A Bible Study on the Word of the Lord in the Old Testament

Throughout the Old Testament, the phrase “the word of the LORD” appears repeatedly and with remarkable consistency. At first glance, it may seem to describe nothing more than God communicating truth or giving commands. Yet when we slow down and read carefully, a much deeper reality emerges. The word of the LORD does not merely convey information. He comes, He speaks, He acts, He reveals, He commissions, and He is encountered. This language goes far beyond abstract speech. It presents the word of the LORD as personal, active, and knowable.

By the time we reach the opening words of John’s Gospel, this long-standing biblical theme is brought into fuller clarity. John does not introduce a new concept when he writes, “In the beginning was the Word.” He identifies the Person Israel had already encountered. The Word who spoke in creation, who appeared to the patriarchs, who came to the prophets, and who revealed God throughout the Old Testament is the same Word who “became flesh and dwelt among us” in Jesus Christ.

This study will show that “the word of the LORD” in the Old Testament is best understood as a Christophany, a pre-incarnate manifestation of the Son of God. This understanding preserves the unity of Scripture, honors the testimony of both Testaments, and explains why Jesus is called “the Word” without contradiction or novelty. It also helps us read the Old Testament with greater reverence, since the same Christ we worship in the New Testament is the One who has been revealing the Father from the beginning.

The Word of the LORD Is Not an Impersonal Force

The Old Testament never treats the word of the LORD as mere sound waves, internal impressions, or abstract truth floating through history. The Scriptures describe the word of the LORD in ways that fit a personal encounter: He comes to people, speaks directly, comforts, warns, and initiates relationship. This is not how Scripture speaks about ideas or attributes. This is how Scripture speaks about Someone who addresses human beings face to face.

“After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’” (Genesis 15:1)

Notice how the Word does not merely deliver a message about God. He speaks in the first person. He identifies Himself as Abram’s shield and reward. The point is not that Abram received true information, although he did. The point is that Abram encountered the One who makes the promise and personally stands behind it.

“And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ‘This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.’” (Genesis 15:4)

Again, the Word “came” to Abram. The narrative emphasizes arrival and personal address. The Word speaks with authority over Abram’s future and over the covenant promise. Scripture could have said, “Abram thought to himself,” or “Abram received an impression.” Instead, it insists on the coming of the Word as an encounter that carries divine weight.

This same pattern appears in the life of Samuel. God’s revelation to Samuel is not presented as vague spirituality. It is presented as the LORD making Himself known, and He does so “by the word of the LORD.”

“Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.” (1 Samuel 3:21)

The LORD “appeared,” and He “revealed Himself,” and He did so “by the word of the LORD.” In other words, the Word is the means by which God makes Himself visible and known. That is exactly how the New Testament describes the Son’s role. The Son does not replace the Father. He reveals the Father.

“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (John 1:18)

If no one has seen the Father at any time, then the visible and audible self-disclosures of God recorded in the Old Testament must come through the One who “declares Him.” This fits naturally with the way “the word of the LORD” functions throughout the Old Testament: the Word is God’s self-revelation in personal form.

The Word of the LORD Speaks as God and Acts as God

The word of the LORD not only speaks, but He speaks as God. He claims divine prerogatives, knows what only God can know, and performs actions that reveal divine authority. The prophets were not merely receiving insights. They were being addressed, commissioned, corrected, and strengthened by the One who can send them, guard them, and judge those who oppose them.

“Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.’ Then said I: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.’ But the LORD said to me: ‘Do not say, “I am a youth,” for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,’ says the LORD. Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.’” (Jeremiah 1:4-9)

In this passage, the Word knows Jeremiah before birth, sanctifies him, ordains him, and sends him. He promises personal presence, “I am with you,” and then acts in a tangible way by stretching out His hand and touching Jeremiah’s mouth. This is not merely “God’s message” as a concept. This is the LORD personally dealing with His prophet, equipping him for ministry and placing His words in Jeremiah’s mouth.

Jesus’ own words in the Gospels help us understand why this matters. If the Father was not the One seen and heard in visible form, then the visible and audible revelation of God must be mediated through the Son, the eternal Word who makes the Father known.

“And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.” (John 5:37)

This does not deny that the Father speaks in the overall sense of Scripture, nor does it deny the Father’s authority. It clarifies that the Father is not directly perceived by human eyes and ears. Therefore, when the Old Testament describes God coming, speaking, touching, appearing, and commissioning, we are on solid biblical ground to see the Son at work as the Father’s self-revelation. The Word of the LORD speaks as God because He is God, and yet He reveals God because He is distinct from the Father.

