The Lord goes with us

Exodus 23

The Lord gave His people some more laws and then gave them 3 feasts for annual celebration and an angelic escort for their movement and how they ought to relate with the angel to work for them.

What does Exodus 23 teach us?

#1. Equal justice for all people. (Exodus 23:1-9)

To be holy before God, we must be just before men. We cannot pervert justice and claim to love the Lord. If we truly fear God, we shall maintain justice for all classes of people in society. That’s what makes us godly. A society that does not uphold justice appears unrighteous before God. God’s laws on justice for all include not spreading false reports about others, not being a false witness, not being partial, treating enemies properties well, not killing the innocent, not taking a bribe to pervert justice and not oppressing the stranger. Justice is upheld when we deal rightly with other people in the community of faith and even outside it.

#2. God’s Sabbath laws for annual and weekly observances. (Exodus 23:10-13)

God gave two main Sabbath laws for His people to keep in remembrance of what He did during creation when He made the heavens and the earth in 6 days and rested on the 7th. The first Sabbath is to do with working for 6 years on the land and allowing it to rest on the 7th so that the poor and the beast can have something to be sustained. The second Sabbath is to do with working for 6 days in a week and resting on the 7th day. We reflect the nature and attitude of God towards work when we observe this approach to work in life. Just as God did, so must we do on earth.

#3. God’s three annual feasts for His people. (Exodus 23:14-19)

The three annual feasts given to the people was to help them remember what their God did for them in the past. Humans are prone to forget but with these feasts in mind, they will observe and not forget the great works of their God. The Feast of Unleavened bread helps to remember what God did for them during the Passover when He preserved their lives and killed the firstborns of Egypt. The Feast of Harvest helps to consecrate the firstfruits of what they sowed. The Feast of Ingathering helps to gather in the fruit of their labour. This is all to remind Israel that everything they owned belonged to God. Every good and perfect thing comes from God.

#4. God’s angelic escort and His promises to His people. (Exodus 23:20-33)

The chapter ends with God promising His angelic escort, urging the people to serve only him and then He will defeat their enemies before them. Our obedience to God will help make us undefeatable. When we do otherwise, we shall be utterly defeated. Total victory from the Lord comes by our obedience to Him and His commandments.

God cares about His people so much that He goes with them and grants them angelic escort for safety.

Take Action: Ask for divine angelic escort for your life.