3. Impossible? God Has Appeared As A Man Before!

Israel's Messiah
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(Genesis 18, 32:22-32, Ezekiel 1:26)

Messiah pre-existed? Appeared before? He is divine and human at the same time? This is against the Torah you might say.

However the truth might surprise you.

It is not incompatible with the Torah at all! It is only incompatible with later formulations of Jewish orthodoxy (e.g. by the Rambam).

The Torah itself is actually preparing us for G-d’s coming in the person of Messiah. G-d actually appeared before in human form. For instance in Genesis 18 we read about a special visit to Abraham:

And HASHEM appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked and behold three men were standing in front of him…

Genesis 18:1-2 ESV

First we read that HASHEM appears to Abraham. Then Abraham sees three men. We continue reading and it becomes clear that two of these men are angels but one of them is HASHEM himself (see verse 13, 17, 20).

Before he goes his way HASHEM himself gives Abraham the opportunity to ask him questions about Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22-33). Since HASHEM himself is staying behind with Abraham for some time, it are only the two angels who arrive at the gate of Sodom (Genesis 19:1).

It is the person who is HASHEM himself who finally rains down fire and brimstone on Sodom. “Then HASHEM rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from HASHEM out of heaven”.

There was a person on earth who was HASHEM while at the same time HASHEM was in heaven.

And what to think about Genesis 32, Jacob’s encounter with a mysterious man at the Jabbok river? Who is the man that struggled with Jacob? After this struggle Jacob called the name of the place Peniel” (Peniel means face of G-d).

Saying “For I have seen G-d face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” (Genesis 32:30 ESV)

But doesn’t Hosea say that Jacob strove with the angel?

Indeed Jacob met someone who was a direct delegate from G-d (That’s what the word angel means). But the prophet Hosea has still more to say. Hosea also says that this delegate of G-d was G-d!

Hosea says that Jacob also met this special angel at Beth-el. And then Hosea gives us the name of this angel: “HASHEM, the G-d of hosts, HASHEM is his memorial name” (Hosea 12:4-5 ESV)

Hosea is simply a good expositor of the Torah.

“The G-d of Beth-el” that is how this angel calls himself (Genesis 31:13). Who was is the “G-d of Bethel”? Who was it that appeared to Jacob at Beth-el? It was HASHEM himself (Genesis 28:13)!

In Genesis 48 Jacob calls this special angel: “The angel who has redeemed me from all evil”; and just like Hosea, Jacob equates this special angel with the G-d of his fathers (Genesis 48:16 ESV).

It was this angel of HASHEM who came down to bring Israel out of Egypt and appeared to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-8). He is sent by HASHEM and yet is HASHEM.

These are not the only places in the TaNaKH which show this. When we study the many places in the TaNaKh that talk about this special angel we discover that this angel is indeed fully one with HASHEM [1].

In the book of Malachi we read about the special angel of the LORD the following: “The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the angel of the covenant in whom you delight, behold he comes…” (Malachi 3:1 NASB).

In his commentary on Malachi, RaDaK suggest that this Lord and angel of the covenant is Messiah. RaDaK is right.

The special Angel of HASHEM who appeared before would come come again. He would come to the temple in the person of Messiah. Malachi says that the temple belongs to him.

But to whom does the temple belong but HASHEM?

 
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2. Messiah Is Both God And Man
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