Exodus 23:20 Behold, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. A prepared people have to be led into a prepared place (ver. 20). To lead them a guide is necessary, and God provides a guide. I. THE GUIDE AND HIS OFFICE. 1. His nature and character. (1) An angel, i.e., a Divine messenger; not merely a messenger of God's appointment, but a messenger from God's presence. Men may be empowered to act as angels; but naturally during his time of probation man is made "lower than the angels." The angel guide is superhuman; he helps to direct affairs in this world, but his home is in another. The history certainly implies so much as this; and no theory save that which assumes the fact of such superhuman guidance can adequately account for the marvellous coincidences through which progress was ensured. The enthusiasm of Moses might fire a people, but it is not enough to fire them; they must be fired at the right moment, and with a definite aim. Some superhuman agent, who could view time from the standpoint of eternity and direct men's actions in accordance with the real necessities of the position, there must have been. [Cf. a game of chess played, as sometimes in India, with living pieces. Success does not depend so much on the strength of the armies on the board as on the skill of the players off the board, who view the whole position from above.] History cannot be explained if we ignore the unseen hand which directs and controls the movements of the actors. (2) "My name is in him." The Divine guide must share the Divine character. God's deputy must be God-like. As viewing things from the standpoint of eternity, he is able to guide through the maze of time; but to view things from the standpoint of eternity he must be a sharer in the life of eternity, the eternal name must be so written on his heart that his guidance may be free from all suspicion of caprice. 2. His office. (1) To keep in the way. The guide must be a guardian as well. Guides who forget the dangers of the way, intent only on reaching their destination, may push on to the goal themselves, yet lose their charge before they reach it. God-commissioned guides are empowered also to keep and guard those who are given into their care (John 17:12). (2) To bring to the prepared place. If the guide must be a guardian, the guardian must also be a guide. He must protect during the advance, but he must not protect at the expense of progress; his charge has to be brought through the wilderness, not to be maintained there behind barricades and bulwarks. The people of Jehovah are led by the minister of Jehovah, who secures their entrance into the place prepared, if only they will accept his guidance. A place is prepared for us, as for Israel (John 14:2). A guide also is given us (John 14:16-18). We must not forget his twofold office, to keep in the way and to insist upon our moving forward. II. THOSE GUIDED AND THEIR DUTIES. The angel guide has to direct men; that he may direct them, they must acknowledge his authority. Two things necessary: - 1. Reverence. The disposition of the heart which cannot but show itself in the conduct. Assured that the angel bore the Divine name, men must beware of him, assured that he had the right to speak with authority. A command from such a guide needed no reasons to enforce it. 2. Obedience. (1) Positive. His commands must be obeyed. There must be no delay, no shrinking back. (2) Negative. There must be no attempt to evade their real fulfilment by a merely apparent and formal compliance. True obedience is obedience of the spirit as well as of the letter; mere literal obedience may consist with actual provocation. Remembering who our guide is, we must remember also that the like duties are required of us in relation to him. To resist the Spirit is to grieve him, and grieving may eventually quench his power with us; one more step seals our destruction - "He that blasphemeth the Spirit of God" sins the unpardonable sin. III. BLESSINGS CONSEQUENT ON FULFILMENT OF DUTIES. We may call them temporal and eternal; blessings of the pilgrimage and blessings of the home. By the way, guarded by our guide, no enemy has power to hurt us; at the last we reach our home, to find there eternal health and happiness. Concluding question. - What is our relation towards the guide whom God has given us? (Hebrews 2:2-3.) - G. Parallel Verses KJV: Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. |
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