Who is the Angel of the LORD?

A number of you are parents and you've had children and there was an age of the children that they would come to you and ask you why, why, why? Everything was why and how come and what and things like that. And it actually sometimes you can say, you know, you take a little flustered answering questions but it's always good that the children are inquisitive. It really is good that they are inquisitive. And we all ask questions. For instance, why am I young? We have Bible study guides about why we're born and why are we on earth. And we have a wonderful study guide and a hope that God has given us for us to be His children in the kingdom of God. That is an amazing hope we have. But quite often we ask questions and many questions and some of the questions we ask we don't have the answers. I mean some we don't. You look at Deuteronomy 2929. It's a scripture that I learned many years ago. I remember in South Africa one of the ministers actually was Mr. Bob Faye was giving a sermon right when this was early 70s. And then he pointed to the scripture and was probably one of the first scriptures that I remembered off by heart, which he said, the secret things belong to the Lord our God. And there are certain things that God has not told us. And it's true there are certain things God has not told us. But those things which are revealed, but God has revealed to us sufficient for us to be working on the plan of salvation. For us to become more his sons and daughters. And that's what it says. Belong to us and to our children forever that we may do all the works of his law. In other words, that we may become his children. God is revealed as enough. And so that also ties in with what Massam Strong used to say, stick to the trunk of the tree. You know, the important things God has revealed to us. There's also sometimes God reveals to us things later. Reveals things at certain times. Look at example in Daniel. Daniel 12, you know Daniel had various dreams and visions and things like that. And he wrote them and he didn't understand them all. And look at it in verse 8, Daniel 12. He says, although I heard, I did not understand. Daniel said, let me go on reading. Then I said, Lord, what shall be the end of these things? You know, there are certain things. Yeah, I don't get it. And God said to Daniel, go your way, Daniel. For the words are closed and sealed till the time of the end. Which means at the time of the end, they will be revealed. There are certain things that were revealed later. And so, we've got the same sort of situation with Christ. When Christ came, he came, he said, to reveal the Father. Look at with me with John chapter 1 verse 18. John chapter 1 verse 18.

And it says, no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. People did not understand the relationship and the relationship between the Father and the Son. The relationship between God and the Word. They didn't understand it. And he came to reveal it. Look, for instance, also in Matthew 11. Matthew 11 verse 27. Matthew 11 verse 27. This is a very, very powerful scripture. Yeah, it says, all things have been delivered to me by my Father. Everything has been delivered to me already by my Father. In fact, this was in other words was delegated to Jesus Christ long ago.

Had been delivered to me by my Father. And no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal him.

Knowing the Father and truly knowing Him comes through Jesus Christ.

All things were delegated to Jesus Christ. Everything. And sometimes we don't fully grasp that. That everything was delegated to Christ. All things have been delivered to me. You know, it was everything's been delegated to me. We also read at the end of Matthew that says, all authority who's been given to Christ. So it's been delegated to Him.

But it is Christ that revealed the Father. Which means, as I was explaining a little earlier on, that certain things are not understood, like Daniel did not understand, but then later we will understand. And the relationship between the Father and Christ is something that has been revealed by Jesus Christ. That was not understood in the Old Testament. So Christ came to reveal certain things. Which means, before that those things were not revealed, but now we have that in our Bible, and we can understand a little bit better. And as we get closer to God, and we understand more God's plan, we understand it better. Look also in John chapter 17. John 17 is the chapter where Christ is praying to the Father after the ceremony of the Passover and the foot washing, and before He goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to be betrayed. So in that prayer, it says in chapter 17 in verse 3, it says, and this is eternal life that they may know you. So Christ is talking to the Father, the only true God. And Jesus Christ, whom you have sent, two important statements here. The true High God is the Father, the Supreme is the Father. And Jesus Christ was sent by the Father. Jesus Christ was sent. You know, He's like somebody sent to give a message, and indeed He gave us a message. What message? The Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ was explained to us in more detail by Christ. It was revealed. So He was a messenger sent by the Father. And we know that throughout the book of John, there's many times that it's referred to Jesus Christ was sent. Somebody mentioned it was 43 times. I personally have not counted, but anyway, I'll take that as being the case. But look in verse 6. Looking in verse 6 of John 17, I have manifested Your name to the man whom You've given me out of the world. In other words, to the disciples. I've manifested Your name.

Right? And what name did Jesus Christ manifest the Father as? He manifested Him as Father, as Father, not a so-called sacred name or anything like that. He was manifested as Father.

