Angel of the LORD: God or an Angel?

The first mention of the Angel of the LORD is in Genesis 16:7-13, which states,

"The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” The angel of the LORD also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me" (NIV).

It's important to note that Hagar named the Angel of the LORD is, "the God who sees me". It is also crucial to identify that she has also said that she has seen the One who sees her. Additionally, the language that the Angel of the LORD uses here sounds identical to Genesis 26:4 where the LORD speaks.

Exodus 23:20-23 states, "'See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out'" (NIV).

So, is the Angel of the LORD an actual angel, or God Himself? The Hebrew word for angel in this case means messenger or representative, although it can also mean an actual angel (Strong's H4397).

- The LORD says to pay attention and listen to what this angel says.

- The LORD also says to not rebel against him and that he will not forgive their rebellion (meaning that this angel has the power and authority to forgive sins like God)
 
- The LORD says that His Name is in this angel... meaning the LORD and the angel are one.

- The LORD also tells the Israelites that if they listen to what the angel says and if they do all that the LORD says, the LORD will be an enemy to the Israelites... this is a conditional statement involving the Israelites listening to what the LORD says, and what the angel says.

Summary: Hagar identifies the Angel of the LORD as God. The LORD has given this angel the ability, power, and authority to forgive sins (something only God can do), has the name of the LORD in him which makes the angel one with the LORD (the same way I have my dad's last name, but we are distinct persons), and the LORD makes a conditional statement to the Israelites stating that if they obey what the angle says and what the LORD says, the LORD will be an enemy to the Israelite's enemies.

This angel/messenger/representative is God the Son: Jesus.