THEOPHANY: WHO IS THAT ANGEL

The “angel” Joshua met was not a created being but a theophany — a visible appearance of the Spirit of the LORD in the Old Testament, called The Angel of the LORD.

This is what many miss when they treat these encounters as ordinary angelic manifestations.

I first made this post in 2025 and I've edited this to properly elaborate on the matter of THEOPHANY.

Proponents of the ideology that we cannot instruct angels use Joshua's encounter as their major foothold.

But before you use Joshua's encounter to build a doctrine about what believers can or cannot say to angels, there is a more fundamental question:

Who exactly did Joshua meet?y

Throughout the Old Testament, a particular being appears again and again, bearing the title “The Angel of the LORD.”

He speaks as God.

He identifies Himself as God.

He receives worship due only to God.

He performs divine acts such as forgiveness and redemption.

And in the prophets, this mysterious figure is further revealed as the LORD Himself.

This is not one isolated passage.

It is a pattern.

Let's walk through it.

Abraham’s Encounter — Genesis 22:15–16

 “And the Angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing…”

The Angel calls out of heaven and swears by Himself — a prerogative that belongs only to God (Hebrews 6:13).

If the Angel were merely a created messenger, he could not swear by his own name or authority.

So who is this “Angel”?

Is God mute, that another being must speak in His place?

Clearly not.

This is the LORD appearing as His own Messenger.

Hagar’s Encounter — Genesis 16:7–13

 “And the Angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water…”

And in verse 10:

 “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.”

The Angel speaks in the first person.

“I will multiply thy seed.”

Then Hagar:

“called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me.”

Notice that? She calls the name of the Lord which spake unto her? 

There are some who simply say that "Lord" in these verses means "Sir" or a title of respect. Well, that would mean that Hagar called the "Sir" who spoke to her God Almighty.

Notice the seamless transition. 

The Angel speaks.

Hagar identifies the One speaking to her as the LORD.

The Angel is not merely delivering information from God. He speaks with God's own identity and authority.

This is God revealing Himself as the One who sees and blesses.

Next is Jacob’s Encounter — Genesis 31:11–13

 “And the Angel of God spake unto me in a dream…”

Then the Angel says:

 “I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me.”

The Angel says outright:

“I am the God of Bethel.”

Not, “I represent the God of Bethel.”

Not, “I am speaking for the God of Bethel.”

“I am the God of Bethel.”

Jacob later prays in Genesis 48:15–16:

 “The God which fed me all my life long… The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads.”

Here Jacob places God and the Angel together in the same blessing. Can you bless in an angel's name? Not at all.

And notice what he calls Him:

The Angel which redeemed me.

Again, this is the LORD as Redeemer in visible form in the Old Testament.

This is THEOPHANY.

Moses at the Burning Bush — Exodus 3:2–4

 “And the Angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire…”

And then:

 “And when the LORD saw that he turned aside, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush…”

Ngwanu, explain this away.

Verse 2 names the figure:

“The Angel of the LORD.”

Verse 4 calls Him:

God.

The text doesn't switch speakers and suddenly introduce another person.

The Angel of the LORD appears.

The LORD speaks.

God speaks.

And it is the same encounter.

Later, in verse 14, this same voice declares:

“I AM THAT I AM.”

This is not an ordinary angel standing beside God. This is God revealing Himself as His own Messenger.

On to Gideon’s Encounter — Judges 6:11–24

 “And there came an Angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak…”

At first Gideon sees an “Angel.”

But as the encounter develops, the narrative seamlessly refers to Him as the LORD.

And no, this isn't just another way of saying “Sir,” as some people like to explain it.

When Gideon realizes whom he has seen, he fears death:

 “Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an Angel of the LORD face to face.”

And the LORD answers:

 “Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.”

Remember?

“No man shall see me, and live.”

So this is how the theophanic manifestation works.

God reveals Himself in a form that man can perceive.

Gideon understands that seeing the Angel of the LORD was seeing God.

And God reassures him.

Then Manoah and His Wife — Judges 13:15–22

The parents of Samson encounter this same mysterious figure:

“And the Angel of the LORD did wondrously…”

And then:

“For it came to pass, when the flame went up from off the altar toward heaven, that the Angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar.”

Again, the encounter is extraordinary.

