Yes. But I want to make one important distinction at the outset because it keeps us from saying more than Scripture actually says.
The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ existed before His incarnation.
What is less certain to many people is whether every Old Testament appearance of God, the Angel of the LORD, or a mysterious heavenly figure was specifically the Bible Jesus that we can personally know -- the Way (the only way into the Father's holy heaven), the truth, and the Life.
I'd say that some are very strong candidates for a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, while others seem more ambigious. they are theological possibilities but cannot firmly be called proven from the text. It's safe and wise to stick with the facts from the Bible text. With OT types, I really want to stick with what the NT calls types.
The theological term is Christophany, meaning an appearance or manifestation of the pre-incarnate Christ. A theophany is a manifestation of God more generally.
1. First: Is the pre-incarnate Christ actually taught by Scripture?
Absolutely. This is not speculation.
The New Testament explicitly teaches Christ's existence before His human birth:
John 1:1–3 — The Word was with God and was God, and all things were created through Him.
John 1:14 — The eternal Word became flesh.
John 8:58 — Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I am.”
John 17:5 — Jesus speaks of the glory He had with the Father before the world existed.
Colossians 1:16–17 — All things were created through Christ, and He is before all things.
1 Corinthians 8:6 — All things are through Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 1:2–3 — God created the world through the Son, who is the radiance of God's glory.
Philippians 2:6–7 — Christ existed in the form of God before taking the form of a servant.
1 Corinthians 10:4 — Paul makes the extraordinary statement concerning Israel in the wilderness: “the Rock was Christ.”
That last passage is particularly important because Paul himself identifies Christ with something occurring during Israel's Old Testament wilderness experience.
So the question isn't whether Christ existed in the Old Testament period. He certainly did.
The question is:
Where does the Old Testament actually present Him appearing or acting before His incarnation?
2. The strongest Old Testament candidates for Christophanies
I would divide these into three levels:
* Level 1 — exceptionally strong
There is substantial biblical evidence connecting the figure with Yahweh/God, and the New Testament gives us a framework for understanding Christ's pre-incarnate activity.
* Level 2 — strong possibility
The passage strongly resembles a divine appearance, but Scripture doesn't explicitly identify the figure as Christ.
* Level 3 — possible, but not demonstrable
There are legitimate reasons Christians have proposed Christ, but the Bible does not give enough evidence to call it proven.
* LEVEL 1: The strongest candidates
1. Hagar — The Angel of the LORD
Genesis 16:7–13
This is one of the earliest and strongest examples.
The Angel of the LORD appears to Hagar.
But notice what happens:
The Angel says:
“I will surely multiply your offspring…”
That's striking because He speaks in the first person as the One who possesses authority over the future of Abraham's descendants.
Then Hagar calls the LORD who spoke to her:
“You are a God of seeing.”
The text moves remarkably between “the Angel of the LORD” and the LORD/God. (ESV Bible)
Reference: Genesis 16:7–13
Assessment: Very strong theophanic/Christophanic candidate.
But strictly speaking, Genesis does not say, “This was Jesus.”
2. Abraham and Isaac — The Angel of the LORD
Genesis 22:11–18
The Angel of the LORD stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac.
The remarkable wording is:
“you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
Then the Angel speaks as Yahweh:
“By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD…”
The passage therefore presents the Angel of the LORD speaking with divine authority and making a divine oath. (ESV Bible)
Reference: Genesis 22:11–18
Assessment: * Very strong candidate.
3. Jacob's encounter at Peniel
Genesis 32:24–30
Jacob wrestles with a mysterious “man.”
But Jacob subsequently says:
“I have seen God face to face.”
And verse 28 identifies the encounter as striving with God. (ESV Bible)
Even more importantly, Hosea later interprets this event:
Hosea 12:3–5 describes Jacob wrestling with the Angel and says:
“he strove with the angel and prevailed.”
So we have:
Genesis: a man → God
Hosea: the man → the Angel
That makes this a very significant Old Testament divine manifestation.
