In our continued quest to tell the full story of Jesus, the constant practice continues to be centered upon the New Testament gospels account of the man and his 3 ½ year ministry. His story, as being told over centuries of church history begins in a stable among live animals, where it is supposed that the baby Jesus was born. He began his ministry at the age of thirty (as it was for the Levitical Priesthood) and in the short period that we just mentioned, he died on a cruel wooden tree. The practice of constantly gleaning from the New Testament’s account of the Savior, we are robbed or “short-changed” by not being taught fully of Jesus Christ, as he lived and worked in Old Testament times.

           Before long, we will listen to Christ as he gives account of himself back some 1898 years before his actual birth in Bethlehem.  Before long, we will come to understand that when the Old Testament refers to “the angel of the Lord,” it generally refers to the pre-incarnate Christ. The usual term used to describe him then, is “The Christ of God.” But to jump ahead of myself at this juncture, I will add a brief anecdote, that will somehow help to validate the notion of Christ in Old Testament times. Some years ago, I read a document featuring the events in Jerusalem that surrounded the trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was required of Pilate to submit a written report to Rome of the incident and turmoil that had Jerusalem in total chaos. In his moment of contemplation, he called for the chief centurion, Lucius, to get the impression of the mood of the people. He said: “Lucius, you are out among the people: what are they saying about the man Jesus? What is their opinion of the man? Lucius replied that some people believed that he was indeed a prophet. Others believed that he wasn’t human at all, and that he walked the earth back in the days of Abraham.  AMAZING—DON’T YOU THINK?

 As we meander through the pages of ancient history, it will not be long before we understand Jesus’ role as “the angel of the Lord.” The overall preponderance is that those references highlight the reality and truth of the pre-incarnate Christ. Of course, while surfing the internet I came across an article in which the author said that Jesus Christ had no pre-existence in Old Testament times. In other words, the one and only time we see him, is at his birth to Mary and Joseph.

This aspect of Jesus Christ that we are discussing, is seldom heard and preached about from our pulpits; or taught in our Sunday schools, or at our weekend “Deeper Life Conferences” at the downtown Marriott Hotel; or possibly at the city’s convention center. Let us not forget that the entire bible is about Jesus (and us.) This amazing man is featured from the first book of the bible being mentioned as the “seed of the woman” to the very last book of the bible, where he is worshipped as the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. 

          From time to time, Jesus tested the knowledge and mindset of his disciples either to teach them, or to determine what they knew about him. As we see in Matthew 16: 13-17. “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Outside the many answers they gave in response, Jesus made it more personal by asking: “But whom say ye that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus in response noted: “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jo’na: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”  

I think it is appropriate for us, in this part of our study, to follow the sequence of Old Testament narrative in the chronological order given to us in the biblical order of these events as they happened. For some of these events, I will paraphrase the written word so as to conserve space and time. Although rendered in a condensed form, the essence of the events will not be changed. The first event we will revisit is the story of Abraham and Sarah. What makes this event so vital and meaningful, is that although the events occurred about B. C. 1898, nearly two thousand years later, Jesus Christ referred to them in vivid terms; thus, giving them authenticity and his stamp of approval as being the chief story teller. 

The story began this way: “And the Lord appeared unto him (Abraham) in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. And he lift up his eyes and looked, and. Lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, and said, MY Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant. Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore have ye come to your servant. And they said, So do ye, as thou hast said. Much of Genesis 18 records the vital parts of this encounter between Abraham and three men. While dinning on the hastily prepared meal, they asked Abraham for the whereabouts of his wife Sarah. He answered that she was in the tent. Being a woman, in that culture, she was not allowed to take a seat in the midst of the men conversing. However, being in the inner tent, Sarah was able to overhear the conversation between the men.

            Notice the change in the continued version of this event. They said unto him where is Sarah thy wife? Here is the switch! And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. The main point of interest at this juncture, is that although three men was the number that Abraham entertained, only one spoke in the affirmative, saying, I will certainly return. Later on, we will be able to determine who it was that did all the talking in the dialogue between Abraham and three visiting strangers. As we just said, Sarah, being in the inner tent was able to overhear the conversation; and upon hearing that next year she would have a son, she laughed. What made her laugh? Here is the irony in this dynamic encounter. “Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women (she ceased to have her monthly cycles that are required in the child-bearing process.) Old and well stricken in age says it all!

           “Therefore, Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? Notice who is speaking now! And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is there anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I (not we) indeed, I will return unto thee, according to the time of life (possibly the time when Sarah should normally have her monthly cycle) and Sarah shall have a son.” The Lord said unto Abraham! Which one, or how many Lords are mentioned in the lesson. There was one Lord and two angels! This event, when fulfilled in the birth of Isaac began a new chain of events that resonates across this planet, and is still a vital part of the Christian doctrine.

          We learn from the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians that this Isaac though singled out as the reference point and object in which all nations on earth shall be blessed, was only a type of Jesus Christ. “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds as of many; but as to one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. Galatians 3: 16. In fact, if we wish to go back in time, all the way to our beginning we will notice a vital truth that is not frequently spoken of. Speaking of the man Adam, Paul wrote saying: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses and since all the prophets and the law prophesied until John” it is safe and correct to conclude that death reigned from Adam to John. This truth is contained in the fact that Jesus never endorsed death; and whenever he came face to face with it, he removed it by bringing the dead back to life. He said to multitudes that they would die in their sins, but not that they had to die. He brought life, and that more abundantly! John 10: 10. But the main reference to Adam said: “Even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who (in this case referring to Adam) who is the figure (type) of him that was to come.” Romans 5: 14. So Isaac was a type of Christ, and even Moses exhorted the people saying:

            “The Lord thy God will raise unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” Deuteronomy 18: 15, 18. This further demonstrates definitively how God used events and people in ancient times to herald and even serve as types of the coming Messiah. To round off our visit with the Lord and his encounter with Abraham, we learn that two of the three men that Abraham entertained went toward Sodom leaving the third. Thus, we read: “And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before stood before the Lord. And Abraham drew near, and said, wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Genesis 18: 22. Abraham’s plea for mercy upon Sodom went on for quite a while. This is a personal dialogue between the man Abraham and the MAN—called the Lord in this narrative. So, picture it! Two men stood talking face to face, and one was the Lord himself—almost two thousand years before he was born a baby to Mary and Joseph. 

            Almost two thousand years after these events took place in the plains of Mamre, Jesus taught the multitudes saying: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets: and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered: your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him. Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM. John 8:52-58.

This is a personal account of himself, given by the Lord himself, and we (as for me) we either believe it or we don’t—providing we have solid undisputable facts that can stand firm against the account of the Lord himself. I have made it my practice over many years of ministry, not to follow fables or even the opinions written and taught by outstanding members of the clergy and well-trained scholars of the scriptures. Opinions are concocted within the minds of men and women about anything at all. Under the mandate that the Lord has given to me, I am obligated to believe and teach, only that which is explicitly written in scripture. Furthermore, it became my practice to teach and preach exactly what is written, exactly the way it was written. My personal opinion, or yours don’t really mater. His word is forever settled in heaven. Psalm 119: 89. What the abundance of authors wrote about the bible (such as “footnotes”) cannot hold precedent over the inspired word itself. So far, we have undisputable truths that substantiate the reality of Christ walking on the earth, in the fire, and meeting with Sarah and Abraham.

This is one of the building blocks of the Christian Faith that is either missed, not clearly understood, or totally ignored. So once again, we will reiterate the fact that in Old Testament times, more frequently than not, the mention of “the angel of the Lord—and even simply—the Lord spoke saying—generally referred to “The Christ of God” in his pre-incarnate existence. Much like what he said about being before Abraham; we can candidly assert that “before we were, HE WAS and walked the earth as a man. (Feel free in your thinking here) Let us not forget that out of eternity where time does not exist, he laid aside Deity, and took upon himself the form of a servant; a product of the seed of Abraham. See Philippians 2: 7-8; Hebrews 2: 14, 16.

We will no doubt revisit Israel on their sojourn from Egypt to Canaan; but let us fast-forward to insert this little morsel. The Apostle Paul rehearsed Israel’s days in the wilderness and wrote: “And all did drink of the same spiritual: for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” 1^st Corinthians 10: 4. The term “spiritual rock” does not infer or suggest that the rock was an invisible disembodied spirit. Not one bit so! The rock was real enough that allowed Moses to strike it and water gushed out. Yet, that Rock was Christ! AMAZING! It is simply a wonderful act of God! His ways are past finding out!

  We do not believe that the bible contradicts itself: but as a small exercise in this study, let us do a small comparison. We read: “And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they SAW GOD, and did eat and drink.” Exodus 24: 10, 11.  In assessing the task of leading the people, Moses asked the Lord to come with him; and in that conversation, we learn: “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. We cannot add a word or sentiment that can make this any plainer.

 In fact, the term—as a man speaketh unto his friend—brings to mind what God said to a little boy prophet. We read: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” Jeremiah 1:5. The term “I knew thee” must be understood in terms of having a personal knowledge –such as knowing an acquaintance, or knowing one intimately. Moses then intreated the Lord to go with him and moreover, he wanted to see God’s face. In his response, the Lord said: “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And the Lord said Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see my face and live. But we just read that Israel saw God and did eat and drink. Thus, it goes without saying that since there are no contradictions in scripture, there must be a simple explanation to that which seems at face value to be contradictory. But a careful search of scripture brings it all together. Each period (dispensation) brings forth new events fore-told in ancient times.

Royce O. Kennedy