Scripture to Read: Exodus 23:23–24
God’s provision for Israel was overwhelming, but what God has done for us in Christ far exceeds what the Israelites experienced. God promised the Israelites in (Exodus 23:23) that His Angel would go before them as He brought them into the Promised Land. Because of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, we now have His presence living in us at all times. God tells us in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” The Israelites were promised by God that He would destroy their enemies, “the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites.” But God reminds us that we are to be strong in Him and make sure we have His full armor on daily because our enemy is not of flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:11–17). God also warned the Israelites in Exodus 23:24, “You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their sacred pillars in pieces.” God wanted everything and everyone who was not of Him utterly destroyed. We might think this to be harsh, but God tells us that we must crucify our flesh because every desire of our flesh destroys our fellowship with Him and robs us of our hunger for His Word. God never deals passively with His enemies, and He does not want us dealing passively with our enemies either. We must constantly cast aside the things that tempt us and passionately pursue Him and His Word each day.
Challenge & Application
· What do we have that the Israelites did not have, and why is it so much better today because of what we have?
· Why does God want us to destroy what distracts us from Him and His Word, and how are you doing it?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!