Judges 6:11

I cannot hesitate to believe, that this was that same Almighty angel who, all along from creation, at various times manifested himself to his people as occasion required, and as it pleased him. I say I cannot hesitate to form this conclusion, because he who is in this verse called an angel of Jehovah, is in the 14th verse expressly called Jehovah. And Reader! when you have duly compared this passage with several others, and compared also some of the expressions he was graciously pleased to make use of, such as in a very particular way, Surely I will be with thee, and the promise of victory; I shall hope if the Lord be your teacher, you will believe the same. See Genesis 28:15; Exodus 3:2. Yes, dearest Jesus! thy people taught by thy Spirit, are enabled to trace thee, in the footstep of thy love frequently going before and manifesting thyself to them otherwise than thou dost unto the world; and in a way and manner best known to thyself, long before thine incarnation, as if thou went longing for that time to show thine unequalled mercy to our fallen nature! Proverbs 8:22. I would have the Reader to remark with me, several very interesting things, connected with the relation of the appearance of this angel. Is there not somewhat similar to the general promulgation of the gospel, and of the coming of Jesus to his people? The prophet we are told first came to Israel, and then this angel. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Christ. See Malachi 3:1; John 1:19. And is it not so now, in the revelation of Jesus to his people? Doth not the Holy Ghost first convince of sin, and then of the righteousness of Jesus? See John 16:3. I would detain the Reader with another observation on this passage. When deliverance was about to be proclaimed to Israel from their sorrows, that deliverance was made known to those who were retired from the world, and engaged in their honourable employments. And was it not the same, when the angels made known to the shepherds, watching over their flocks by night, that a Saviour was then born to them in the city of David. Luke 2:10.