But don't get distracted by the supernatural spectacle.

Look at what Manoah says immediately afterward:

"We shall surely die, because we have seen God.”

Again!

They know what they have encountered.

And no, don't tell me Old Testament people couldn't differentiate between God and angels.

Their culture was full of stories and encounters involving angels.

They knew there were angels.

What seals the encounter is that this figure doesn't give Manoah an ordinary angelic identity.

When Manoah asks for His name, He responds:

"Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?”

The word carries the idea of something wonderful, extraordinary, beyond ordinary comprehension.

And then you remember Isaiah 9:6:

 “His name shall be called Wonderful…”

The Angel performs wonders, refuses to disclose His name, appears in the sacrifice, and ascends heavenward.

And Manoah and his wife conclude:

“We have seen God.”

The text itself gives you their interpretation of the encounter.

Then The Angel in the Exodus — Exodus 23:20–21

 “Behold, I send an Angel before thee… beware of Him, and obey His voice; provoke Him not: for He will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in Him.”

This is where people who believe angels are above believers hook their arguments.

Listen carefully:

“My name is in Him.”

This isn't presented as an ordinary angelic messenger.

The figure bears the divine Name and possesses extraordinary authority concerning transgression and pardon.

Whatever interpretation you give this passage, this is no ordinary messenger.

The figure possesses authority uniquely associated with God's own Name and judgment.

Again, the pattern points to the LORD Himself manifested as His Angel.

There is also Isaiah’s Revelation — Isaiah 63:9

"In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them…”

Isaiah here gives us language that helps us understand what the patriarchs and prophets experienced.

The Angel of His Presence saved them.

The Angel of His Presence redeemed them.

Angels are ministers.

But the Redeemer is the LORD.

This is the LORD Himself walking with His people as the Angel of His Presence.

Finally: Joshua’s Encounter — Joshua 5:13–15

Now we arrive at the passage people love to use.

"And behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn…”

Joshua approaches Him and asks:

“Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?”

And the answer:

“Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.”

Joshua falls on his face to the earth and worships.

Now stop.

Joshua worshipped an angel?

Is that what you're saying?

Because worship belongs to God alone.

Joshua doesn't merely encounter some celestial being and show it respect.

He worships.

And the figure accepts that worship.

True angels of God cannot receive worship.

Why?

Because worship belongs to God.

The angel refuses what belongs to God.

Joshua's encounter is different.

Joshua worships.

There is no rebuke.

Instead, the figure tells him:

 “Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.”

Now look at that.

Joshua 5 is deliberately echoing Exodus 3.

Moses encounters the Angel of the LORD.

God speaks to him from the encounter.

Moses is told:

“Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy.”

Now Joshua encounters the mysterious Commander of the LORD's host.

Joshua is told:

“Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.”

Same extraordinary imagery.

Same holy-ground motif.

Same mysterious divine manifestation.

Joshua's encounter isn't some isolated strange story about an angel.

It belongs to the same pattern as Moses' encounter with the Angel of the LORD.

And who was speaking to Moses?

God.

The being Joshua met identifies Himself as Commander of the LORD's armies.

And who is the LORD of Hosts?

YHWH Tsevaot.

The LORD of Angel Armies.

The LORD of Hosts.

This is not Michael or some other created being appearing before Joshua.

This is the LORD Himself appearing in martial form.

And now look at the cumulative pattern.

Throughout the Old Testament, this mysterious “Angel” does the following, read at your own time. 👇🏽👇🏽

Speaks as God

Genesis 16, Genesis 22, Exodus 3

Identifies Himself as God

Genesis 31

Receives worship belonging to God

Joshua 5, Judges 13

Is associated with redemption

Genesis 48, Isaiah 63

Carries the divine Name

Exodus 23

Performs divine acts

Genesis 16, Judges 13

Is recognized by those who encounter Him as God Himself

Genesis 16, Judges 6, Judges 13

This is why Joshua 5 cannot simply be pulled out of context and presented as an ordinary encounter between a man and a created angel.

The larger Old Testament pattern must first be understood.

The Angel of the LORD is not merely an angel who belongs to the LORD.

He is the LORD revealing Himself as His own Messenger.

And this is what Christians have traditionally understood as a THEOPHANY — a pre-incarnate manifestation of the ALMIGHTY GOD before His incarnation.

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