It says, to the man whom You've given me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to me, and they have kept Your Word. In other words, the disciples, yeah, You've given me the disciples because no man can come to Christ unless the Father draws Him. So that's John 6, 44. So the Father gave them to Him, and these people have been given to Christ, which are Christians and the disciples, which basically it's us as well. It says, we keep God's Word. We keep God's Word. So yeah, we have a few interesting points in verse 3 and verse 6. It says, the only true God is the Father, and then one may ask, then, who's Christ? Who's Christ?

Let's look at two important scriptures. First is in John 10 verse 30. So just a few chapters back, John 10 verse 30. John 10 verse 30.

It says, I and my Father are one. Now this is a very important statement. Christ and the Father are one. Okay, but look at what the Father calls the Son. And this is in Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 8 and 9. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 8 and 9. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 8 and 9. It says, to the Son. This is the Father speaking. He says, You're throne, O God. So the Father calls the Son, O God. But we also read in John 17 3 that the only true God is the Father. But the Father calls the Son, O God. And he says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. So is it a contradiction? No, because look at it in the answer. It's in verse 9. You have loved righteousness. That's the Father talking to Christ. And hate is lawlessness. Therefore, God, that means Jesus Christ, your God, that means the Father, has anointed you.

So we have Jesus Christ is God, and we have the Father is God, but the Father is the God of Christ. And therefore, the true God, and when Christ lives through it, it's actually the Father. So it all jells.

Look also in verse 3. In verse 3 of Hebrews chapter 1. It says it's talking about, well, in verse 2, it's talking about Christ, which through Christ everything was made. God made the walls through Christ, and there was always delegated to Christ to create everything. So the Father created everything, but He used Christ, the being that He delegated that authority to, to do it as the executor, the representative that acted in the Father's name. And look here about Christ in verse 3, who being the brightness of His glory. Christ is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person. So for Christ to be the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person is going to be a God-being as well. That's what it means. And upholding all things, Christ upholds all things by the word of His power. So Christ upholds, not only did He create things, but He keeps things going and maintains them in a working condition by the word of His power. When He had by Himself purged our sins, so yes, He's purged our sins, Christ, and He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, which is the Father.

So we can see, yeah, that Christ sits at the right hand of the Father on the Father's throne. And look also on verse 13, He says, But to each of the angels, as He ever said, sit at my right hand. No, He didn't say that to angels. So Christ is not an angel, but He's sitting at the right hand of the Father on His throne, and He's a God-being like God is a God-being.

Look at also in John 17. We were in John 17 a moment ago, so let's go back to it, because it is important to understand this, because Christ said, the Father and I are one.

But look at John 17, where He explains this in a little bit more detail in verse 20. John 17 verse 20. I do not pray for these alone. In other words, I'm not praying for the disciples that are sitting at the table alone, but I also pray for those which is us who will believe in Christ, in me, through the word of these disciples and apostles. So we have the Bible, the other New Testament, it's their word, and we believe in Christ. So Christ is praying for us. He's not only praying for those apostles, He's praying for us. And then look at what He's praying about in verse 21. He says, that they, it was the apostles and you and I as, may be one.

So that you and I may be one, just like Jesus and the Father are one, like you and I read in John 10 verse 30. Does it mean that you and I are only one person? No. But we ought to be one, like He and the Father are one. Let's continue reading. As you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they may be one in us. So He has two beings and they want us to be one with them. That the world may believe that you sent me. Again, He has the word sent me. It was, I'm your messenger. I'm the one that you've sent. Verse 22, and the glory which you gave me, I've given them that they may be one, just as we are one. Now you and I don't have that glory yet, because you read in Romans, it will be glorified at the resurrection. But now it's looking at into the future that it will be at that level, coheres of God and of Christ. And it says that they may be one, just as we are one. You know, it was that we may reach that degree of unity of oneness that the Father and Christ have. So that's why it says the Father and Christ are one. There's no contradiction there. There's no contradiction that says it's not two beings, it's one being. No, they're two beings. Just like you and I are to be one with them, we are just more than two beings. But we are to be one. Verse 23, I and them, you and me, that they may be perfect in one. That you and I may be perfect in one. And some Bible says, may be perfect in unity. And that the world may know that you have sent me, and I have loved them, and you have loved me. Brethren, we are to be one in unity. In a unity of love, of spirit, of goal, of purpose, like the Father and Christ are one. They are one as beings in the God family now. In this God realm, you and I are beings of the humankind. They are beings of the God kind, and they are one. They're both deity, they're both divinity. And they are one. They work together as one. So, you and I, therefore, are to be part of that family. That's why Christ said for us to pray our Father who art in heaven. It's a family. You and I are to be children. Look at Romans 8. I've referred to it a moment ago, but let's now turn to it. Romans 8. Romans 8 verse 16 and 17. Romans 8 verse 16 and 17.

