “Word of God” before He “became flesh” (JOHN 1:14). God the Father communicates with His creation through His Son.
Michael is the only being in Scripture who is called “archangel.”
Gabriel, although certainly a high created being is never designated “archangel.”
JUDE 9 "Michael, the archangel" disputed with the devil contending for the body of Moses.
Christ wanted to resurrect Moses, but Satan wanted him to stay dead. He referred Satan to God the Father for rebuke.
I THESSALONIANS 4:16 "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the Archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first;" RSV
JOHN 5:25 Christ said, "The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God." In other words, the voice of the Archangel is the voice of Christ. He is the Archangel.
"MICHAEL, YOUR PRINCE"
DANIEL 10:21 "Michael" was called "Your Prince," by the angel Gabriel, speaking to Daniel.
DANIEL 10:13, 20-21 The angel told Daniel, “no one upholds me against these, except Michael, your prince.”
The “prince of the kingdom of Persia,” and “the prince of Greece” were evil angels who fought against God’s angels for control of earthly kings. The only One who could help this angel in the fight against these Satanic powers was Michael.
DANIEL 10:13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia (an evil angel) withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
Note: Here certainly, it is clear that the “prince of Persia” must be a supernatural being. No human being could withstand an angel of God, for twenty-one days.
Note: It is my understanding that the Hebrew word “'echad,” here translated “one,” can mean “first.” Michael is first of the chief princes.
DANIEL 12:1 “Michael” is called “ the Great Prince who stands for the children of your people.”
ACTS 5:31 Of Christ, Paul said, “Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince.”
DANIEL 8:25 The Messiah is called the “Prince of princes,” and “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
REVELATION 12:7 “Michael and His angels fought against the dragon and his angels.”
(Satan is the dragon REV 12:9.)
In Joshua 5:13-15, "the Commander of the Lord's army" told Joshua to take off his sandals "for the place where you stand is holy." Christ is "the Commander of the Lord's army." His name prior to His incarnation was Michael - "One like unto God."
MICHAEL SHALL STAND UP
DANIEL 12:1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, the Great Prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time, and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.
Note: The Hebrew word here translated “stand up,” can also just as correctly be translated “stand still.” Michael will “stand still.” He will no longer “stand watch” over the nation of Israel. He will cease to fight in their defense, against Satan and his force of evil, because they have rejected Him for the last time. Then will come a “time of trouble such as never was.”
THE ANGEL WITH THE GOLDEN CENSER
REVELATION 8:1-5 “When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the alter. And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden alter which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the alter, and threw it to the earth.”
Note: In the ancient Sanctuary (later the Temple) only the High Priest carried the golden censer, and then only on the Day of Atonement. John is looking into Heaven, into the Heavenly Sanctuary He sees an angel with “a golden censer.” This angel must be Christ, our great High Priest, the Mediator who presents our prayers before God (Heb. 9:1, Heb. 9:23, Heb. 4;14, Heb. 6:20).
"BEFORE THE WORLD WAS" : THE FATHER AND THE SON
Christ existed as a separate divine being, begotten of the Father (John 1:14) before the world was created. He was “the only begotten Son” of God. As the Son of God, Christ is a divine being worthy of our worship.
JOHN 17:5 “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
JOHN 17:24 “Father ... You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”
JOHN 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. ” “And the Word became 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 (John 1:14).”
JOHN 16:27-28 “For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”
2 JOHN 1:3 “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”
JOHN 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
TWO DIVINE BEINGS : THE FATHER AND THE SON
JOHN 14:31 Jesus said, “I love the Father.”
JOHN 10:7, 15:9, 17:24, 17:26 Jesus said, “The Father loves me.”
JOHN 10:30 (John 17:21-22) Jesus said, “I and My Father are one.”
JOHN 15:23 Jesus said, “He who hates Me hates My Father also.”
JOHN 16:3 Jesus said, “They have not known the Father nor Me.”
Why is there no mention of His love for the Holy Spirit, or of the hatred of the world for the Holy Spirit? Why does Christ not say that He was also loved by the Holy Spirit, dwelt in by the Holy Spirit, or “one” with the Holy Spirit? He said, “The Father who dwells in Me does the works” (John 14:10).
I JOHN 1:3 “Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
I JOHN 2:24 “You also will abide in the Son and in the Father.”
REVELATION 5:13 “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
'Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’”
Only two divine beings are worshiped in this scene.
WE ARE NOT TO WORSHIP CREATED BEINGS.
REVELATION 19:10 “And I (John) fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the Testimony of Jesus. Worship God!’”
REVELATION 22:8,9 (JOHN) “I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, 'See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’”
When John fell down to worship a messenger other than Christ, and was corrected. Christ is not a created being. He is the Son of God - begotten of the Father, worthy of worship(Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 5:12-13). He is called “the Angel of the Lord” and “the Archangel,” because He is “the Word,” the Communicator, the Mediator between God and man.
SON OF GOD
MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND FALLEN MANKIND
WORD OF GOD, ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, COMMANDER OF THE LORD’S ARMY
ANGEL OF THE LORD, ANGEL OF HIS PRESENCE
LAMB OF GOD
HIGH PRIEST
COMFORTER WITH US ALWAYS
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
God the Father could not become a helpless babe, and die on a cross, while at the same time upholding all things. Before He began His creation, God made provision for our rescue. He beget a Son in His express image. Through His son, God communicated with His creation. The Son took the form of the created being (first of an angel, then of a man) in order to facilitate this communication.
The Son would be the means whereby God could be just, and yet the justifier. Through His Son, God created this world. Through His Son God will finally save this world from sin and from Satan. From the beginning, until the glorious end, we see the Son of God assuming another, and another, and yet another role - from“angel of His Presence,” to “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” to High Priest before the throne of God. The goal - reconciliation and reunion with the Father. We are reconciled to the Father, through the Son.
“For it pleased the Father
that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him
to reconcile all things to Himself ”
Colossians 1:19-20
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