In the passage about Hagar in the wilderness of Beer-Sheba, we read that God heard the voice of the crying child Ishmael and then curiously the text speaks of the Angel of the Lord who then identifies as God.
“And God את heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.” Genesis 21:17-20
The Angel of the Lord says I will make Ishmael a great nation and then it says God was with the lad. It would follow that He who is with the lad is also he that makes him a great nation.
If the argument against the Angel of the Lord being God is to be made, surely it should read at a minimum, God will make the lad a great nation and the Angel of the Lord delegated to execute God’s promise was with the lad. Vice versa cannot work lest they are one and the same.
Also why is it God opening the eyes of Hagar and not the Angel? After all it’s the Angel speaking (audio only no visual) from heaven, surely if God is opening eyes, He could very well have spoken to her, like God spoke to Abraham
“And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,” Genesis 17:3 “And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!” Genesis 17:18 “(God speaking) And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” Genesis 17:20
unless of course the Angel of the Lord was God and the text is trying to demonstrate this detail.
See that though God is telling Abraham that He will make Ishmael a great nation, Hagar is talking to the Angel of the Lord who says the same thing
“And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.” Genesis 16:10
Is the Angel of the Lord equating Himself to God?
(I’ve added the lad’s name but it’s interesting that from chapter 17 until after Abraham’s death chapter 25 he is never referred to by name. Certainly God never says his name.)