Exodus 23:20 “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.
Many commentaries interpret Jesus as the angel referred to in verses 20 and 21. Even Paul, in the New Testament, will lay that claim. I guess I wonder, if the reference is truly to Jesus, why the Old Testament is so opaque about it. Why not just state clearly that the reference is to Jesus?
Exodus 23:21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.
I want to look at verse 22 more closely because I feel like as a culture, we’ve taken that verse way too much to heart. We are bad about asserting that God hates what we hate, who we hate, who hates us. I’m not convinced God works that way, even though we take every opportunity to remake Him in our own image.
Exodus 23:22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.
Precious Savior, Forgive us when we co-opt Your power and might and try to aim it at our enemies and our causes. Help us want to love like You love, to shine Your light for all. Help us not to exclude and divide. Help us, Jesus. Amen.
Exodus 23:23 My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.
Have a blessed day.