When the word 'angel' is used, people generally think of creatures with wings. To be sure angels have wings; the seraphim have six wings each. Whether this word 'wings' means 'feathered growth on the body' or 'modes of transport' is difficult to tell. What I want you, particularly in this sermon, to remember is that an 'angel' is a messenger, an agent or envoy of YaHuWaH. He may have wings. He may not. That is not the point. The point is an angel (a malik) is an agent or messenger.

Let us now examine two examples of this Special Messenger of the Most High visiting earth in the days of old.

Abraham was called upon by YaHuWaH to sacrifice his son Isaac. It was a test few - if any - have ever faced. This is one experience when the angel of Elohim, that Special Agent who is a manifestation of YaHuWaH Himself, came to earth. You will see in this experience why this Messenger of YaHuWaH was particularly interested in Abraham's test. He came not merely to test Abraham's faith, but to witness the dramatized prediction, the model, the shadow of his own death on Calvary, which Elohim (unlike Abraham) was to carry through to the bitter end. For YAHUSHUA the Messiah is the real 'Isaac.' In other words, each time the Angel of the Lord visited earth in 'Old' Testament times he came to witness a prophetic drama which he himself was going to fulfil in his role as the Son of Man. He came to witness a 'live demonstration' of an event YaHuWaH the Elohim of Israel had planned for the future. Remember this important fact.

Note how these promises were made to Abraham by this Special Messenger who identified Himself as YaHuWaH ! He was none other than the Messiah Himself. Here is the Savior studying His Father's blueprint, witnessing the experience which was dramatically forecasting His own sacrifice on Calvary. And as the Son of the Most High He was able to authoritatively say: "By Myself have I sworn ... I will bless thee. I will multiply thy seed ... because thou hast obeyed My voice."

This drama tells of the full price of salvation - the RAM'S death!

This Special Agent of YaHuWaH again visited earth when Moshe was alive. In that instance once more his reason was to supervise the deliverance of Israel, a deliverance only made possible by the blood of the Passover Lamb - again a symbolic representation of his own death on Calvary.

This drama tells of and prefigures salvation: freedom from the slavery of sin and entry into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Special Agent of the Most High is not only interested in saving his people from Satan, the Pharaoh of this world. He is also interested in the overthrow of YaHuWaH 's enemies: his ultimate objective being to establish a Torah abiding universe which will develop according to YaHuWaH 's will. To do this he must give mankind his Father's Torah, which is an expression of the Most High's will. In this role he is called the Messenger of the Covenant.

NOTE: From this passage and others we learn that the Messenger of the Covenant is the Messiah Himself. He is the Malik of the Most High who was sent to deliver the greatest message this world has ever heard - the Gospel of Salvation and the Torah of the Most High. And though the Saviour does not have wings like a seraph, He is nevertheless the Special Messenger of YaHuWaH Almighty. Not only is He a Messenger of YaHuWaH, but He is the express image of His Father.

No promise in Scripture can compare with the promise of the Almighty's presence: "I will be with thee." YaHuWaH 's Presence is the greatest treasure any soul can ever have; for with it comes everything of value. I AM WITH THEE. All the great men and women of Scripture were blessed with the 'presence of YaHuWaH.' If you closely study the lives of these men you will see that in every single case it said: " YaHuWaH WAS WITH THEM." His special messenger went with them through all their journeys. (Gen.48:16, Exo.23:20, 32:34, 33:2)

• Abraham: Genesis 21:22
• Isaac: Genesis 26:3
• Jacob: Genesis 28:15
• Joseph: Genesis 39:23
• Samuel: 1 Samuel 3:19
• David: 1 Samuel 16:18

NOTE: As you can see this sermon is about YAHUSHUA the Messiah. What then is it doing in this section on angels? The answer is not merely to explain the word 'malik' (messenger), but to show how YaHuWaH, the Almighty Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Israel prefigured the Plan of Salvation in the experiences of His people.

When the Most High had a special message to deliver, one prefiguring sacrifice, deliverance and obedience, areas in which His Son would have a special role to fulfill, the Most High dispatched YAHUSHUA Himself to deliver the message. In many of these instances the Savior is referred to as the Angel of YaHuWaH , or the Word of YaHuWaH .

Now please do not go away with the impression that YAHUSHUA the Messiah is a created being with wings; or that He is on the same level as other messengers or angels of YaHuWaH. Oh no, YAHUSHUA the Messiah is YaHuWaH 's only begotten Son. He was not created as the angels are. He issued from His Father as the only begotten Son of YaHuWaH ! He is YaHuWaH incarnate!

That means Elohim in human flesh. YAHUSHUA is infinitely higher than every other messenger in the universe. In fact He speaks and acts with all the authority of the Almighty Himself: because YAHUSHUA is, in fact, YaHuWaH ! and He should be worshiped as Elohim.