The Word of the LORD as Creator

The Old Testament not only presents the word of the LORD as personal in revelation, it also connects the Word with God’s creative power. Creation is not described as a struggle or a process of trial and error. God creates by speaking. His Word is effective, authoritative, and unstoppable. The New Testament then identifies the One through whom creation took place as the Son.

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” (Psalm 33:6)

Psalm 33 is not merely saying that God used words like a tool. It is showing that God’s Word is the effective agent by which the heavens were made. God’s speech is not empty. His Word accomplishes what He wills. That same theme appears in Genesis, where God speaks and reality obeys.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:1-3)

When the New Testament identifies Jesus as the Word, it is not inventing a new identity. It is revealing the Person behind God’s creative speaking. John’s Gospel ties the opening of Scripture to the identity of Christ.

“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:3)

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:16-17)

The Speaker of Genesis 1 is identified in the New Testament as the Son. This does not mean the Father is excluded from creation. Rather, it shows the consistent biblical pattern: the Father works through the Son. The Son is not a creature within creation. He is the eternal Word through whom creation came into being, and in whom it continues to hold together.

The Word of the LORD and the Angel of the LORD

The Old Testament also presents another figure who closely overlaps with the themes we have already seen: the Angel of the LORD. “Angel” means messenger, and this messenger often speaks as God, bears God’s name, and is treated as God by those who encounter Him. This does not fit the category of a mere created angel, because Scripture records people recognizing that they have encountered God Himself.

“And Manoah said to his wife, ‘We shall surely die, because we have seen God!’” (Judges 13:22)

Manoah’s response is not corrected as if he were confused. The narrative allows the weight of his statement to stand. The Angel of the LORD is encountered as God. He speaks with divine authority, and the fear that follows is the fear of having seen the LORD.

The burning bush is another well-known example. The Angel of the LORD appears, but the text immediately speaks of God calling to Moses, and Moses is told he stands on holy ground.

“And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, ‘I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.’ So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, ‘Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.’ Moreover He said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:2-6)

This is the same kind of overlap we have been tracing: a messenger who is distinguished, and yet fully divine in speech and presence. When we place this alongside the “word of the LORD” passages, it becomes easier to see how God reveals Himself through a distinct divine Person who can be sent, who can speak for God, and who can be encountered as God.

Zechariah even gives us a glimpse of intercession, showing communication between the LORD and the Angel of the LORD. This fits the consistent biblical testimony of relationship and distinction within the Godhead, without diminishing the full deity of the One who appears.

“Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?’ And the LORD answered the angel who talked to me with good and comforting words.” (Zechariah 1:12-13)

This intercession reflects the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son. It is not that God is divided. It is that God reveals Himself through the One who can both speak as the LORD and address the LORD, which aligns naturally with the Son who reveals the Father.

The Word of the LORD as Covenant Maker and Judge

The word of the LORD does not only comfort and commission. He also binds Himself to covenant promises and speaks judicially in God’s name. Covenants in Scripture are not casual commitments. They are holy, binding promises grounded in God’s faithfulness. When the LORD swears, He is staking His own name on what He will do.

“and said: ‘By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.’” (Genesis 22:16-18)

Only God can swear by Himself, because there is no higher authority. The Word binds Himself to covenant promises, declaring blessing and future fulfillment with absolute certainty. The New Testament shows that these covenant promises find their ultimate “Yes” in Christ, and that God’s faithfulness is displayed fully through the Son.

At the same time, the word of the LORD also confronts sin and announces judgment. This is part of covenant life: God’s people are not left to drift. The LORD warns, disciplines, and calls to repentance. The Word who comforts is also the Word who searches hearts and addresses rebellion.

“Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, ‘I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.’ And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.” (1 Samuel 15:10-11)

The Word speaks with the authority to establish and remove kings. He evaluates obedience, announces regret in personal language, and holds leaders accountable. This is not impersonal decree. It is the living God addressing real human choices. When we identify the Word with the pre-incarnate Son, we are not diminishing God’s holiness. We are seeing that the One who later came in the flesh also speaks with covenant authority in the Old Testament, fully committed to God’s righteousness and mercy.

John’s Gospel and the Identification of the Word

When John opens his Gospel with “In the beginning,” he is intentionally drawing our minds back to Genesis. He is telling us that the One revealed in Jesus Christ is not a new figure entering the story late. He is eternal. He was there “in the beginning.” He is God, and yet He is “with God,” showing distinction without contradiction.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4)

John’s statements are weighty and deliberate. The Word is eternal. The Word is distinct in relationship (“with God”). The Word is fully divine (“was God”). The Word is the Creator, and the Word is the source of life and light. This matches what we have already seen: the Word creates, the Word reveals, and the Word personally comes to people.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

The Word did not begin in Bethlehem. He became flesh there. The glory the disciples saw in Jesus was not a newly created glory. It was the glory of the eternal Son, now revealed in a way that could be touched, heard, and seen in human history. This is why reading the Old Testament with attention to “the word of the LORD” is so important. John is showing us the same divine Person, now revealed in the incarnation.

