Angel of the Lord is Pre-incarnate Jesus

Jude opens his letter with a potent reminder: “Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” This verse, often overlooked in its profound implications, asserts Jesus’ active role in the Old Testament narrative. It's a striking statement connecting the saving and judging work in the Exodus directly to Jesus, long before His birth in Bethlehem. Jude wants his readers to grasp that the Lord who delivered Israel from slavery and later judged their rebellion was none other than the Second Person of the Trinity.
This understanding aligns with instances of the “Angel of the Lord” throughout the Old Testament. This figure is consistently depicted with divine attributes, receiving worship, claiming divine power, and even identifying Himself as YHWH. For example, the Angel of the Lord appears to Hagar, Abraham, Moses at the burning bush, and Gideon. These are not mere angelic messengers, but the pre-incarnate Christ, manifesting Himself to humanity in preparation for His full incarnation. The Old Testament thus becomes a rich tapestry revealing the continuous involvement of Jesus in God’s redemptive plan from the very beginning.
Recognizing the pre-incarnate Christ in the Old Testament deepens our worship and understanding of God’s steadfast love and justice. It shows us that Jesus' work did not begin in the New Testament, but is eternal, consistent, and central to all of redemptive history. This truth ought to fill us with awe, knowing that the same Lord who delivered Israel and sustained them through the wilderness is the one who ultimately saves us from sin and death. It strengthens our confidence in His unchanging character and His ongoing commitment to His people, giving us a profound historical and theological anchor for our faith.