“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion. But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you. For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them completely. You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars. [Exodus 23.20-24]
As we will see moving forward, Israel did not obey these words of instruction. They were not careful to obey the angel of the LORD. They did not utterly destroy the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Instead, Israel worshiped the gods of these nations and imitated their evil practices.
In fact, Israel pretty much did everything they were instructed not to do. Instead of displacing the ways of the world in which they lived, they embraced those ways.
Bad Israel, right?
Before we set out to level our judgement upon Israel, we should first look in the mirror. As "God's people" today, Christians are rife with the practices of the world and are given over to its ways. "Christians" live by the same rule of law, operate in the same financial system, take the same medicine, and have the same insurance as the world.
What's even worse, "Christians" today prescribe to the same actions and mantras of the world that are glaringly self-centered. One doesn't have to peruse social media to see that "Christians" are some of the first to post quips and sayings that have no consideration whatsoever for the Bible's definition of love (1 Corinthians 13.4-7). And yet likeminded "Christians" will smash the "Like" and "Love" buttons on these posts en masse even replying "Amen" as a religious show of support for self-centeredness the Bible clearly speaks against.
So, before decrying Israel's blatant rebellion, modern "Christians" should do a serious check-up (I should do a serious check-up - you should do a serious check-up). Israel is a picture of us and our need for a Redeemer.
God's Word is nothing if it is not the basis for how we should live. Consistent with this statement, Jesus is the Way we should live as He is the Living Word of God (John1.1-5). Israel's story is our story ...only that their obedient faith was in deliverance to come, and our obedient faith is in the Deliverer Who has come. The demand for faith that obeys God and obedience out of faith in God has never changed. This obedient faith must overcome the world and its ways...
“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion. But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you. For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them completely. You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars. [Exodus 23.20-24]
Father, help me to live in Christ - in the obedience of faith - in opposition to the world - because I know that is the only way to please You.
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