Exod. xxiii. 20 — 22. Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, pro- voke him not: for he will not pardon your transgressions : for my name is in him. But, if thou shall indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak, then I ivill be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
IT is but too common for men to cast the blame of their own negligence on God. But they who labour so much to exculpate themselves now, will one day be silent ; and God will finally be justified in every sentence that he shall pass. His kindness to the church of old may shew us what his conduct is towards us. And they who are thus guided, warned, and encouraged, must, if they perish, ascribe their condemnation to themselves alone. The words before us contain,
I. The work and office of Christ —
Christ is here called an angel or messenger —
[He is often called by this name in the Holy Scriptures3. Nor does he disdain to assume it himself b. In his essential nature indeed he is equal with the Father. But in his media- torial capacity he sustains the office of a servant.]
As the angel of the covenant, he leads and keeps his people —
[He is represented as a leader and commander, like Joshua, his type c. He went before them in the wilderness in the pillar and the cloud. And still, though invisibly, guides them in their way to heaven d.]
Nor does he leave them till he brings them safely to glory—
[He did not forsake the Israelites, till he had accom- plished all his promises e. Having " prepared the land for them," he preserved them for it. Thus has he " prepared
a He is the angel that was in the pillar and the cloud, Exod. xiv. 19. That angel was Jehovah, Exod. xiii. 21. That Jehovah was Christ, 1 Cor. x. 9. See also Mai. iii. 1.
b John xii. 49. c Isai. lv. 4.
d Ps. xxv. 9. and xxxii. 8. p Josh, xxiii. 14.