The One God in Three Persons
Trinitarian Theophanies
The Trinity Revealed in the Old Testament
Description
Though the full revelation of the Trinity awaited the New Testament, the Old Testament contains profound hints of plurality within the Godhead. God speaks of Himself in the plural ('Let us make man in our image'), the Angel of the LORD appears as God Himself yet distinct from God, and the Spirit of God operates distinctly from YHWH. The Shema's use of 'echad' (composite unity) rather than 'yachid' (absolute singularity) allows for this plurality. These passages, read in the light of New Testament revelation, show that the Trinity was not an innovation but the fuller unveiling of what was always true about God's nature.
Key Verses
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre... he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him.
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.