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The Old Testament contains numerous accounts of a mysterious figure called 'the angel of the Lord' who speaks and acts with divine authority. These appearances reveal important theological truths about God's nature and His relationship with humanity. Unlike Jesus' incarnation in Bethlehem, these pre-incarnate appearances show the Son of God appearing 'as if' human while remaining fully divine.In Genesis, we see this divine being wrestling with Jacob, changing his name to Israel, and being identified by Jacob himself as both 'God' and 'the angel who has redeemed me from all evil.' Similarly, the fourth figure in Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace who protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego has been traditionally identified as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. These manifestations demonstrate God's desire to interact personally with His people, foreshadow Christ's incarnation, and reveal the Son's activity throughout salvation history.Jacob's wrestling with God provides a powerful model for our relationship with the Lord. Like Jacob, we often wrestle with God—questioning His will or resisting His direction. Yet God welcomes this honest engagement. Jacob's greatest victory came not when he overcame God, but when he stopped fighting against Him and started clinging to Him instead. Our transformation similarly comes through surrendering to God while maintaining the intimate connection forged through honest struggle.