spring conference christology€¦ · The Angel of YHWH’s identity The Angel’s Name The...

transcript

spring conference

christologyBeth Haven Church

Friday – Sunday, May 31 – June 2, 2019

Rembrandt, Sacrifice of Isaac, 1635 Delacroix, Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, 1861

Domenico Fetti, Moses before the Burning Bush, c. 1617 Rembrandt, Balaam and his Donkey, 1626

contemplatingthe old testamentchristophanies

Steven W. Boyd, M.S., Th.M., Ph.D.

Research Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages;

Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Creation Studies,

Calvary University

Director of the Cataclysm Chronology Research Group

Phrase occurs 58x (twice it is not a Christophany: Hg 1:3; Ma 2:7)

Grammatically ‘definite’

First time is with Hagar

Occurs 10x with Balaam and10x with Samson’s parents

Attested for all periods and in allthree parts of the canon

Last time in Zechariah

Messenger of YHWH

He appeared toHagarAbrahamMosesBalaam and his she-assThe IsraelitesThe inhabitants of MerozGideonSamson’s parentsDavidElijah

Messenger of YHWH

RighteousUnrighteousZechariahJoshua the High PriestThe inhabitants of

Jerusalem

Messenger of YHWH

Clearly a person of the Godhead in

Gn 22:11f

Jgs 13

Other places it is not clear

Messenger of YHWH

Gn 22:11-18Use of 1st person

“I know”“from Me”“by Myself I

hereby swear”

content of 17-18Utterance of YHWH

comes from Him

Messenger of YHWH

Ex 3Demand for worship

Messenger of YHWH

Nm 22:20-35Obeisance is

acceptedUse of 1st person

“I Myselfhave come out”

“against Me”The tenor of Balaam’s

retort

Messenger of YHWH

Jgs 6:Called YHWH, 14, 16Divine actions, 21Gideon’s reaction, 22YHWH’s reassurance, 23

Messenger of YHWH

Jgs 13Manoah spoke as he

did, because he did not knowThe Angel of YHWH’s identity

The Angel’s NameThe Angel’s actionManoah’s reaction

Messenger of YHWH

Not so clear in passages such as

Gn 16 “I will multiply your seed” (10) BUT “YHWH has heard your affliction” (11)

Is 37:36Zec 1:8-17

Mysterious Man

Most times ִ שיׁא is an ordinary man

Three times it is incontestable that ִ שיׁאrefers to a person of the Godhead:

Gn 18--also rf to as YHWH;A. knows who He is

32:25—Jacob’s reaction

Dn 7:9-10; 13-14—Position ofhonor given to Him

Mysterious Man

The rest are not as clear:

The man who directs Joseph

The man dressed in linen

Mountain andWildernessAppearances

Burning Bush

Giving of the Decalogue

Covenant ratification

The Pillar of Cloud and Fire

Declaring His name

Appearances of the Glory

The diviner--Balaam and his she-ass

The Commander

The Destroyer of the Assyrian Army

Military Context

Circumstances (Nm 22:20-35)Balaam’s refractory behavior

YHWH’s relentless oppositionwith a drawn sword in His hand

The she-ass’s proper actions

Balaam’s appalling ignorance

The she-ass’s irrefragable logic

YHWH’s rebuke

Military Context

✓ The diviner

Circumstances (Jo 5:13-15)ChargesCanaanitesCrossingCommemoration

Covenant ClosuresCircumcision (Closure)Celebrate Passover

(Closure)Consume produceCessation of Mannah

(Closure)

Military Context

✓ The Commander

The CommanderJoshua reconnoitered JerichoJoshua saw a soldier with a

drawn sword in his handJoshua queried himThe soldier replied strangelyThe soldier revealed his

identityJoshua responded accordinglyJoshua asked another questionThe Soldier demanded

reverenceJoshua humbly complied

Military Context

✓ The Commander

Circumstances (Is 37:33-38)Imminent siege of JerusalemObloquy directed at YHWHDivine promise of protection

The Angel strikes swiftly,silently, and devastatingly

A destroyed armyA defeated, disgraced foeA hasty retreatA feckless god

Military Context

✓ The Destroyer

Mystery

Messenger of YHWH

Gn 16; 21 (“of God”)

Ex 23:20ff

Is 37:33-38 (see above and below)

Zec 1:8-13

Mystery

Mysterious ManGn 37:14-20

Ez 9:1-11

Mystery

Mysterious Man

Gn 37:14-20

Reasons for Divine reading:His sudden appearance

and disappearanceHis unexpected

appearanceHis vital role played in

orchestrating subsequent events

His words and actions are not easily explained as those of a mortal

He knows just the right thing

Mystery

Mysterious Man

Gn 37:14-20

Reasons for human reading:Supernatural ability is not

clearly evinced Mortals can have a vital

role as wellHaving fulfilled his role,

what happens to him is irrelevant

God controlled the circumstances so that he was in just the right place at just the right time

Mystery

Ex 23:20-33

Mystery

Is 37:30-38Military Context

Magnificence

Messenger of YHWH All of them

Magnificence

Mysterious Man All of them

Magnificence

All of them

Magnificence

All of themMilitary Context

Message

Messenger of YHWH

Never just an appearance

Almost never just an action

Almost never wordless

Never trite or gratuitous

Message

Mysterious Man

Never just an action

Never wordless

Message

Military Context

Messenger of YHWH

Miraculous

In essence

In actionsOmniscientOmnipresentOmnipotentPurposefulNever gratuitous

Miraculous

Mysterious Man

In essence

Miraculous

In essence

Miraculous

Military Context

In essence

Messenger of YHWH

Accurate historical account

Skillfully written

to bring out the theology

Appearance, actions, and admonitions are integrated into the narrative

Portrayed with the attributes of God

Skillfully written

Mysterious Man

Skillfully written

Military Context

Perplexing

Powerful

Purposeful

Patient

Persistent

Personal

Parenetic

Messenger of YHWH

Mysterious Man

Perplexing

Powerful

Purposeful

Patient

Persistent

Personal

Parenetic

Perplexing

Powerful

Purposeful

Patient

Persistent

Personal

Parenetic

Military Context

Perplexing

Powerful

Purposeful

Patient

Persistent

Personal

Parenetic

spring conference christology€¦ · The Angel of YHWH’s identity The Angel’s Name The...

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