Assessment: 🟢 Very strong theophanic candidate; many Christians understand it as a Christophany.
But again, Scripture does NOT explicitly say, “the Angel was Jesus.”
4. Moses and the burning bush
Exodus 3:2–6
This is one of the most important passages.
Verse 2 says:
“the angel of the LORD appeared”
But then verse 4 says:
“God called to him out of the bush”
And the speaker identifies Himself as:
“the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
Moses is therefore encountering the Angel of the LORD, yet the narrative identifies the speaker as God. (Bible Gateway)
Then Exodus 3:14 gives the famous divine name, “I AM.”
This is especially important in light of Jesus' statement in John 8:58:
“Before Abraham was, I am.”
The New Testament therefore gives Christians a powerful reason to see Christ as participating in the divine identity revealed in the Old Testament.
Assessment: * One of the strongest Christophany candidates.
5. The Angel who led Israel
Exodus 23:20–23
God says:
“Behold, I send an angel before you…”
Then God commands Israel to obey him and gives the remarkable reason:
“my name is in him.”
The Angel has extraordinary authority.
However, we have to be careful here.
The passage never says this Angel is Jesus.
It could mean that God's authority and covenantal name are represented in this messenger. Therefore:
Assessment: * Strong candidate, but not proof by itself.
This is one of the passages where people sometimes move too quickly from “God's divine messenger” to “therefore Jesus.”
We don't have enough information to make that final step absolutely certain.
6. The Angel of the LORD at Bochim
Judges 2:1–5
This passage is fascinating.
The Angel says:
“I brought you up from Egypt…”
But Scripture normally attributes Israel's exodus to Yahweh Himself.
The Angel also says:
“I will never break my covenant with you.”
The Angel therefore speaks as the divine covenant-maker.
Assessment: 🟢 Very strong theophanic candidate.
7. Gideon — The Angel of the LORD
Judges 6:11–24
The Angel of the LORD appears to Gideon.
The narrative alternates between:
the Angel of the LORD
the LORD
God
Gideon eventually realizes that he has encountered the LORD and becomes afraid for his life.
Judges 6:22–23 is especially important.
Assessment: 🟢 Very strong candidate for a divine manifestation; commonly understood as a Christophany.
8. Manoah and his wife — The Angel of the LORD
Judges 13:3–22
This is another exceptionally significant passage.
The Angel of the LORD appears to Samson's parents.
Manoah eventually realizes:
“We shall surely die, for we have seen God.”
The Angel then ascends in the flame of the altar sacrifice.
Judges 13:20–22
This is one of the clearest examples of an Old Testament figure being called an angel while simultaneously being perceived as God.
Assessment: 🟢 Very strong theophanic/Christophanic candidate.
9. Joshua — Commander of the LORD's army
Joshua 5:13–15
Joshua sees a man with a drawn sword.
Joshua asks:
“Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”
The answer:
“No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD.”
Joshua falls down and worships.
Then comes a fascinating parallel to Moses:
“Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”
That's almost certainly intentional biblical imagery connecting this event with Exodus 3. (ESV Bible)
Is this Jesus?
It is highly plausible.
But the text never gives His name as Jesus or explicitly calls Him the Son.
Assessment: 🟢/🟡 Very strong candidate.
10. Zechariah — The Angel of the LORD
Zechariah 3:1–7
Joshua the high priest stands before the Angel of the LORD, while Satan accuses him.
The Angel of the LORD rebukes Satan.
This is remarkable because the Angel acts with divine authority in a heavenly courtroom.
Assessment: 🟢 Strong theophanic candidate, though not explicitly identified as Christ.
11. The Angel of the LORD and David's census
2 Samuel 24:15–17
The Angel of the LORD brings judgment upon Jerusalem.
The LORD commands the Angel to stop.
David sees the Angel and addresses the LORD.
The same event is also recorded in:
1 Chronicles 21:15–30.
The Angel is clearly a heavenly agent of divine judgment.
However, Scripture does not explicitly identify him as Christ.
Assessment: 🟡 Strong divine-agent passage; Christophany is possible but not proven.