The spirit, that is God's Holy Spirit, itself bears witness with our human spirit. It was the spirit of man in man, the spirit that we have, the spirit of man in man, that we are children of God. How is that possible? That's when you and I receive God's Holy Spirit. God's Holy Spirit begets us and makes us. That's the divine seed as it reads in Peter, 1 Peter. It's the divine seed, not the human seed, and begets us as His children. Just like our physical Father's corruptible seed, begot us in our mother's womb so that we would be begotten children of our parents. And nine months later, after we matured, after a certain amount of time as babies, we were born. Likewise, spiritually speaking, we are begotten by the Holy Spirit of God that we receive after baptism by delaying on our vans. And we are then begotten because God's Holy Spirit helps together with our human spirit. And we become indeed the children of God. But not yet born as spirit beings. We have to mature till the end, and then at the end of resurrection or at our change, if we still are at Christ's coming, we will be changed into spirit beings. So that is an amazing truth here. And that's why it says the Spirit, God's Holy Spirit, bears witness with our human spirit. Why? Because the God's Holy Spirit has begotten with our spirit, and we have become the children of God, the very children of God.

Continue. We are the children of God, but not yet born yet. We're still in the spiritual womb, which is the church. But at the end, if we are faithful till the end, and God willing we all will be, we will then be born as spirit beings. So we now are begotten. We are indeed children of God, but we're still in this in this this womb, spiritual womb, which is the church. And at the end, we will be God beings in a God family. And that's why it says in verse 17, if children then heirs of what? Aires of God. Aires of being members of that divinity, deity, God, of that kingdom, that family of God. What a blessing you and I have, and joint hairs with Christ. If, if, a little word but very big, if indeed we suffer with him, you know, like I say, no pain, no gain, you know, we got to go through a maturing process and remain loyal to the end. If we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together with him.

And that's why Christ said, and we're going to go back now briefly, brethren, to John chapter 17.

Look at John 17, where we read a moment ago, in verse five, John 17 verse five. And now, Father, this is Christ's prayer that we've been reading a moment ago. We read verse three, and, and, and now let's read verse five. And now, Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was.

So Christ had the glory with the Father before the world was. He emptied himself of that glory, became a human being. Philippians chapter 2 verse 6 and 7. Christ, the Father resurrected Christ through the power of God's early spirit and gave him back to the position of glory that he had. That's why it says, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you, not in you or whatever he's with you. So there's many things we've said so far, brethren. And today, I want to address the question about who's Christ, who's the angel of God, who's the angel of the Lord. But so far, we said a couple of things. Let me just recapitulate, and we're going to go into more detail into these things. First, God reveals things at his chosen time. Certain things he had not revealed at the beginning, as such as the Father was revealed by Jesus Christ.

The supreme God, the supreme being, is the Father, the only true God. But the Father himself calls Christ God. So it is divinity as well. So it's that, let's call it, as we see it now, God's family. We see that the Father and Christ are one, but we also see that they take two different beings. So they're one in unity in the same purpose of mind, the same goal. They're working together as one. They're working together with one mission. All power has been delegated to Jesus Christ, which means the Father delegated everything to Christ to do. So Christ is working under the Father, doing the job of this plan of salvation, of creating more sons and daughters of God. They have, as we heard in the sermon last week, they made an agreement to have this plan. And part of this plan, one had specific functions, the other one had other functions and or other responsibilities. And part of this plan was that everything was to be done by Jesus Christ. That's why it says he's the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He's done everything under the authority of the Father. All under the authority of the Father, always submissive to the Father, always doing the Father's will. And therefore, he was sent by the Father to carry various responsibilities and various functions in the act of creating human beings to be finally sons and daughters of God in the kingdom of God. We also seen that Christ was sent and we seen that we ought to be one in that family. We ought to be united. And that is so important for us, brethren, to be one. So, let me summarize this into a few statements. The Father and Christ are one, but they're two different beings.

Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, but they, as you can see, they're two different beings because one sits at the right hand of the other. But again, the Father and Christ are one. That does not mean they're one being, but they're one in purpose. They're both called God. They're both called God-beings. They're called deity. But the true, the highest, the supreme is the Father. Now, with that, let's go to John 1 verse 1. John 1 verse 1. In a sense, this is the beginning before Genesis 1 verse 1. So, John 1 verse 1 says, in the beginning, in the beginning was the Word. And if you read it verse 14, the Word became flesh. In the Word, the Word was Christ. So, in the beginning was the Word, Christ. So, in the beginning was the Word, Christ. And the Word was with God. It was the Father. So, Christ was with the Father. And the Word, Christ, was God. It was a God-being.

So, in the beginning, Christ was with God, the Father. And Christ was a God-being.

Verse 2, He was in the beginning with God. And all things were made through Him, through Christ. And without Him, without Christ, nothing was made that was made. In other words, the Father delegated all authority in this great plan to Christ to execute, to do. And then, look at 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. 2 John chapter 3. Behold, what manner of love the Father, God the Father, has bestowed on us, given to us, that you and I, as God's people we are in church, should be called His children? Because, why? Because we have the Spirit of the Father that has begotten us.

Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know Him. The world does not know God, the true God. And the world does not know that. It does not know that we are God's children. It does not understand us. Even some Bible translators use the word, we are adopted children, which is a wrong translation. It should be, we are children, real children, not adopted. I have nothing against adoption. But if you and I adopt a little bird or a dog or a cat, that as part of your family, because you have love and compassion towards animals, which is good, but you know that bird or that dog or cat will always be a bird or a dog or a cat.

God does not adopt us so that we will always be human beings. God has begotten us so that we will be His children, part of His same divinity, part of the same nature, part of the same DNA. Think about it. God's only spirit in analogy is like God's spiritual DNA coming into us so that we can grow and mature as His children. So it's not just adoption. I know it's nice to say, but what it says is the world does not know it. The world does understand it. Verse 2, Beloved, now we are the children of God. Now we have been begotten by God's Holy Spirit and we are the children of God, albeit not yet spirit beings. Still human beings in the spiritual womb, which is the church, and has not yet been revealed what we shall be. In other words, it has not yet been revealed or shown what we will be, because why? Because we will be spirit beings in a God family. Continue.

But we know that when He is revealed, in other words, we know then when Christ comes and is revealed, we shall be like Christ. In other words, we will be spirit beings. Like Christ is a spirit being.

For we shall see Him as He is. In other words, you and I then will be spirit beings and you and I will be able to see Christ and God as they are. Today you and I cannot see that because the glory would blind us and will destroy us. But then we will. Verse 3, therefore everyone who has this hope in Him. And Yah is... maybe I could stop the sermon right here, but this is the crux. If you and I really get this and you have this hope that you and I are to be children of God, in the kingdom of God, in the realm of God beings, albeit children, but of that family, with that enormous power to do things into the universe beyond the new heaven and new earth.

If you understand us, you are going to purify yourself just as He is pure. You and I are going to work hard at being like Christ, imitating Christ and becoming God-like in our behavior and conduct. If we really get it, that's what it's saying, if we really get it, this is going to be such a big hope, such a big anchor. You know, hope is like an anchor, you know, it just holds on to you. If you keep this in mind when you struggle, if I keep it in mind when I struggle, when we struggle, when we have outer fields, you keep this in mind, brethren.

It'll help us to cry to God for help and God will give us the help through His Spirit to overcome. But we have to keep the soap alive, burning alive in our minds.

That's why it says everyone who has the soap in Him purifies himself because this is the motivator that will keep you and I remaining faithful till the end. Brethren, it really concerns me deeply. It really concerns me deeply that people can be in the church, and I've got to be careful, yeah, but I mean it from the heart, that sometimes they're not really committed.

It is as if they come to church just to have a good life. A nice day, just like a social club. And brethren, we come to church to worship God. It's a special day, the Sabbath, and we got to put this in mind, and we got to work at ourselves to keep clean and purify ourselves. Because how can God put you and I in the top echelons of His government to rule the world if you are Lekedazal and if I am Lekedazal? How can He give you all the power as the leaders, the top echelon of government, when He comes back as the first fruits, if we are just kind of Lekuam?

And regrettably, brethren, we live in that age today. I'm not talking about united or this church or that church or the other church. I'm talking about that age. This is that age of Lekuamans. And brethren, please don't be infected by it. Let us purify ourselves. So let's get back to the message. We are children of God to be like Him, to be like God, to imitate Him.

So the God, Elohim, which is the Father and the Son, the God, is explained now, this God is explained now in the New Testament as a family, the family of God. God is the family, Father and Son. And now we understand children, that you are, you and I have to be part of that family. So the God family is only one. There's only one God family is one. And that's why Christ says, like you, Father and I are one, I pray that the children may be one, so that we are a united family.

