Introduction

† When we read the Scriptures from the fulfilled perspective, we begin to see something that was always always there but often overlooked. Jesus did not suddenly appear in the New Testament. He appeared throughout the entire Old Testament in various forms, revealing Himself long before His incarnation in Bethlehem. The more we re-read the Bible, the more clearly we see Him. Everything points to Him first, and the destruction of Jerusalem second, the great climactic covenant ending He prophesied.

† One of the clearest examples is the One called the Angel of the Lord. He was not a mere angel. He spoke as God, acted as God, received the worship of God, carried the name of God, and exercised the authority of God. No created being can do these things. This was Christ before the flesh, the eternal Word appearing in temporary forms until the fullness of time arrived.

The Angel Of The Lord In Genesis 16

Genesis 16:10
The angel of the LORD also said to her, I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.

† The angel of the Lord did not speak for God. He spoke as God. No created angel ever claimed the power to multiply anyone's descendants. Only God has that authority. This is why Hagar recognized Him not as a created messenger but as the Lord Himself.

Genesis 16:13
Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You are a God who sees, for she said, Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him.

† Hagar called Him the God who sees. She saw more than an angel. She saw the pre-incarnate Christ, the One who would later take on flesh, dwell among His people, and bring the covenant to its fullness.

† This early encounter shows us that Christ has always been active in redemptive history, appearing in different forms, speaking with authority, guiding His people, and preparing for His ultimate work in the first century.

Jesus Revealed As The Word From The Beginning

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

† John makes it clear that the Word did not begin in the manger. He was already present in Genesis. Wherever the Word acted, Jesus acted. So, when we see God appearing as the Angel of the Lord, we are seeing the eternal Word taking on a temporary visible form.

1 Corinthians 10:4
And the rock was Christ.

† Christ appeared in forms beyond human flesh. Before He wore a body like ours, He manifested Himself as the Angel of the Lord, as the Commander of the Lord's army, as the Rock that followed Israel, and as glory in the cloud.

The Angel Of The Covenant In Exodus 23

Exodus 23:20-21
Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Be on your guard before Him and obey His voice, do not be rebellious toward Him, for He will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in Him.

† This angel had the power to forgive and not forgive sin. That alone proves He was no ordinary angel. God said His own name was in this being. This is the same One who later said:

John 17:11
Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me.

† Christ was active long before He appeared in the flesh. He led Israel. He spoke to Moses. He guided their steps. He was the One whom they tested in the wilderness.

1 Corinthians 10:9
Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did.

† Paul called the one Israel tempted in the wilderness the Lord, and connected that directly to Christ. The Angel of the Lord was the Lord Himself in temporary form.

Jesus In Prophecy, Shiloh Appearing In Genesis 49

Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes.

† Shiloh was never a random figure. Shiloh was a prophetic name for the Messiah. The ruler from Judah, the One to whom the people would gather, was Christ.

† This promise pointed directly to the first century arrival of the true King, the One who brought the Old Covenant to its close and established the everlasting Kingdom.

† The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 was the visible proof that Shiloh had come, the long-expected King who fulfilled all things written.

A Deeper Look At Shiloh

† The name Shiloh appears around thirty three times in Scripture. It refers both to a place and to the Messiah Himself. The place foreshadowed the Person, and the Person fulfilled the shadow.

Joshua 18:1
Then the whole congregation of the sons of Israel assembled themselves at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there.

† Just as Israel assembled at physical Shiloh for inheritance, God's people assembled to Christ, the true Shiloh, to receive the Kingdom.

Joshua 19:51
These are the inheritances... apportioned by lot in Shiloh before the LORD.

† Under Christ the true Shiloh, the spiritual inheritance was delivered in the first century.

Jeremiah 7:12
But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the first.

† Shiloh's removal foreshadowed Jerusalem's removal in AD 70.

Isaiah 11:10
His resting place will be glorious.

† Rest is built into the meaning of Shiloh, fulfilled in Christ.