12. The Angel of His Presence
Isaiah 63:7–9
Isaiah speaks about Israel's redemption and says:
“the angel of his presence saved them.”
This is important because the Angel is associated with God's own presence and saving activity. (ESV Bible)
Assessment: 🟡 Significant candidate, but not explicit identification with Christ.
13. The Angel of the LORD in Zechariah 1
Zechariah 1:8–14
Zechariah sees a heavenly figure described as the Angel of the LORD.
The Angel intercedes for Jerusalem:
“O LORD of hosts, how long…”
This creates an intriguing distinction between the Angel and Yahweh while simultaneously placing the Angel in the divine heavenly council.
Assessment: 🟡 Strong theophanic possibility, but not explicitly Jesus.
14. The Angel of the LORD in Zechariah 12
Zechariah 12:8
The LORD says Jerusalem will be protected:
“the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the LORD…”
This is another passage where the Angel of the LORD is placed alongside God's own identity.
Assessment: 🟡 Interesting, but not enough by itself to establish a Christophany.
🟡 Other significant possibilities
15. Abraham — Genesis 18
This is one of the most famous proposed Christophanies.
Genesis 18:1 explicitly says:
“the LORD appeared to him”
Then Abraham sees three men. (ESV Bible)
Two subsequently go toward Sodom and are identified as angels in Genesis 19.
The remaining figure continues speaking with Abraham and is repeatedly identified as the LORD.
This is an extraordinary divine appearance.
Was this Jesus?
Possibly, and many conservative evangelical theologians believe so.
But here is where intellectual honesty matters:
Genesis 18 does not say, “The Son appeared.”
The text establishes a visible manifestation of Yahweh, but identifying that manifestation specifically as the pre-incarnate Son is an inference from later Trinitarian revelation.
Assessment: 🟡 Very strong theophany; probable Christophany in many evangelical interpretations, but not explicitly proven.
16. The fourth man in Nebuchadnezzar's furnace
Daniel 3:24–28
Nebuchadnezzar sees four men in the fire.
He says the fourth looks:
“like a son of the gods.”
Later he says:
“God … has sent his angel and delivered his servants.”
Many Christians have said:
The fourth man was Jesus.
But we need to be very careful.
Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan king. His description, “son of the gods,” does not establish Christian Trinitarian theology.
And verse 28 calls the figure God's angel.
Therefore:
It is possible that this was the pre-incarnate Christ, but the Bible does not prove it.
Assessment: 🔵 Possible, but debated.
I would not teach Daniel 3 as a certain Christophany.
17. Daniel's mysterious man in linen
Daniel 10:5–21
Daniel sees a breathtaking supernatural figure:
clothed in linen
gold belt
body like beryl
face like lightning
eyes like flaming torches
arms and legs like polished bronze
voice like a multitude
This figure is sometimes identified with Christ because the description is remarkably similar to the glorified Christ in Revelation 1:12–16.
However, there is a major problem with identifying him confidently as Christ.
Later in Daniel 10, the figure speaks about Michael as another heavenly prince who came to help him.
That makes a direct identification with Christ uncertain.
Assessment: 🔵 Debated. Possible, but not proven.
I would not confidently preach, “Daniel 10 is definitely Jesus.”
18. Daniel 7 — The Son of Man
Daniel 7:13–14
Daniel sees:
“one like a son of man”
coming with the clouds.
He receives:
everlasting dominion
glory
a kingdom
universal service
Now this one is different.
We don't merely have Christian speculation here.
Jesus Himself deliberately applies Daniel 7's Son of Man imagery to Himself.
Compare:
Daniel 7:13–14
with
Matthew 26:64 and Mark 14:62.
Jesus explicitly connects His own identity with the Danielic Son of Man who comes with the clouds. (ESV Bible)
But is Daniel 7:13 a pre-incarnate appearance?
Not necessarily.
Daniel is seeing a prophetic heavenly vision of the Messiah's future exaltation and kingdom, rather than necessarily witnessing Jesus physically appearing to Daniel before His incarnation.
So:
Assessment: 🟢 Absolutely Messianic/Christological.
But: not necessarily a Christophany in the strict sense.
That's an important distinction.
19. Malachi 3:1 — The Messenger of the Covenant
Malachi 3:1
God says:
“the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple”
and:
“the messenger of the covenant…”
This is extremely important because the New Testament connects Malachi 3:1 with John the Baptist's ministry and Christ's coming.
So Malachi is unquestionably pointing forward to Christ.
But again, this is prophecy, not an Old Testament appearance of Jesus.
Assessment: 🟢 Explicitly Christological prophecy, but not a Christophany.
20. The Rock in the wilderness — Christ
This is perhaps the most explicit Old Testament-to-Christ connection of all.
Israel drank from the spiritual Rock.
Paul says:
“the Rock was Christ.”
1 Corinthians 10:4
That is not merely a modern theological theory.
Paul himself identifies Christ with Israel's wilderness experience.
Therefore, the Old Testament passages concerning the wilderness rock include:
Exodus 17:1–7
Numbers 20:1–13
Psalm 78:15–16
Psalm 105:41
Psalm 114:8
Paul's interpretation in 1 Corinthians 10:4 gives Christians direct apostolic authority for seeing Christ's presence there in that wilderness provision.
21. The Angel of the LORD and the pillar/cloud
There is another important connection in the Exodus account.
Exodus 14:19 says the Angel of God went before Israel.
Then:
1 Corinthians 10:1–4
Paul interprets Israel's wilderness experience in explicitly Christological terms.
So we have a biblical basis for saying Christ was actively involved with Israel during the Exodus and wilderness journey.
But we should distinguish:
“Christ was present and active”
from
“the Angel in every particular passage was Christ.”
The first is biblically certain.
The second requires interpretation.
🔵 Passages frequently claimed as Christophanies but NOT demonstrable
Now we get to the category you specifically asked about.
These are passages where I would not tell you, “The Bible proves this was Jesus.”
22. Melchizedek — Genesis 14:18–20
Melchizedek is sometimes said to be Christ Himself.
But Hebrews 7 does not actually say that.
Instead, Hebrews says Melchizedek was:
“resembling the Son of God.”
That's an important distinction.
Melchizedek is presented as a remarkable type/pattern of Christ's priesthood.
Hebrews 7:3 does not mean Melchizedek literally was Jesus.
Verdict:
🔵 Not proven to be Christ.
Better terminology:
Melchizedek is a type/shadow of Christ.
23. Genesis 1 — “Let there be light”
Some claim the light of Genesis 1:3 was Christ.
There is no biblical statement identifying that light as Jesus.
Christ certainly participated in creation:
John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2.
But that does not mean Genesis 1:3's physical light was literally Jesus.
Verdict:
🔵 Not proven.
24. Genesis 3 — God walking in the garden
Genesis 3:8
God is described as walking in the garden.
Some Christians identify this with the pre-incarnate Christ.
It is possible within a Trinitarian understanding of God's self-revelation, but the text simply says God.
Verdict:
🔵 Possible theophany, but not proof of a Christophany.
25. Genesis 19:24 — “The LORD … from the LORD”
Genesis 19:24 says:
“the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.”
Some use this as evidence for two divine persons within the Old Testament, therefore Father and Son.
It is an interesting text.
But we cannot responsibly say:
“The first LORD is Jesus and the second LORD is the Father.”
The Hebrew text does not explicitly make that identification.
Verdict:
🔵 Interesting Trinitarian text, but not a proven Christophany.
26. Proverbs 8 — Wisdom
Some Christians have historically connected Wisdom in Proverbs 8 with Christ.
There are legitimate Christological parallels, especially when compared with:
John 1
1 Corinthians 1:24
Colossians 1
Hebrews 1
But Proverbs 8 itself personifies Wisdom poetically.
It does not say:
“This is Jesus Christ.”
Therefore we should not turn the passage into a literal pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.
