The Strand Study Bible

EXODUS EXODUS 23:19 The initia l first fruits offering was required by God of the Israelites to be given to the priests for their sustenance (Num 18:11-12) in “thanks” for the cities and houses that they did not build, the cisterns they did not dig, and the vineyards and trees they did not plant (Deut 6:10-11), but were about to inherit once they entered the Promised Land (vs 14-19). Thus, the most significant aspect of the first fruits offering was the reason behind it: it was designed to acknowledge and “thank” God for providing the Israelites with a land flowing with milk and honey after their captivity in Egypt. NOTE – There are two reasons why we do not offer the first fruits offering today: (1) It was meant to teach the OT Israelites gratefulness, not giving; and (2) It is meant to act in the NT as a metaphor for the “first appearance of a promised blessing” (Rom 8:23 & 11:13-16, I Cor 15:20,23, II Thess 2:13, Jms 1:18 and Rev 14:4), not the added promise that if you give more you get more. 23:20 GOD THE FATHER ( I ) sent CHRIST ( ANGEL  to another group of His people c. 1500 years later (Mt 17:5 & Gal 4:14). 23:21 According to the Bible, only God can pardon and forgive sins (Psa 32:1-2 and Isa 43:25). This ANGEL , therefore, was God Himself (a preincarnate physical appearance of CHRIST - Mic 5:2 ). 23:23 If you’ll notice, this word “ Angel ” is capitalized, and for good reason. This is no ordinary angel. This “ Angel ” is the MESSENGER OF JEHOVAH Himself, for He has the capability of forgiving or not forgiving our transgressions (Mt 9:1-6). GOD THE FATHER is warning Israel here to be careful not to provoke His MESSENGER (vs 21), for this ANGEL has God’s name in Him (Jn 14:7-10). Play around with nitroglycerin, but don’t play around with this ANGEL . Mishandle anthrax, but don’t mishandle this MESSENGER OF JEHOVAH . Mess with a spitting cobra, but don’t mess with the SON OF GOD . Dabble in Russian roulette, but don’t experiment with the SECOND PERSON OF THE TRIUNE GODHEAD . Cross the mob, but don’t cross JESUS . Play with sulfuric acid, swim with great white sharks, and chance everything you own at Vegas, but don’t gamble with this ANGEL , whose influence can move the very hand of God against you. Psalm 2:12 says: Kiss the SON , lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. NOTE – There are three reasons why God is so impressed with this ANGEL ( CHRIST ): 1. This ANGEL has been with the Father from all eternity past (Jn 1:1-3) According to the Scriptures, the entire Triune Godhead has been together from the beginning. Together they created everything (Gen 1:1,26 and Colo 1:12-19). Jesus said in John 17:5: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was . The reason God is so impressed with this ANGEL is because this ANGEL has been a part of the Triune Godhead from all eternity past. He’s more than just a messenger. He’s the MESSAGE ! 2. This ANGEL was willing to leave eternity, step into time, take on a body, and then submit Himself to His own creation in order to make a way to save them The thought of it is unfathomable. Creators don’t serve creations. Creations serve Creators. Not this Creator. Listen to what the prophet said about this ANGEL in Micah 5:2: The origin of JESUS CHRIST is not related to his birth, but to His Nature (His eternality). Acts 2:22-23 states that the coming of Christ to save the earth had been predetermined in the counsel of God before the earth was formed. Therefore, the coming of Christ to Bethlehem of Judea, was not His origin, it was His incarnation –God in flesh, dwelling among men in order to save them. No wonder the other two Persons of the Triune Godhead are so taken with Christ (Phil 2:5-10). The reason God is so impressed with Christ is because Christ was willing to do something no Creator has ever done before –leave eternity, step into time, take on a body, and then submit Himself to His own creation in order to become the only sacrifice qualified to pay for the eternality of sin. 3. This ANGEL was willing to give up certain aspects of His eternal authority with the other two Persons of Deity in order to pay for the eternality of sin (Mt 27:45-46) In order to pay for the eternality of sin, something eternal had to give, and Jesus was the only one qualified to give it ( Rom 1:16 ). We think that just because we sacrificed something temporal in this lifetime of ours that that’s going to help God save us somehow. It’s not. Not only has the ETERNAL ONE been with the ANCIENT OF DAYS (Dan 7:13) for all eternity past, not only did He leave eternity, step into time, take on a body, and submit Himself to His own creation, but He gave up certain aspects of His eternal authority for all eternity future, so as to satisfy the eternal price of the eternality of sin. No wonder God is so impressed with this ANGEL . 23:24 Sadly, the very gods (Baal, the chief deity of Canaan – Judg 2:11; Milcom/Molech, the god of Ammon – Lev 18:21 & 20:1-5, Deut 12:29-31 and I Ki 11:33; Chemosh, the god of the Moabites – I Ki 11:33; and Ashtaroth, the goddess of the Zidonians – II Ki 23:13) that the Canaanites and the surrounding nations worshipped became the gods that Israel embraced (I Ki 11:5-8 and II Ki 23:1-10). NOTE –The ritualistic rites of these heathen nations were often accompanied by cult-like dances (I Ki 18:26-28), cult prostitution, and child sacrifices (II Ki 16:1-3/II Chro 28:1-3, II Ki 21:1-6/II Chro 33:1-6 and Jere 7:30-32 & 19:5-7 & 32:30-35), which the Israelites were told not to embrace ( nor do after their works ). 215 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall HE come forth unto me that is to be RULER in Israel; WHOSE goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting .