The Angel of the Lord's Presence

The figure of the angel is mentionedat various points in the old testament text, though often as a shadowy figure who never comes fully into the centre of the stage. Throughout church history, people have, i believe, rightly, related this figure to the second person of the trinity, to the son prior to his incarnation. We might think, for instance, of the story of genesis, chapter 18, where the angel of the lord, when he speaks concerning the promise of the child to abraham and sarah, speaks as god himself. Or the story of joshua when he meets the commander of the army of the lord.