Verdict:
🔵 Excellent theological typology/Christological application, but not a proven Christophany.
27. Isaiah's “Man of His Presence”
Isaiah 63:9
“the angel of his presence saved them.”
This is highly significant and has often been connected to Christ.
But Isaiah doesn't identify the Angel as the Son.
Verdict:
🟡 Strong possibility, not proof.
28. The Angel of the LORD in Psalm passages
Examples include:
Psalm 34:7
Psalm 35:5–6
Psalm 91:11
Psalm 103:20
Psalm 104:4
These speak of angels or the Angel of the LORD.
But not every reference to “the angel of the LORD” is automatically Christ.
That's an important corrective.
A normal created angel is also described in Scripture as God's messenger.
Therefore, we must examine each occurrence individually.
29. The “Angel of the LORD” should not automatically equal Jesus
This is one of the most important conclusions.
There is a powerful biblical case that some appearances of the Angel of the LORD are manifestations of God, and Christians have very good theological reasons for understanding some of these as appearances of the pre-incarnate Son.
But Scripture never gives us a sentence saying:
“The Angel of the LORD is always Jesus.”
And that's why I would not teach it that way.
For example, Hebrews 1:5–14 goes to considerable lengths to distinguish the Son from the angelic order. Christ is not a created angel.
So when Christians call the pre-incarnate Christ “the Angel of the LORD,” we must mean “Messenger of Yahweh” in the biblical sense, not “Jesus was a created angel.”
The most important distinction
There are actually three different categories that often get mixed together.
| Category | Example | Certainty |
|---|---|---|
| Christ's pre-existence | John 1:1; 17:5; Col. 1:16–17 | Certain |
| Christ active in Israel's OT history | 1 Cor. 10:4 | Certain |
| A specific OT appearance was Christ | Angel of LORD, Joshua 5, Genesis 18 | Strong in several cases, but not always explicitly stated |
| OT prophecy/type pointing to Christ | Gen. 22, Ps. 22, Isa. 53, Micah 5:2 | Certain when confirmed by NT |
| Every mysterious heavenly figure = Jesus | Daniel 10, Daniel 3, etc. | Not established |
So what can I say with 100% biblical confidence?
Here is where I would land if I were teaching this in a Bible study.
CERTAIN
Jesus existed before Bethlehem.
John 1:1–3
John 8:58
John 17:5
Colossians 1:15–17
Philippians 2:6–7
Hebrews 1:1–3
CERTAIN
Jesus was involved in the Old Testament creation.
John 1:3
Colossians 1:16
Hebrews 1:2
CERTAIN
Christ was involved with Israel in the wilderness.
Paul explicitly says:
“the Rock was Christ.”
1 Corinthians 10:4
CERTAIN
Daniel's Son of Man points to Christ.
Jesus Himself applies Daniel 7:13–14 to Himself.
Daniel 7:13–14; Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62
VERY STRONG CHRISTOPHANY CANDIDATES
I would put these at the top:
Genesis 16:7–13 — Hagar and the Angel of the LORD
Genesis 18:1–33 — Yahweh appears to Abraham
Genesis 22:11–18 — Angel of the LORD and Abraham
Genesis 32:24–30 — Jacob wrestles with God/the Angel
Exodus 3:2–6 — Burning bush
Judges 2:1–5 — Angel of the LORD
Judges 6:11–24 — Gideon
Judges 13:3–22 — Manoah and his wife
Joshua 5:13–15 — Commander of the LORD's army
Zechariah 3:1–7 — Angel of the LORD and Satan
POSSIBLE BUT SHOULD NOT BE CALLED PROVEN
Exodus 23:20–23 — Angel who bears God's name
2 Samuel 24:16–17 — Angel of the LORD
Isaiah 63:9 — Angel of His Presence
Zechariah 1:8–14 — Angel of the LORD
Zechariah 12:8 — Angel of the LORD
Daniel 3:24–28 — fourth man in the furnace
Daniel 10:5–21 — man clothed in linen
CHRISTOLOGICAL BUT NOT NECESSARILY CHRISTOPHANIES
Daniel 7:13–14 — Son of Man
Psalm 2 — God's Son/King
Psalm 16 — resurrection/Messiah
Psalm 22 — suffering Messiah
Psalm 45 — divine Messianic King
Psalm 110 — Lord at God's right hand
Isaiah 7:14 — Immanuel
Isaiah 9:6–7 — divine Son/King
Isaiah 11:1–10 — Messiah
Isaiah 42 — Servant
Isaiah 52:13–53:12 — suffering Servant
Micah 5:2 — ruler whose origins are from ancient days
Malachi 3:1 — Lord/Messenger of the covenant
These are prophetic revelations about Christ, rather than necessarily moments when Christ physically appeared.
