"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, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries." - Exodus 23:20-22

Covenants in OT times, (and treaties and contracts today) of a superior to a subordinate, essentially follow a 3 part structure. The first part identifies the parties, in the second - the terms/condictions/obligations of the subordinate under the contract is laid out, and lastly, the benefits and penalties of adhering/breaking the terms are listed. Different ceremonies (passing between two halves of an animal, signing the covenant, registering/displaying it in a prominent place) are then entered in to solemnize and bind the parties to it. We see the same structure in the Law given to Israel..

(1) Identification of the parties: "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."(Exo 20:2) God, and Israel (as a redeemed people) are identified.(2) Terms and Conditions: Outlined from Exo 20:3 to Exo 23:19 - what we have been going through in our weekly studies thus far (3) Benefits and penalties - this weeks verse is the preamble to the third section and it is a rich preamble indeed, full with teaching for us today, in particular, 4 teachings that apply to those who seek to walk with God in righteousness at all times...

A. There is a Divine way. Joseph, Abraham, Daniel, and David were led in the right way. The saints of the Old and New Testaments were guided in the divine way. And all those who seek divine guidance may hope to be led in the right divine way. There is a divine way for nations, and those nations that seek to walk in the way of national uprightness, and recognition of God's supremacy, will attain a true national greatness and perpetuity.
- A1. This way is through the wilderness. Such are the conditions of our present existence. Every way to greatness, to glory, and to divinely-prepared places is through the wilderness. This is the law of nature as well as of grace.
-A2 This way is beset with enemies. There are always seen and unseen forces and powers opposing the onward and upward course of those who are striving after nobility and the accomplishment of divine purposes. The march of the Israelites was opposed, and the nearer they came to the realisation of their hopes the more numerous did their foes appear. The greatest struggle takes place just before the final victory.
-A3. This divine way was one of many struggles and tribulations. Travellers must not expect the pleasures and comforts of home. The march of the Israelites was not a summer's holiday. We must expect privations, and maintain a quiet faith and a spirit of patient and heroic endurance.
-A4 This divine way, will be contrary to mere human liking. Notice the frequent complainings of the children of Israel. Oh, God's way is not our way! Ours may be pleasant at first but bitter at last, but God's way is the reverse; and yet not exactly, for sweets are graciously mingled with the bitters. There is hunger, but there is manna. There is thirst, but there is clear water from the smitten rock. There is perplexity, but there is an angel to guide and protect.

B. This way leads to divinely-prepared places. All is well that ends well, and this way is well, for it brings to a prepared place. Heaven is a specially prepared place. "I go to prepare a place for you." A place in the best of all places. A home in the best of homes. A dwelling-place where all the abodes are mansions. A seat where all the seats are thrones. A city where all the citizens are kings. What matters it though the way be long and sometimes dreary, so long as the place is so attractive; and we cannot fail to reach it if we obey divine directions.

C. The travellers on this way are favoured with a Divine Guide. We cannot tell with absolute certainty whether this angel was a created angel, or the second person in the Trinity—the angel that was with the Church in the wilderness. But we learn his greatness. The divine name was in him. The divine name is indicative of the divine character We presume the name was in him as a reflection of the divine glory, as a granted prerogative, as a token of delegated authority, as investing with glorious attributes, and imparting unusual dignity and majesty. This name was in him as a power to inspire religious awe, and to restrain irreverent trifling. "Provoke him not; for My name is in him." This angel was competent. Unerring wisdom never appoints the incompetent to important offices. And this angel was appointed by infinite wisdom. He knows all the way, understands all its dangers and difficulties, and is competent both to guide and to protect. Jesus Christ, the angel of the new covenant, is a perfect guide, fully competent to direct and protect. He has trodden every inch of the way. He has personally inspected the course. He gives ample directions to those who are to go before us to keep us in the way, and to bring us to the divinely-prepared place.

D. Divine promises are contingent on the faithful pursuits of divine methods. God promises seed-time and harvest, but we only expect harvest as the result of prepared soil and planted seed. Many of those to whom the promises were given did not enter the promised land because they did not carry out the conditions. "Ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread and thy water"—is a law and a promise rightly read for all economies. We must obey the voice of the angel; and then God will be an enemy to our enemies, and afflict those who afflict us. Retribution must fall sooner or later upon the heads of all persecutors.
The divine methods may be thus summarised—Caution, obedience, self-restraint, and the entire destruction of all that has the remotest tendency to damage the moral nature. Caution—"Beware of him." Watch with intense interest as you would watch a guide in some difficult pass. Obedience - "Obey his voice." Listen attentively to the utterance. Interpret as to the spirit. Eagerly catch the solemn whisper of the infinite. Self-restraint- "Provoke him not." Do not trifle with your guide. He is very merciful, but there is a period when even mercy seems to expire. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. If you blaspheme Him "He will not pardon your transgressions." The doom of triflers is sealed. The despisers have only a gloomy prospect. "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." "Provoke him not." "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry." Keep our moral nature - We are commanded to completely overthrow all false Gods (Exo 23:24).

The spiritual requires to be carefully guarded. We cannot be too watchful.Amid the din of human voices let us have an ear open to the Divine voice. Let us believe in angelic ministry. Amid many seductive ways that present themselves, let us cleave to the one divine way; and through divine grace, and through faith in the Redeemer, we shall come to the prepared place.

Hallelujah!

(Parts A-D excerpted/edited from the Preachers Complete Homiletical Commentary on the Books of the Bible,Funk and Wagnalls, NY/Toronto)