Ex 23:20-23a - "Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. For My Angel will go before you ..."
I'm so thankful we have a God who has planned everything out for us. We all do better with a plan. God's plans are for good and not evil (Jeremiah 29:11). Since before the beginning of time He has known what every day would hold and will hold in the future.
Psalm 90:2 - Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
1Chronicles 16:36a - Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting!
John 8:58 - Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."
This chapter in Exodus tells us so much in such a brief and pointed way about what happens when we follow Jesus. And not so amazingly it is backed up in other parts of the Bible. This Angel above is a type of Jesus. He will keep us "in the way (Way)." He lights our path that we might not get lost or stumble and fall during our journey here on earth.
He will bring us to the place that He has prepared. That's His mansion in the sky. It's eternal life...in Christ. John 14:2-3 - In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Beware of Him, listen to His voice. Be aware...He calls all men at some time in their lives. Let Him speak to your spirit that you might learn about Him and obey. Heed and listen to His voice that you may understand His ways and come into that knowledge He longs to share with those who want to learn.
Do not provoke Him. Do not reject Him or mock Him. He judgment is on those who refuse Him. He loves us with an everlasting love but will judge just the same. He wants to be your loving Father. Allow Him to do this. Galatians 6:7 - Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Without the Father, we fail. Matthew 19:26 - But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
"My name is in Him." Jesus is the Son as well as the Father, a difficult thing to understand in our limited human minds. It makes perfect sense spiritually. Jesus told the disciples if they saw Him they had seen the Father (John 14:9) Trust and believe this is true. John 14:10 - Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.
If we obey the leading of the Spirit's voice He will take care of us. He will protect us, revitalize us, save us in any circumstance. He will go before us ... Like the pillar of cloud by day to protect us from the sun and the pillar of fire by night to light our way (Exodus 13:21-22).
These are promises to believers. Later in this chapter we are told when we serve our God "he will bless our bread and water" (v.25) He is our Bread from heaven (John 6:32) and our River of living water (John 7:38). No matter what we go through in our lives He says He will "take our sickness away from the midst" (v.25) of us. We will go through trials but no matter the outcome we are assured of life...even after death. He is so good.
"I will fulfill the number of your days." (v.26) Our days have been ordered by God. We cannot add or take away from them. Remember He has known the number since the beginning of time. If and how we die is not a surprise to Him. That's why following Him now is important so you know what your eternal rewards will be...for good or bad.
Psalm 139:16 - Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Job 14:5 - Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
He will drive out our enemies from before us (v.30) that we might increase. Salvation comes to some that through the word of our testimony others might receive their salvation. Revelation 12:11 tells us And they overcame him (devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony... Not only do we receive our salvation through our verbal acceptance of Jesus Christ but others will know through the testimony of our changed lives.
We are not to make any covenant with our enemies nor their gods (v.32). We are to be in the world but not of it. We are not to be unequally yoked or they might cause us to sin...go back to our old ways.
God sent Jesus to this world for you and me that we might be partakers of the covenant He laid out for us...a covenant that He cannot break because He is God. All that is stated above and much more is ours when we enter into covenant with God. His plan for the ages is phenomenal. Pledge your life to Him and receive the promises and plan God has for you.
Micah 6:8 - He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
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