And in this family, the head of the family is the Father. Sure, Christ is the head of the church, but the head of the family is the Father. And there are different beings in the family. Now, today, only two, the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. But at the resurrection, many more, which are now begotten, but then will be born into that spiritual family. So God's mutually agreed plan, between the Father and the Son, in other words, between God and the Word.

The agreement that they had since the foundation of the world was that Jesus Christ would be the one that will be doing this, would be the, let's call it, the executive director to do all this from A to Z. And this was a decision made from the beginning of the world. Look in Revelation 13 verse 8. Revelation 13 verse 8.

This is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. I've had some people say, oh, well, Christ therefore was not slain when he came here on earth. When he came here on earth, he was slain before. No, no, no. He was decided to be slain from the foundation of the world. So that was a decision made long ago. Look in 2 Timothy chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1.

2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 9 and 10. According to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. In other words, this is a gracious act from God towards us. What a loving act which has given to us in Christ before time began. Now when did the time begin? How do you and I work time?

By the sun and the moon and the stars we work time. So when the time begin as you and I measure it, before the sun and the moon started, that's when it began. So before time began, in other words, before the universe was created, verse was agreed. This is the purpose which was given to us in Christ before time began. They planned this long ago. Verse 10, but as now being revealed, back to the point I said at the beginning, that God revealed certain things at certain times and it has now been revealed when Christ came as the one that was sent by the Father with the message which is the gospel of Christ and the gospel of the kingdom of God, understanding that in more detail. And it says, it has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through this good news. So the gospel, the good news, is for us, for you and I, to be in the royal family of God, the royal family of God.

And that's the gospel of Jesus Christ and of the kingdom of God. And for this purpose was Christ sent. Look at John 6 verse 38, John 6 verse 38, John 6 verse 38, through 40.

He says, this is the will of the Father who sent me. In other words, he was sent with a mission that of all he has given me, I should lose nothing. It was us that God has given to Christ, into Christ's hands, but I should raise it at the last day. It's Christ that is going to raise us, he's going to resurrect us at the last day, obviously through the power of God's Holy Spirit, obviously according to the Father's will. And this is the will of him who sent me. In other words, this is the will of the Father who sent Christ for everyone who sees the Son. How do we see the Son?

We see the Son by understanding and comprehending what he's doing and the plan. We see what he wants us to accomplish and believes in him may have everlasting life. And I, that's Jesus Christ, I will raise him up at the last day. In other words, the Father has given Christ that authority to do that. So, yeah, we have repeating. Jesus Christ was sent with a mission and the mission is that you and I see him and believe in him. In other words, that we see what he is like and we become his disciples. That's what it means that we see him and therefore we can put on and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Savior. That's what it is to see him to understand, to comprehend and therefore grow. And look now at John 13 verse 16. John 13 verse 16.

So, all this was given to Jesus Christ and in John 13 verse 16 it says, Most surely I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master. And Christ was sent by the Father. And that's what he said, nor is he who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

In other words, Christ is clearly saying that the Father is greater than he is. There's no questions about it. The Father is greater.

But they were of the God kind. They were equal in that sense. Jesus Christ is therefore the God-being of the God-family, as we understand it now, that was sent. He is the one the Father delegated and gave all authority to. To do what? To perform the agreed plan of salvation, which was agreed since the foundation of the world.

And Jesus Christ then came and revealed the Father, as before in the Old Testament, the Father was not known in this way. So, just like Jesus Christ was sent in the New Testament, in the Old Testament, Jesus Christ was also sent to perform the functions of the Old Testament.

In other words, he was the messenger.

So, Jesus Christ, which was then the word, because it was not yet Jesus Christ, so the word was the one who the Father sent to speak. It was to be the word, to be the spokesman for the Father. He was the one sent to act for the Father. He was the one sent to create the world. He was the one sent, and now ultimately, to judge under the authority of the Father. In other words, he was the one sent to execute the plan of salvation from the beginning till the end. Look at Revelation 22, verse 12 and 13. Revelation 22, verse 12 and 13. Behold, I'm coming quickly! That's Christ talking! If you have a red letter Bible, you can clearly see that's Christ coming. He says, I'm coming quickly!

And my reward, that's Christ's reward, is with him when he comes, but he's second coming, to give to everyone according to his worth. Verse 13, I Christ am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are those who do his commandments, for they may have the right to the tree of life. Blessed are we if we follow those instructions, if we see Christ, if we put on the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and obey the Father's commandments, that we may be given the tree of life. In other words, eternal life. It is so beautiful, brethren. It is so beautiful. Again, put it into terminology of today.

The Father made Jesus Christ the chief executive officer.

In other words, he delegated to Christ the fulfilling of the execution of this great plan. And this great plan is to create children of God in the family of God. That's the plan.

That's the mission. And therefore, the Father, God and Christ are one in this purpose, in this goal, in this mission, they won, they united. The Father is the supreme above them all, the true God. The Lord is the one who became flesh to execute this plan, to make it possible to die for us.

But the Lord was the one with the Father that came down and went back to be with the Father.

Look at Philippians chapter 2 verse 6 and 7. Philippians chapter 2 verse 6 and 7.

Philippians chapter 2 verse 6 and 7.

Let's start in verse 5. Let us mind be in with you. In other words, you and I need to have the same attitude, the same way of being, the same humble type approach of service and preparing to suffer and give of ourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus. Who? Look at verse 6. Who being in the form of God. In other words, who was of the God kind. Did not consider it robbery. It was not identity theft to be of the God kind, to be equal with God.

It did not consider robbery to be equal with God. So there was an degree of equality, but not in authority in the form. Just like husband and wife are equal, but one has the final decision and authority in the family. But they equal. The two are one, two are one flesh, are one again, one, but one has authority over the other. And the same thing here. He did not consider the robbery to be equal to God. But, verse 7, made himself. Yes, he was sent, but you know what? He did it with pleasure, willingly, and with great delight. With great delight, because he delights to do the world of the Father.

He says that he made himself of no reputation. In other words, instead of just coming to the earth and saying, I'm God, and he has all my credentials that I'm God. He made himself of no reputation. He took the credentials out. He took that glory out and became a civilian, quote-unquote. John, a plain Joe, amongst all the other Joes.

Right? And therefore, they didn't know who he was. And therefore, they killed him. Because that he'd come, and everybody would have known that he was God, they wouldn't have killed him. And then the plan of salvation would have gone.

But he had to humble himself and come with no reputation as a human being. That's what it says. He made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of man. Here it was as a human being. So he left the God-kind, realm, world, kingdom. And he became of the humankind realm, kingdom. The human kingdom.

And Visera being found in appearance as a man, so as a human being, without any credentials, as civilian, quote-unquote. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even with the death of the cross. So Jesus Christ, again, in the beginning was of the Father. He emptied himself, he became a human being, to do the work that the two had agreed to do, to make it possible to die for us. Looking in John chapter 4 verse 34. John 4 verse 34. And Jesus said to them, my food is to do the world of him who sent me and to finish the work.

My food, what I desire, what I want, my greatest goal is to do what God wants me to do, because he sent me to do it, and I will do it, and I'll finish it. Brethren, that is what you and I need to have the same spirit.

You and I need to have the same mentality, have the same mind as Christ, to do the Father's will. Luke chapter 2 verse 49. Luke chapter 2 verse 49.

Luke chapter 2 verse 49.

And he said to them, why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business? He said to his parents when he was young, 12 years old, don't you know that I've got to be about my Father's business? As a 12-year-old child, Jesus Christ knew completely that he had a mission to do, and he had to do it, and he was going to do it, and he's going to finish it.

And brethren, in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8, it says, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

So what he did as a human being, that's what he did before, and he was sent before. So, in the New Testament and in the Old Testament, Jesus Christ the Word, did the Father's will. He spoke for the Father, he spoke as God because he was God, because he was the God being that was the Word, and the Word was God.

But the highest God was the Father, always was. Jesus Christ was the one sent to do the will of the Father, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. He was sent to say and do and execute what the Father told him to say. He was the one sent to speak for God the Father. He was the spokesman for God the Father. In other words, the messenger of God. The word for messenger in Hebrew, malak, is also translated as angel.

So, malak in Hebrew can be translated as angel or as messenger. Can be a human messenger or a spiritual messenger, or a divine messenger. In other words, one that was sent. So, yeah, we get to the question, who was the angel of the Lord?

Or in other words, the malak of the Lord, which means the one that was the messenger of God.

Who did God the Father send as his messenger? Jesus Christ. Look in Isaiah 63. Isaiah 63.

Isaiah 63 verse 8 and 9.

For he said, this is prophetic already, for he said, surely they my people, that's us, we are God's people, children who will not lie. So, this is actually looking into the world tomorrow, when we'll be children, they will not lie, spirit beings. So, he became their Savior.

