The angel of the Lord in Genesis 16 is God the Son — Jehovah — appearing in human form as the Redeemer.
Les Feldick teaches that whenever the Old Testament uses the term 'angel of the Lord' or 'angel of God,' it refers to God the Son, not a created angel. He bases this on Genesis 48:16, where Jacob speaks of 'the angel which redeemed me,' and on the truth that there is only one Redeemer in Scripture. In Genesis 16, this angel finds Hagar by a fountain in the wilderness and speaks to her after she flees from Sarai.
Genesis 16:7 — The verse where the 'angel of the LORD' first appears to Hagar in the wilderness — the exact subject of the question.
Genesis 48:16 — Jacob's words about 'the Angel which redeemed me' — the key evidence Les Feldick uses to identify the angel as God the Son.
The Bible records that after Sarai dealt harshly with her maid Hagar, Hagar fled into the wilderness. Genesis 16:7 says, 'And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.' The angel spoke to her, calling her 'Hagar, Sarai's maid' and asking, 'Whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go?' Hagar answered, 'I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai' (Genesis 16:8). Later, in Genesis 48:16, Jacob prayed to 'the Angel which redeemed me from all evil,' blessing Joseph's sons in that name. The Bible also records the angel of the Lord appearing at other key moments — calling to Abraham in Genesis 22, calling to Hagar out of heaven in Genesis 21, appearing to Moses in the burning bush in Exodus 3, and going before Israel in Exodus 23. Scripture itself does not comment directly on the angel's identity; it simply records these appearances.
Les Feldick teaches that the 'angel of the Lord' in Genesis 16 is not a created angel at all, but Jehovah — God the Son — appearing in human form. He teaches that whenever the terms 'angel of the Lord' or 'angel of God' appear in the Old Testament, they refer to God the Son. Les grounds this identification in Genesis 48, where Jacob speaks of 'the angel which redeemed me.' Since the Bible presents only one Redeemer — God the Son, who is Jehovah in the Old Testament and Christ in the New — the redeeming angel must be the second person of the Trinity. Les applies this same rule consistently. The angel who called to Hagar out of heaven in Genesis 21, the angel who called to Abraham in Genesis 22, the angel in the burning bush in Exodus 3, and the angel sent before Israel in Exodus 23 are all, in Les's teaching, Jehovah — God the Son — in another theophany, an appearance in human form. So in Genesis 16, when the angel of the Lord meets Hagar by the fountain in the wilderness, Les identifies that angel as the same divine Person.
Les explains that whenever the term 'angel of the Lord' or 'angel of God' appears in the Old Testament, it is Jehovah. His key evidence is Jacob's statement in Genesis 48:16 about 'the angel which redeemed me.' Since there is only one Redeemer in all of Scripture, and that Redeemer is God the Son — Jehovah in the Old Testament, Christ in the New — the angel of the Lord must be God the Son. Les describes this as the second person of the Trinity appearing in human form.
Scripture records that the angel of the Lord found Hagar by a fountain of water in the wilderness on the way to Shur, after she fled from Sarai's harsh treatment. The angel called her by name — 'Hagar, Sarai's maid' — and asked, 'Whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go?' She answered, 'I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai' (Genesis 16:7-8). Les applies his identification to this passage: the one speaking to Hagar is Jehovah, God the Son.
The same term appears in several other places. In Genesis 21, the angel of God calls to Hagar out of heaven. In Genesis 22, the angel of the Lord calls to Abraham at the binding of Isaac. In Exodus 3, the angel of the Lord appears to Moses in the burning bush. In Exodus 23, the Lord says He will send His angel before Israel. In every case, Les identifies the angel of the Lord as Jehovah — God the Son.
Les uses the word 'theophany' to describe the angel of the Lord. He teaches that the angel of God, the angel of the Lord, is always Jehovah — or God the Son — in another theophany, an appearance in human form. This is the same person who is Jehovah in the Old Testament and Christ in the New.
Who is the Angel of the Lord? Genesis 16 Bible Study
Welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a 30-minute walk through the Scriptures, teaching in-depth Bible truths that change people's lives. Now here's your host, Les Feldick. Certainly So if you'll And again, for those of you that are joining us on television, we trust that we can make you feel as though you're a part of the class.
Jehovah Appears as the Angel of the Lord
Les states plainly that whenever the term 'angel of the Lord' appears, it is Jehovah, and he connects this to the only Redeemer in Scripture — God the Son.
God the Son at Mount Moriah
Les applies the same identification to the angel of the Lord who called to Abraham in Genesis 22, saying it is God the Son speaking.
The Redeeming Angel
Les shows that Jacob's words in Genesis 48 identify the angel as 'the Redeemer,' and there is only one Redeemer — God the Son — who also appeared in the burning bush.
Another Theophany at Hagar's Well
Les teaches that the angel of God who spoke to Hagar in Genesis 21 is always Jehovah, God the Son, in another theophany — an appearance in human form.
The Angel of Exodus 23 Is Jehovah
Les identifies the angel God sends before Israel in Exodus 23 as Jehovah Himself, the same redeeming angel Jacob mentioned.
Jehovah in the Old, Christ in the New
Les confirms that the angel of Exodus 23 is the same person — Jehovah in the Old Testament, Christ in the New — leading Israel into the promised land.
Jehovah, God of Abraham
Les explains that from Genesis 12 onward, Jehovah is the God of Abraham and the person of the Godhead dealing with Israel — still God the Son.
Genesis 16:7: And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
This is the verse where the 'angel of the LORD' first appears to Hagar in the wilderness, the direct subject of the question.
Genesis 16:8: And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
The angel speaks to Hagar, showing that the angel is a personal being who speaks directly to her.
Genesis 48:16: The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
Jacob's words provide the key evidence Les Feldick uses to identify the angel as the Redeemer, God the Son.
Genesis 21:17: And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
The angel of God speaks to Hagar again in a later encounter, showing the same pattern of divine identification.
Genesis 22:11: And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
The angel of the Lord calls to Abraham at the binding of Isaac, which Les identifies as God the Son speaking.
Exodus 3:2: And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
The angel of the Lord appears to Moses in the burning bush; Les says the one in the bush is Jehovah, God the Son.
Exodus 23:20: Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
God promises to send His angel before Israel, and Les identifies this angel as Jehovah Himself.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the angel of the Lord is never a created angel. Whenever the term appears in the Old Testament, it is Jehovah — God the Son — in another theophany, an appearance in human form.
He points to Genesis 48:16, where Jacob speaks of 'the angel which redeemed me.' Since there is only one Redeemer in Scripture — God the Son — Les concludes that the angel of the Lord must be God the Son, not a created being.
Yes. Genesis 16:7 records that the angel of the Lord found Hagar by a fountain in the wilderness, and verse 8 records that he spoke to her, asking where she had come from and where she was going.
Les Feldick teaches that the angel of the Lord is God the Son, who is Jehovah in the Old Testament and Christ in the New Testament. He avoids calling him 'Jesus' in the Old Testament, but identifies him as the same divine Person.
Watch the Teaching: Who is the Angel of the Lord? Genesis 16 Bible Study