Opinions on the identity of this person are varied. The word translated as "angel" simply means "messenger" and it is translated in different ways according to where we find it in the Bible. For instance, in the book of Revelation the Lord tells the Apostle John to write letters to the "angels" of seven churches and there the word clearly should be interpreted as the pastors: God's messengers to the churches. In other places "angel" could be interpreted as a prophet or priest, for the men who held these offices were the messengers of God to the people. In yet other places "the angel of the Lord" appears to be a Christophany: an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. This is what Joshua is believed to have experienced when he was on his way to fight the battle of Jericho and saw a man standing in his path with a drawn sword. This man said he was the commander of the Lord's army and this man accepted worship from Joshua, leading mainstream Christian scholars to suggest that the man was Christ.
In today's Scripture it is unclear which type of messenger we are dealing with but whoever it is speaks in the voice of the Lord, in the first person, as if he is the Lord. So he is either repeating a message word for word as given to him by the Lord or else he is the Lord. Rather than getting caught up in trying to figure out the identity of this person, we will concentrate on the message he brings.
"The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokam and said, 'I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, 'I will never break My covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed Me. Why have you done this?'" (Judges 2:1-2) In yesterday's passage we learned that within the borders of each tribe there were still Canaanite settlements. The people did not make an end of the heathen occupants of the land as they were commanded to do by the Lord. In some cases they managed to subject the Canaanites to forced labor, but this is not what the Lord told them to do. In other cases they were so intimidated by the Canaanites that they didn't attempt to attack them at all. Not only that, but in the areas where they did rid themselves of the Canaanites, they failed to destroy all the pagan altars and the images of false gods. The Lord told them they must destroy both idol and idolater but they have not been fully obedient and He demands to know the reason why.
It's not because He hasn't been good to them. It's not because He hasn't kept His promises. It's not because He doesn't go out with the army of Israel. The Lord has kept His end of the bargain. He has a right to know why they have not kept theirs. He reminds them that they are in covenant with Him and not with any other god. No other god brought them out of Egypt, subdued giants and mighty armies before them, and settled them in the prosperous land of Canaan. Yet heathen idols and images still dot the land as if the Israelites have a suspicious fear or reverent attitude toward them. There is no reason they should show any respect whatsoever to the names or the altars or the images of these gods because these gods do not exist. These gods didn't protect those who worshiped them. These gods can't protect the places dedicated to themselves. These gods can't do anything in retribution if the Israelites tear down the altars and cast the idols into the fire. The only god to be respected and feared is the one and only God there is.
Because the people have not fully obeyed the Lord's instructions, they have been unable to drive out some of the very fierce clans still living in the promised land. The Lord doesn't have to bless partial obedience. I am sure there have been many times when I have not experienced full victory because I was not fully obedient. I could have had much more success over my circumstances and over my wrong attitudes and over my fears and over my doubts if I had obeyed the Lord's words to the letter. Because attitudes have to be right before the fullness of blessing can be experienced, the Lord reminds the people of this warning, "And I have also said, 'I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.'" (Judges 2:3)
"When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the Lord." (Judges 2:4-5) The word "Bokim" means "weeping." The people respond appropriately by being sorrowful for their disobedience. They make sacrifices in their recognition of their need for forgiveness.
We will not always find the people in a repentant spirit when they should be in a repentant spirit, but couldn't we say the same for ourselves? Though you and I may never have bowed on our knees to an idol, I think we've had trouble letting go of a particular sin or habit or attitude. Maybe we've been sorrowful over it and have tried to lay it down and leave it behind us many times but we kept picking it back up again. I can think of things I had to lay down an uncounted amount of times before I was finally able to leave them there. I can think of anxieties and obsessions in my life right now that I'm having difficulty letting go of. We can't be judgmental about the mistakes the ancient Israelites made unless we have never been guilty of making the same mistake more than once. We are going to find them making the same mistakes more than once but God will be merciful to them just as He is to all of us.
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