Exodus 23:20-33 NKJV
20 “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. 22 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. 23 For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. 24 You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.
25 “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. 26 No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.
27 “I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land. 31 And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32 You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
In Exodus 23:20-33, God assures His people of His faithful guidance and promises. As they journey to the Promised Land, He sends His Angel to lead and protect them. This passage reveals God’s covenant faithfulness and calls His people to trust and obedience.
The Angel of the Lord is a manifestation of God’s presence, sent to guard and guide His people. This promise reminds us that God is not distant but actively involved in the lives of His people. He goes before us, preparing the way and protecting us from harm. His faithfulness to Israel assures us of His care for His people throughout all generations.
God’s instruction to obey His Angel underscores the importance of listening to His Word. Disobedience carries consequences, but obedience brings blessings. The Israelites are called to reject the gods of the nations they will encounter, refusing to adopt their practices. This call to exclusive worship of the Lord reminds us that God demands our undivided loyalty.
The promises in this passage are striking. God pledges to drive out Israel’s enemies little by little, giving them the land in His perfect timing. He assures them of victory, health, provision, and fruitfulness. Yet, these promises come with the command to remain faithful, avoiding compromises that would lead them away from God.
For Christians, this passage points us to Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of God’s presence and guidance. Jesus leads us on the way to eternal life, protecting us from the power of sin and death. He calls us to trust His promises and walk in obedience, rejecting the idols of this world.
As we journey through life, we can take comfort in knowing that God goes before us, preparing the way. His timing is perfect, His protection sure, and His promises unfailing. Let us trust in His guidance and remain faithful to His Word.
Let us pray: Faithful God, thank You for guiding and protecting us through life’s journey. Help us to trust in Your promises and walk in obedience to Your Word. May we worship