Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
John 12:39-41 NKJV
Revelation 1:17-18 NKJV
[17] And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. [18] I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
Hebrews 13:8 NKJV
[8] Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Have you ever pondered that if Jesus is truly God eternal, what was He doing before the narratives found in the Gospels? A bold claim was written in Hebrews 13:8 that "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever". Where was He then for about 4,000 years? This inquiry actually reminds me of the questions we usually hear these days. "Where is He?". Upon closer investigation though, if we truly are seeking, we can actually find Him as He is always ready to reveal Himself to you.
Finding Jesus in the OT (Old Testament) requires us to carefully examine the texts and understand that Jesus Himself said that the Law, Prophets and Psalms talk about Him. (Luke 24:44-45). In the OT scriptures there are prophecies, foreshadows and even narratives that include Him. The Son, the Second Person of the Triune God, stepped into history before the incarnation. This definitely gives a great insight to (Micah 5:2) that the coming Child's "goings forth are of old, from everlasting".
One interesting passage was written by the prophet Isaiah 600 years before Jesus' birth. It describes Isaiah encountering the glory of God (Isaiah 6:1) and yet when John in his gospel was quoting about that event he mentions that it was Jesus that Isaiah saw (John 12:39-41).
We also have this character in the OT called The Angel (Messenger) of the Lord in whom many characters in the Bible calls God like Hagar (Genesis 16:3), Jacob (Genesis 48:15-16) and Manoah (Judges 13:21-22). This character talks as if He is God (Gen. 16:9-10; Judges 2:1-3; Judges 6:22-23). He accepts worship (Judges 6:11,19) saves and redeems (Isaiah 63:9)
Another interesting passage was when God talked to Moses through a burning bush but upon closer study of the text, it was the Angel of the Lord that appeared to him in the bush (Exodus 3:2, 4). This Angel of the Lord has with Him the Name of God and is to be obeyed (Ex. 23:20-21)
One difficult dilemma though is the term "angel". How can an angel be God. This can be addressed by understanding that term angel or messenger describes what He does, not what He is. He is the being where we can get the message or revelation of God and that is who Jesus ultimately is. He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). God revealed Himself and His messages in the past through prophets and angels but fully revealed Himself through the Son (Hebrews 1:1-2).
If you are seeking God, trying to find Him. We are exhorted by the scriptures to look towards Jesus.
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten (God) Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
John 1:18 NKJV
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
[2] looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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