Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
NT Framework - An Angel or God?
Sometimes angels are angels, other times the angel is God. What? Yeah, that's an interesting situation and one that reveals a lot about God's nature.
More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com
This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).
Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament Framework. Today a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed into the crowd, crying and saying men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of the same nature as you and preach the gospel that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, the one who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that's in them. So he doesn't permit himself to be worshipped, right? Because he's not Yahweh Now. So then, if we found someone in the Bible who was permitting themselves to be worshipped, that might be something interesting to look at, right. Interesting to look at, right. So let's go to some passages about a strange figure that's called in the Old Testament the angel of Yahweh. This angel of Yahweh is somehow distinct from Yahweh, but in some passages he's identified with Yahweh and worshipped as Yahweh. And the question becomes who was this angel of Yahweh? Okay, so let's go to some of the passages that point out that the angel of Yahweh is distinct from Yahweh himself Genesis 24-7. Genesis 24-7. Maybe you're familiar with this figure or heard of the angel of Yahweh before, or maybe not, but this shows you how close sometimes you have to read. You can't just read and not think you should read and think and see some of these unique and interesting passages. So Genesis 24, verse 7, and then we'll read verse 40. 24, 7. The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth and who spoke to me and who swore to me saying To your descendants, I will give this land, he will send his angel before you. So it's the angel of Yahweh, it's Yahweh's angel, right, and you will take a wife for my son from there. So this is discussing how Isaac got a wife, and the one who would go before in the getting of this wife would be the angel of Yahweh. Now drop down to verse 40. So the angel of Yahweh is distinct from Yahweh right, because he's going on the journey ahead of them to get the wife. In verse 40, he said to me the Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you to make your journey successful and you will take a wife for my son, for my relatives and from my father's house. The only point we're trying to make again is that notice Yahweh in verse 40 is distinct from his angel, which would be the angel of Yahweh. Okay, that's all. We're trying to show.
Speaker 2:How about 1 Chronicles 21? 1 Chronicles 21. So you've got 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and then 1 and 2 Chronicles. So 1 Chronicles 21 and verse 15 through 18. Notice what the angel of Yahweh does here. 1 Chronicles 21, 15.
Speaker 2:Verse 14, yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel. 70,000 men of Israel fell and God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. But as he was about to destroy it, yahweh saw and was sorry over the calamity and said to the destroying angel now how could you speak to the angel if it's just yourself? See what I'm saying. He's not talking to himself, he's talking to this angel. It is enough. He said, now relax.
Speaker 2:And the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven with his drawn sword and his hands stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders covered with sackcloth fell on their faces. And David said to God is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and done very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? O Lord, my God, please let your hand be against me and my father's household, but not against your people, that they should be plagued. Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and build an altar to the Lord, and so forth, on the threshing floor of Ornan.
Speaker 2:Again, do you see the distinction between Yahweh and the angel of Yahweh? They're not the same person. Okay, we've seen some examples of that. There are more examples here. Let's go to some passages that show that this angel is identified with Yahweh Distinct, but identified with Distinct, but somehow the same. Distinct but identified with distinct, but somehow the same. Let's go to Genesis 16, verse 7. Genesis 16, verse 7. All we're trying to unearth here is what does the Old Testament say about the nature of God? What is he like? Is he just a solitary God or is there diversity within him? Genesis 16, verse 7.
Speaker 2:Now the angel of the Lord found her by a spring this is Hagar right by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring, on the way to Shur. And he said to Hagar, sarah's maid, where have you come from and where are you going? And she said I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress, sarah. Then the angel of the Lord said to her return to your mistress and submit yourself to her authority. Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count. And the angel of the Lord said to her further behold, you are with child and you will bear a son and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has given heed to your affliction. He'll be a wild donkey of a man. His hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand will be against him, and he will live to the east of all his brothers. Then she called the name of Yahweh. Who spoke to her. What I thought. It was the angel of Yahweh who spoke to her. Now she calls the name of yahweh. Who is the one who spoke to her? Do you see now that angel of yahweh in this passage is not distinguished from yahweh, but is identified as yahweh? That's strange.
Speaker 2:Let's look at another one. Let's go to Genesis 31. 22 is the story of Isaac in the altar, abraham and Isaac in the altar. 31, 11 through 13. 31, 11 through 13. 31, 11. Then the angel of God said to me in a dream, jacob, and I said here I am. He said lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which you are mating are striped, speckled and mottled. For I've seen all that Laban has been doing to you. I am the God of Bethel. Wait a minute. I thought in verse 11 you were the angel of God. Now you're saying you are God, point being angel of God, equal God in this passage. So over and over you start to find that not only is the angel of Yahweh in some passages distinct from Yahweh, in other passages he's identified with Yahweh.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app, and until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.