Before we answer this, we need to define the word “Christophany.” It means “a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ.” If the Angel of the Lord, which is mentioned many times in the Old Testament, was in fact the Son of God, who later became a real man when He was born of the Virgin Mary (see Luke 1:26-35), then each of those appearances was indeed a Christophany. It can also be called a “Theophany” which simply means “an appearance of God.”  As we examine Scripture, we shall see clearly that the Angel of the Lord was actually God.  Some believe it could have been God the Father or all three Persons who make up the Triune God, but others believe that it must be the Son of God, since the New Testament states that no one has ever seen God the Father. “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18).  As we examine the first reference in the Bible which mentions the Angel of the Lord we will see conclusively that He speaks with the authority of God and is even identified as God, so it reasonable to assume that this Theophany was indeed a Christophany, “a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ.”

The first reference which mentions the Angel of the Lord is Genesis 16:7-10, “Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, ‘Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?’ She said, ‘I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.’ The Angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.’ Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, ‘I WILL MULTIPY YOUR DESECENDANTS EXCEEDINGLY, so that they shall not be counted for multitude’” (NKJV). Notice the AUTHORITY in which the Angel of the LORD speaks, for only God could speak of “multiplying Hagar’s seed.” In verse 12 the Angel of the LORD gives her another message, “And the Angel of the LORD said to her: ‘Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction.” Now I suppose this message could have been spoken by a mere angel, but let’s see how Hagar reacts to this encounter with the Angel of the Lord. “Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, ‘Have I also seen Him who sees me?’” It is clear that Hagar identified the Angel of the Lord as God and thus this was surely an appearance of God “as an Angel,” the Angel being none other than the Son of God.

We will cite one more example but before we do I would encourage you to look up and study the following passages which speak of the Angel of the Lord (Genesis 22:11-12; 13:11 & 13; 48:16; Judges 6:11, 16, 22; and Zechariah 3:1-2). Each of these passages clearly teach that the “Angel of the Lord” is “God” and since Jesus Christ is God the Son (see John 1:1 &14) we believe they are all “a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ.”

In Exodus 3:2-4 we read, “And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him (Moses) in a flame of fire FROM THE MIDST OF THE BUSH. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, ‘I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.’ So when the LORD saw that he turned aside, GOD CALLED TO HIM FROM THE MIDST OF THE BUSH and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.” It says the Angel of the Lord was in the midst of the bush and goes on to say “God called to Him from the midst of the bush, so one must conclude that THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME! The Angel of the Lord is God and thus here again we have a Christophany, “a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ.”

In closing, why would the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, appear as an angel to men when He is clearly “superior to angels” (see Hebrews chapter one)? The word “angel” means “messenger” and in every instance of Him appearing as “the Angel of the Lord” He is, as one has said, “the Messenger of Jehovah, Christ Himself.” Though angels, like Gabriel, were privileged to give God’s people messages from God (see Daniel 9:20-27 and Luke 1:26-35), the Lord Jesus Christ was the only One qualified to REVEAL GOD PERSONALLY to God’s people; He alone was the great “Messenger of God” who not only spoke FOR GOD but AS GOD!  (433.1)  (DO)