If someone says:
“No way, Jesus doesn't appear anywhere in the Old Testament.”
That is too strong and ignores the New Testament's own teaching.
Paul says:
“the Rock was Christ.”
And Jesus Himself says:
“Before Abraham was, I am.”
The New Testament therefore teaches us to read the Old Testament with the understanding that the eternal Son was already active in God's redemptive purposes before His incarnation.
But the opposite extreme is also a mistake:
“Every appearance of God, every angel, every mysterious man, every reference to Wisdom and every supernatural event was Jesus.”
The Bible doesn't say that.
The safest biblical position is:
Christ's pre-existence is certain. Christ's involvement in Old Testament history with people He loves (like he loves you too) is certain. Several Old Testament divine manifestations are very strong candidates for Christophanies. But we should label the passages Scripture leaves unidentified as “possible” rather than turning an inference into a doctrine.
A Christophany is not Jesus beginning to exist in Old Testament times. The Son is eternal, always was and always will be. His incarnation began at Bethlehem; but His existence as God the Son did not. John 1:1–3 and John 17:5 make that distinction absolutely unmistakable. Yes, check out how Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4 explicitly identifies the spiritual Rock with Christ Jesus. #Christophany
John 8:58 clearly teaches Christ's pre-existence and deliberately uses “I am” language. Was Jesus explicitly "thee person" in Exodus 3?
Perhaps you've Got Questions some still?
Remember this: A theophany is a manifestation of God in the Bible that is tangible to the human senses. In its most restrictive sense, it is a visible appearance of God in the Old Testament period, often, but not always, in human form. Some of the theophanies are found in these passages:
1. Genesis 12:7-9 – The Lord appeared to Abraham on his arrival in the land God had promised to him and his descendants.
2. Genesis 18:1-33 – One day, Abraham had some visitors: two angels and God Himself. He invited them to come to his home, and he and Sarah entertained them. Many commentators believe this could also be a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.
3. Genesis 32:22-30 – Jacob wrestled with what appeared to be a man, but was actually God (vv. 28-30). This may also have been a Christophany.
4. Exodus 3:2 - 4:17 – God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush, telling him exactly what He wanted him to do.
5. Exodus 24:9-11 – God appeared to Moses with Aaron and his sons and the seventy elders.
6. Deuteronomy 31:14-15 – God appeared to Moses and Joshua in the transfer of leadership to Joshua.
7. Job 38–42 – God answered Job out of the tempest and spoke at great length in answer to Job’s questions.
Frequently, the term “glory of the Lord” reflects a theophany, as in Exodus 24:16-18; the “pillar of cloud” has a similar function in Exodus 33:9. A frequent introduction for theophanies may be seen in the words “the Lord came down,” as in Genesis 11:5; Exodus 34:5; Numbers 11:25; and 12:5.
Some Bible commentators believe that whenever someone received a visit from “the angel of the Lord,” this was in fact the pre-incarnate Christ. These appearances can be seen in Genesis 16:7-14; Genesis 22:11-18; Judges 5:23; 2 Kings 19:35; and other passages. Other commentators believe these were in fact angelophanies, or appearances of angels. While there are no indisputable Christophanies in the Old Testament, every theophany wherein God takes on human form foreshadows the incarnation, where God took the form of a man to live among us as Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). KnowGod.org
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