Jesus Appearing To Paul

† When Paul encountered the glorified Lord on the road to Damascus, he saw the same Christ who appeared to Hagar, Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Joshua, and the prophets.

Why Jesus Appeared In Many Forms

† He appeared as the Angel of the Lord
† He appeared in the cloud of glory
† He appeared as the Commander of the Lord's army
† He appeared in fire
† He appeared as the Rock
† He appeared in visions
† And finally in flesh as the Son of Man

Other Manifestations Of Christ Before The Incarnation

† The Man Who Wrestled With Jacob
Genesis 32:24-30

† The Commander Of The Lord's Army
Joshua 5:13-15

† The Fourth Man In The Fiery Furnace
Daniel 3:24-25

† The Man On The Throne
Ezekiel 1:26-28

† The Word Who Appeared
1 Samuel 3:21

† The Glory In The Cloud
Exodus 16:10, Exodus 40:34

† The Rock
1 Corinthians 10:4

† The Angel Who Redeemed Jacob
Genesis 48:15-16

† The Son Of Man In Daniel 7

† The Man In Linen
Daniel 10, Daniel 12

† The Angel Of His Presence
Isaiah 63:9

† The Messenger Of The Covenant
Malachi 3:1

Why These Appearances Cannot Be The Father

John 1:18
No one has seen God at any time.

John 6:46
Not that anyone has seen the Father.

† Every appearance in the Old Testament must therefore be Christ.

Early Christian Testimony

† Justin Martyr taught the Angel of the Lord was Christ
† Irenaeus said the Word appeared to the patriarchs
† Tertullian taught Christ appeared throughout the Old Testament
† Clement of Alexandria affirmed Christ in OT manifestations
† Barnabas taught the same in early Christian writings
† Eusebius recorded the church's understanding of these appearances
† Josephus documented first century events aligning with Christ's predictions

Shiloh And The First Century Gathering

Matthew 23:37
He gathers His people.

Matthew 24:31
He gathers His elect.

† This fulfills Genesis 49:10 perfectly.

The Burning Bush Appearance

Exodus 3:2-6
The Angel of the LORD appeared in the flame.

† The Angel appears, but God speaks. This is Christ.

Shiloh And The Nations

Haggai 2:7
I will shake all the nations.

† This covenant shaking was fulfilled in Christ in the first century.

How This Applies To Us Today

† Christ has always been the One appearing to His people. The same One who appeared in Genesis appeared in AD 70 in glory to end the Old Covenant and establish the everlasting Kingdom.

Historical References

† Justin Martyr affirms the Angel of the Lord was the pre-incarnate Christ
† Irenaeus identifies the Word as the One who appeared to the patriarchs
† Tertullian teaches Christ was active in Old Testament appearances
† Clement of Alexandria supports these identifications
† Barnabas affirms Christ in Old Testament theophanies
† Eusebius records the early church understanding of Christ's manifestations
† Josephus documents first century signs aligning with Christ's predictions

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index

† Genesis 16:10, Genesis 16:13, Genesis 49:10, Exodus 23:20-21
† John 1:1, John 17:11, 1 Corinthians 10:4, 1 Corinthians 10:9
† Joshua 18:1, Joshua 19:51, Jeremiah 7:12, Jeremiah 7:14, Isaiah 11:10
† Genesis 32:24-30, Joshua 5:13-15, Daniel 3:24-25, Ezekiel 1:26-28
† 1 Samuel 3:21, Exodus 16:10, Exodus 40:34, Genesis 48:15-16
† Daniel 7, Daniel 10, Daniel 12, Malachi 3:1
† John 1:18, John 6:46, Haggai 2:7, Exodus 3:2-6
† Matthew 23:37, Matthew 24:31
† Acts 9, Matthew 24
† Josephus, Antiquities, Wars of the Jews
† Justin Martyr, Dialogue With Trypho
† Irenaeus, Against Heresies
† Tertullian, Against Marcion
† Clement of Alexandria, Stromata
† Epistle of Barnabas
† Eusebius, Church History