Christ became our Savior. In all their affliction, he, our Savior, was afflicted. He was afflicted. It was Christ, wasn't he? And the angel, it was the messenger, the one that was sent of God's presence, of his presence, saved them. In other words, Jesus Christ is the one that saved us.

In his love, in Christ's love, and in his pity, he redeemed us, he brought us back, and he bore them and carried them all the days of old. He carried us. This is amazing, it's fantastic, it's so encouraging, and it all jells beautifully.

So, who was the messenger of God's presence? Jesus Christ.

Let's prove it in a little more detail. Look at Exodus 23. Exodus 23.

Exodus 23. Now, as you know, Exodus from chapter 20, it's talking about Exodus 20, is the Ten Commandments he's got speaking to the Israelites. Now, who was the spokesman? Was the Word? He spoke for the Father, right? So, he was the Word, the Father. So, who gave the Ten Commandments? Was the Word. But what did the Word speak? What the Father told him to speak? So, indeed, they the Commandments of the Father, but verbalized through the Word. So, God was speaking through Christ, the Word, the spokesman of God. But look here in chapter 23.

Chapter 23, starting verse 20. Behold, now versus God the Father talking through the Word. So, it actually is the Word speaking, right? Actually, the Word speaking to Moses. And it says, Behold, I will send an angel, malak, messenger before you, Israelites, Moses, to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared in it was to take you to the Promised Land. Beware of him versus God the Father talking through the Word, Christ.

Right? God the Father talking through the Word, Christ. And God the Father talking through the Word, Christ, speaking to Moses and he says, Beware of him, him who? The messenger that is going to send. Who is the messenger going to send? Christ. He said, Beware of him and obey his voice.

Do not provoke him, for he will not pardon your transgressions. So, yeah, this messenger, Christ, has the power to forgive sins. He says, He will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

The name God was in him. In other words, he was a God-being in that God-realm and that messenger was sent by the Father. Yes, indeed, was Christ the Word speaking, but he was actually talking about the messenger that was sent by the Father and these are lights better listen to that messenger. My name is in him.

Verse 22, But if you indeed obey his voice and do all I speak, then I will be an enemy to enemies and adversary to adversaries, for my messenger, my angel, will go before you and bring you into the promised land, into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, etc. So, Yah is the messenger that had the name of God and this is the messenger that led Israel through the wilderness.

Into the promised land.

So, it's not just any messenger, it's the messenger that has God's name in him, which is God, the God-being. In fact, he is one of the uncreated God-beings who existed in eternity, as we saw in John 1 verse 1. In the beginning was God and the Word.

And this message has the power to forgive sin. Why? Because he's a God-being, because he's Christ.

Look in Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1 verse 13.

Colossians chapter 1 verse 13 through 18. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of his son, that's the father, the son of his love. He no more we have redemption, so he's the one that redeemed us of his blood, the forgiveness of sins. He Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creations, in other words, the first that came from a human being to a spirit being. For by him all things, by Christ all things were created that are in heaven and on earth. In other words, angels and human beings, visible and invisible, where the frowns or the meanings or the presuppairions or powers, all things were created through Christ and for Christ. And he is before all things, and in him all things consist, and he is the head of the body, which is the church. So brethren, it's very clear. It's very clear. Look at Acts chapter 7 verse 37. Acts chapter 7 verse 37 through 39.

And this, this is that Moses will say to the children of Israel, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me. And that's Christ that was raised up from your brethren, him you will hear. This is he, Moses, who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the messenger, the angel, which was Christ, who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, who spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. It was who gave Moses the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai. Was the messenger, was the word, was Christ.

And with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give us, whom our fathers would not obey but rejected, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt. You read Exodus 20, back to Exodus 20. We've just seen in Acts 7, it was the messenger that he spoke to Moses. And look in Exodus 20, this messenger speaking to Moses. Exodus 20 in verse 1.

And God, Eloim, spoke all these things saying, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, who led them out of the land of Egypt. Was that angel? Not angel, messenger, malak, god being, the angel of the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Look at John chapter 1 verse 18. John chapter 1 verse 18.

John chapter 1 verse 18. John chapter 1 verse 18.

No one has seen God at any time. No one has seen God the Father at any time. Moses did not see the Father. So who did he see? The messenger, the word, the spokesman, Christ. Look at 5 verse 37. John 5 verse 37. John 5 verse 37.

And the Father himself, who sent me, as does this testified on me, you have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.

Therefore, in the Old Testament, the God being they saw was the word became Christ. When the Lord Yahweh appeared and spoke to the fathers, spoke to Moses, and to others, was the God being that emptied himself and became flesh, became Christ. Was none other therefore than the word, the God being that became Jesus Christ.

