Is the angel of the Lord always God the Son in Scripture?
The angel of the Lord is always God the Son; He is Jehovah Himself. The angel of God and the angel of the Lord refer to the same divine person, identified as the redeeming angel in Genesis 46. There is only one Redeemer in Scripture: God the Son, Jehovah in the Old Testament and Christ in the New.
Les explains from Exodus chapter 23 that the angel sent before Israel is Jehovah Himself. He teaches that the angel of God, the angel of the Lord, is always God the Son. He connects this to Genesis 46, where Jacob referred to Him as the redeeming angel, noting there is only one Redeemer in Scripture—God the Son, Jehovah in the Old Testament and Christ in the New. In the passage, Jehovah says, 'I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.' Later, 'Mine angel shall go before thee,' and God says He will cut off the nations, send His fear before them, and destroy. Les keeps the subject in mind: the angel is the divine person doing the leading and destroying.
Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.