Exodus 23:20 - Meaning and Application

Three gracious promises are given here to Israel, to encourage them in obedience and steady them in it. Each promise also comes with warnings and duties. God does not only promise help, he also tells them how they must walk in it.

First, God promises to guide them and keep them on the way through the wilderness to the promised land. He says, "I send an angel before you" (Exodus 23:20), and later, "my angel" (Exodus 23:23). Some take this to mean a created angel, a servant of God’s providence, sent to lead and guard the camp of Israel so they would see that God cared for them in a special way. Others think it was the Son of God, the angel of the covenant, because the Israelites in the wilderness are said to have tempted Christ, and because God’s eternal Son could act as messenger and Redeemer before his incarnation, just as he is called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

This blessed angel would keep them in the way, even though that way led through a wilderness and later through enemy territory. In the same way, God’s spiritual Israel is kept through the wilderness of this world and protected from the attacks of hell. He would also bring them into the place God had not only planned, but prepared for them. So Christ has prepared a place for his followers and will bring them safely to it, because he is faithful to the One who appointed him.

The command attached to this promise is clear: they must listen to and obey this angel whom God sends before them (Exodus 23:21). "Beware of him, and obey his voice in everything, and do not rebel against him," because it would be dangerous to do so. Christ is the source of salvation only for those who obey him. The command from heaven is, "Listen to him" (Matthew 17:5). We are also told to observe everything he has commanded (Matthew 28:20).

Our dependence on God’s power and goodness should make us careful to obey. It is wise to be wary of provoking the One who protects us and gives us good things, because if his defense is removed, we are lost. We should therefore "beware of him" and treat him with deep respect and care. "Fear the Lord and his goodness." Christ will be faithful to those who are faithful to him, and he will defend those who hold to him: "I will be an enemy to your enemies" (Exodus 23:22). This is like God’s promise to Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you." God joins his own interests and friendships with the interests and friendships of his people.

Second, God promises them a peaceful settlement in Canaan, the land they hoped soon to enter, though it took longer than they expected (Exodus 23:24-26). The conditions are very reasonable. They must serve their own God, who alone is truly God, and not the gods of the nations, which are no gods at all. They must not only refuse to worship those false gods, but break them down completely. This showed their hatred of idolatry, their resolve never to worship idols, and their care to keep others from doing so. It was like the converted magicians who burned their books (Acts 19:19).

The promises themselves are rich. God would bless their food and water, and his blessing would make plain bread and water more satisfying than the richest meal without it. He would keep them healthy, either by preventing sickness or by taking it away, so their land would not be struck by deadly diseases that can destroy whole nations. He would also bless their cattle so they would not be barren or miscarry, which Scripture counts as a sign of prosperity (Job 21:10). And he would lengthen their lives so they would reach old age, not be cut off early by untimely death. In this way, godliness truly has promise for the life that now is.

Third, God promises that they will defeat and drive out their enemies, the people then living in Canaan and occupying the land they were to inherit. God would do this effectively by his own power (Exodus 23:17-18). It would not be Israel’s sword and bow that won the victory so much as the fear God would send among the Canaanites. Though these people were stubborn and unwilling to give up their land and leave, they would be so shaken that they could not stand before Israel. Their ruin would be completed this way. They had enough evil in them to keep resisting, but God had enough power over them to break their strength.

God says, "I will send my fear before you," and when fear goes before, people soon flee. Even hornets could be used to make room for Israel. God can use very small creatures to punish the enemies of his people, just as he did in Egypt. When he chooses, hornets can drive out Canaanites as well as lions could (Joshua 24:12).

He would also do this gradually and wisely (Exodus 23:29-30), not all at once, but little by little. The Canaanites had stayed in the land until Israel had become a people, and in the same way some of them would remain until Israel became numerous enough to fill the land. This shows the wisdom of God in the church’s progress. It is often real kindness when enemies are overcome little by little, because that keeps us watchful and dependent on God. In the same way, sin is driven out of God’s people little by little. The old self is put to death, and so it dies slowly. God also often delays blessings in providence because we are not ready for them yet.

Canaan had room enough for Israel, but Israel was not yet large enough to occupy Canaan. We are not limited in God. If we are limited, the problem is in us. The land is promised to them in its full extent (Exodus 23:31), though they did not fully possess it until the days of David, and by their sins they soon lost it again. The command attached to this promise was that they must not make friendship or familiar ties with idolaters (Exodus 23:32-33). Idolaters were not even to live in their land unless they gave up idolatry. This kept Israel from the shame of close contact with false worship and from the danger of being drawn into it themselves.

By spending time with idolaters, their fear and hatred of sin would slowly fade. They would begin to think it was harmless, and out of friendship they might show some respect to false gods. In that way, they would step by step be drawn into a fatal trap.

Those who want to stay away from evil must also stay away from bad company. It is dangerous to live among people who lead us into sin. Other people’s sins can become our traps if we do not watch ourselves carefully. We should always treat as our greatest danger anyone who tries to pull us away from obedience to God. No matter what friendship is claimed, the one who leads us into sin is really our worst enemy.