Jesus as the Final and Full Revelation of the Word

The Old Testament records many genuine revelations of God, given “at various times and in various ways.” Sometimes God speaks by prophets. Sometimes He comes in visions. Sometimes He appears in ways that leave people shaken and humbled. These revelations were true and authoritative, but they were also preparatory. They were leading toward God’s fullest self-disclosure in the Son.

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)

Hebrews does not deny that God spoke before. It honors it. But it also shows that the Son is the climax of that speaking. The Son is the “express image” of God’s person. He upholds all things. He purged our sins. The Word who came to prophets is the Word who came to save.

Jesus Himself also claims an identity that reaches back into Old Testament revelation. When He speaks of Abraham, He does not speak merely as a teacher reflecting on ancient history. He speaks as the eternal One who precedes Abraham and shares God’s divine name.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’” (John 8:58)

Abraham encountered the Word of the LORD, and Jesus declares Himself to be that same eternal “I AM.” This does not mean Abraham understood every detail that would later be revealed. It does mean that the Person who dealt with Abraham is the same divine Son who later walked the roads of Galilee.

Scripture closes with the same identification. The One who returns in power and judgment is openly named “The Word of God.” This ties together the entire biblical storyline, from creation, to covenant, to incarnation, to final restoration.

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:11-13)

Revelation does not treat “the Word” as a poetic label or a vague description. It names a Person who rides in righteousness, judges, and makes war against evil. He is “Faithful and True,” and He is identified as “The Word of God.” The same Word who brought the world into being, who came to patriarchs and prophets, and who became flesh to redeem us is also the One who will bring history to its appointed end.

This also helps us keep a balanced, biblical perspective when we read Old Testament language carefully. At times, “the word of the LORD” can describe a message the LORD gives to a prophet. At other times, the wording and context go further, describing the Word as coming, speaking in the first person as the LORD, acting, commissioning, and being encountered. In those places, it is fitting to understand the Word as personal, not merely as information. That personal, divine self-revelation aligns with what the New Testament teaches about the Son’s role as the One who makes the Father known.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life, the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.” (1 John 1:1-2)

John’s testimony is striking because he does not speak of “the Word” as an idea. He speaks of the Word as the One they heard, saw, and touched. The Word was “from the beginning,” and the Word was “with the Father,” and the Word was “manifested.” This matches the trajectory we have traced throughout this study. God’s Word is not a detached force. It is God making Himself known, culminating in the incarnation of the Son.

When we say, then, that “the word of the LORD” in the Old Testament is best understood as a Christophany, we are not claiming that every prophetic message required a visible appearance. Rather, we are recognizing a repeated pattern where the Word is portrayed as personally arriving, speaking, revealing, and acting in ways that fit a divine Person. This interpretation guards us from reading the Old Testament as though Christ suddenly appears in the New Testament without preparation. It also guards us from flattening the Old Testament into mere religious concepts. The Bible is presenting a unified revelation of the one true God, and within that revelation, the Son is consistently shown as the One through whom God is made known.

My Final Thoughts

There is a reverent sweetness that comes from realizing that the same Jesus we worship in the Gospels is not a stranger to the Old Testament. He is not an afterthought. He is not God’s “plan B.” He is the eternal Word, the One who has always been revealing the Father, speaking truth, calling people, warning, comforting, and keeping covenant promises.

This should shape the way we read our Bibles. When you open Genesis, you are not opening a disconnected book about a distant God. You are reading the beginning of the same story that leads to the cross and the empty tomb. When you read about God coming to Abram, revealing Himself to Samuel, commissioning Jeremiah, or confronting sin in Israel, you are seeing the holiness and mercy of the One who later said, “Come to Me,” and who laid down His life for sinners.

It should also shape the way we respond to God’s voice. The Word of the LORD is not only a theme to study. He is the living Lord to obey and trust. If the Word came with authority in the Old Testament, He still comes with authority today. His call is not merely to gain information, but to bow the heart, to repent where we have wandered, to believe what He has spoken, and to take comfort in His faithfulness. The Word who judges evil is also the Word who saves, and He does not speak to crush the contrite. He speaks to heal, to lead, and to keep His people.

So read the Old Testament slowly. Pay attention when the Scriptures say the Word “came,” when the LORD “appeared,” and when God is made known in ways that are personal and direct. Let those passages deepen your worship of Christ, increase your confidence in the unity of Scripture, and strengthen your assurance that God has always been the One who initiates, reveals, and redeems. The Word who was with God and was God has not stopped being faithful, and He will finish everything He has promised.