And look at Exodus chapter 3. Exodus chapter 3. Exodus chapter 3. Exodus chapter 3 verse 2 through 6.

Exodus chapter 3 verse 2 through 6.

It says, now Moses was there tending the flock and there was a burning bush. And look in verse 2, and the angel of the Lord, the messenger of Yahweh, appeared to Moses in the flame of fire from the midst of the bush.

And then he says, Moses said, I'll now turn aside to see what this is in verse 3 and verse 4. So when Yahweh, the Lord, saw that Moses turned aside to look, so the angel of the Lord was Yahweh, and therefore the angel of the Lord, which was Yah, was God, called to him, to Moses, from the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, here I am. And he said, do not draw near his display, take your sandals of your feet for the place where you stand his holy ground. Why is it all? Because the presence of God was there. God's active presence was there.

It's clear, therefore, that the messenger and Yahweh are one and the same being. And indeed Yahweh can be the Father, it can be the Son. You have to read in the context to see which one's referring to, because they're both of the God kind. They're both eternal. And Yahweh basically means eternal, the one ever living. And they're both eternal, they're both ever living. And look at Exodus chapter 40. Exodus chapter 40 verse 38. Exodus chapter 40 verse 38.

For the cloud of the Lord, the cloud of Yahweh at the end of Exodus, was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over by night in the sight of the Lord. The sight of all of Israel throughout all their journeys. The cloud refers to the spiritual presence of Yahweh. And look at Numbers 20 verse 16. Numbers 20 verse 16.

Numbers 20 verse 16. And when he cried out to the Lord, he heard our voice, that's God, he heard our voice and sent the messenger. And the messenger brought us out of Egypt.

So who brought Israelites out of Egypt? The messenger, which was the war, which was Christ, which was God. It was the messenger that brought them out of Egypt.

And look at 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4.

1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4.

And they all drank of the same spiritual drink. In other words, that cloud, that spiritual cloud, they all drank of that spiritual rock that followed them.

Who was taking the Israelites out of Egypt, leading them to the promised land? That rock was Christ.

So brethren, it's very clear who is the angel of the Lord, was Christ. Look at Malachi chapter 3. Malachi chapter 3. Malachi chapter 3 verse 1. And behold, I will send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.

So yeah, my messenger, Malach, he'll prepare the way before me. That's before Christ's first coming. So the messenger was John the Baptist. So behold, I'll send my messenger on the Baptist, and John the Baptist will prepare the way before Christ's first coming. And the Lord, whom you seek, and the Lord, Jesus Christ, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple, to his church.

Even the messenger of the covenant. Christ is the messenger of the covenant. Christ is the messenger of the new covenant. Whom you delight. Behold is coming. Christ is coming, says the Lord of hosts, God. So brethren, before time began, God, who is now known as the Father, and the Word, who is the one that is now known as Christ, they planned a plan of salvation to have many children in their kingdom, in their family. But this plan was unrevealed later when Christ came.

The agreement, however, was made long before even the angels were made, before the angelic realm and the physical world were created. This agreement called upon the one that was the Word, the one who became Jesus Christ, the one that was to act as the representative or as the agent of the Father, as the CEO of the chief executive officer of the Father, to execute, to carry out the plan of salvation, and do all things according to the Father's will, and to conclude and execute the work of God. The Word, therefore, was God's active representative, the messenger, the angel that was of the Lord, that created everything, that interfaced with mankind in the Old Testament, and also now in the New Testament. He is our high priest. Jesus Christ is the representative, the mediator between us and the Father. That has been in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Look at 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 18. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 18. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 18.

Through 21. Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold, brethren, you and I were not bought back from sin with money or any such things, from our aimless conduct which we received from our fathers, 19. But you and I were bought back with the precious blood of Christ, the God being that left that position to die for us, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. And indeed, he indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but it was manifest in these last times for you, who through him, us, through him, believed in God, who raised Christ from the dead and gave Christ glory so that your faith and hope are in God.

Jesus Christ perfectly is executing and will complete the execution of this plan, which is to make you and I children of God in the kingdom.

He agreed to this plan before the foundation of the world. He's done the most difficult part, in a way, which was becoming human being and dying for us. So now it's like a piece of cake, but it's up to us to remain faithful to the end. Brethren, you and I can rejoice and be encouraged and be strengthened by God's great plan of salvation, through which God the Father and Jesus Christ are bringing sons and daughters to glory in his family.