An Angel

O. T. #214  "An Angel"
Jan. 24, 2014
Exodus 23-Part 5
Behold, I will send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.  Exodus 23:20

LET IT GLOW

Skip down to verse 20 and we read about the Angel that God was sending before Israel.

This is the specific Angel of the LORD, Jesus appearing in the Old Testament, before His incarnation in Bethlehem, who often speaks directly as the LORD. The name Yahweh is in Jesus. His name is literally Yah-shua. Jesus was with Israel in all their wilderness experience. (Guzik)

What was Jesus the angel going to do?

• go ahead of Israel (verse 20);
• guard them along the way;
• bring them to the place God had prepared;
• He would not forgive their rebellion, since God's name was in Him.
• If Israel obeyed Jesus, then God would be an enemy to their enemy to their enemies and oppose those who oppose them.
• He would wipe out all the -ites, which were possessing their Promised Land, conquering them for Israel.
• God will bless their food and water.
• God would take away sickness from among them.
• He would not let any of their women miscarry or be barren in the land.
• He would give them a full life span.

What blessings!!!

What were the Israelites told to do?

• pay attention to Him;
• listen to what He says;
• not rebel against Him;
• not bow down before the pagan gods or worship them, nor follow their practices;
• Demolish their idols and break their sacred stones to pieces;
• Worship the LORD your God. 

Under the New Covenant, we operate on a different principle. Though there are inevitable consequences of sin and God's loving correction for disobedience, we are blessed in Jesus, and not because we have been obedient (Eph. 1:3).  (Guzik)

It would not be Israel's military skill and power that took over the Promised Land, but Almighty God Himself. Most of the time, they didn't even have to fight. God did it for them when they followed His instructions by faith.

If we worship God only and obey His Word and Spirit, will we be blessed, also? Aren't we journeying toward our Promised Land of heaven? He has gone to prepare us a place. (John 14) Do we follow His instructions by faith?

LET IT GROW

Next we read about the laws regarding Israel's sacrifice and firstfruits offering.
The instructions include:

• A blood sacrifice to the Lord God was to be separate from a yeast bread sacrifice. Leaven or yeast, was a symbol of sin and corruption.  Atoning blood could never be offered with leavened bread. (verse 18a)
• The sacrificial fat was not to be kept until morning. They were to give all of the sacrifice at once and not save it until later. The best portion of the sacrificial animal was the fat. (verse 18b)
• A young kid goat was not to be boiled in its mother's milk. This strange sounding command was so the Israelites did not imitate a common pagan fertility ritual. 
• Israel was being prevented from copying pagan idolatrous ritualism. (MacArthur)
• God wanted His people to be different and give Him alone the glory for their harvest.          (Jews will not eat cheeseburgers, which combines the meat and milk of the cow. Guzik)

Jesus is our blood sacrifice in payment for our sins. Have you accepted this gift of salvation, free to us? If not, then you will pay for your sins when you reach eternity, friend. Please consider it.

LET IT GO

Thank Jesus for His sacrifice for my sins-giving of His life.

Praise Him for His love!

Be a faithful follower of Jesus.