11.3
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
The question arises: Who is this angel who holds in his hand the golden censer? There can be but one answer. I be lieve that this angel is not a created being like other angels, but that He is the Lord Jesus Himself who is seen in His office of Intercessor and Great High Priest on Israel's behalf. Why do I believe that? Read what follows: "And there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the · incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand." Who alone has the right to offer the prayers of the saints to God? Who alone can make the prayers of the people ac ceptable to the Great Ruler of this universe? Only the Son of God can do that. He is the one and only Mediator between God and men, and He alone can intercede for mankind. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (I Tim. 2:5). Angels and archangels are mighty beings, but they cannot stand between a sinner and God as mediators. The Son of God alone can do this. But why is the Son of God represented as an angel? We must bear in mind that during the period of time covered by the events recorded in chapters 4-22, God is again dealing with Israel as a nation. Consequently, the Lord Jesus Christ is represented as He was in the Old Testament days in His relation to His Chosen People. · In the Old Testament it is recorded how the "angel of Jehovah" dealt with the patri archs. He talked with Abraham, wrestled with Jacob, and met Moses upon the mount. He was none other than the Lord Jesus Himself before the incarnation. Ever since Israel rejected her King, .God has ceased to deal with her as a nation. In her persecution and sorrow, she has had no Mediator, as a nation. But after the church age is over, the Son of God will once more deal with Israel as a nation, and will exercise the same relationship to her that He did during her early history. That is why we see Him in Re.v. 8:3-5, as the Angel of the Covenant, gathering up the pray ers of the saints, the prayers of the martyred souls that we saw under the altar in 6:9, IO, as well as the prayers of the Jewish remnant living upon the earth. That is why we see Him
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