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Exodus 3:2-6
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bushwas not consumed…

Exodus 14:19
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

Exodus 32:34
Therefore now go, lead the people untothe place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.

prepared

Genesis 15:18
In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

Matthew 25:34
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,there ye may be also.

to protect you along the way
Protection is a central theme in the wilderness journey of the Israelites. This divine protection is not merely physical but also spiritual, safeguarding the Israelites from external threats and internal rebellion. The journey through the wilderness was fraught with danger, including hostile nations and harsh environmental conditions. This promise of protection reassures the Israelites of God's constant presence and care, similar to the protective pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21-22).

and to bring you to the place I have prepared
The "place" refers to the Promised Land, Canaan, which God had promised to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:7). This promise is a continuation of the covenantal relationship between God and Israel. The preparation of the land signifies God's sovereignty and foreknowledge, ensuring that the land is ready for the Israelites' arrival. This also foreshadows the New Testament promise of Jesus preparing a place for believers (John 14:2-3), drawing a parallel between the physical journey to Canaan and the spiritual journey to eternal life.

• “Behold” (Exodus 23:20) is God’s attention-getter, urging Israel to pause and absorb what He is about to do.

• Similar divine “beholds” mark pivotal moments: “Behold, I establish My covenant” (Genesis 9:9), “Behold, I send My messenger” (Malachi 3:1). Each signals a fresh act of grace and guidance.

• God is reminding His people that their journey is not random; it unfolds under His deliberate, watchful gaze.

• The Lord Himself commissions the angel. Earlier, “the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire” (Exodus 3:2-6) and “the Angel of God…went before the camp of Israel” (Exodus 14:19). The same personal, divine messenger now resumes leadership.

• Scripture repeatedly links this figure with God’s own presence (Joshua 5:13-15;Judges 6:11-24), pointing many to see a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, the eternal Word who later said, “Before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58).

• The phrase underscores that Israel’s progress hinges on God’s initiative, not human strategy.

• Wilderness travel brought threats—Amalekite raids, desert heat, serpents. God promises proactive defense: “The Angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).

• Protection is comprehensive:

– Physical safety (Deuteronomy 8:4;Nehemiah 9:21)

– Moral guidance through revealed law (Psalm 119:105)

– Spiritual preservation from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:1-13, where Paul links Israel’s guardian Angel with Christ).

• The promise mirrorsPsalm 121:7-8—“The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”

• God’s angel is not only a shield but a shepherd, leading forward. “The LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud…to guide them” (Exodus 13:21).

• Movement with purpose:

– Day-by-day direction (Numbers 9:17-23)

– Correction when they stray (Numbers 22:32-33)

– Steady progress toward fulfillment (Psalm 78:52-53).

• Jesus echoes this motif: “When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them” (John 10:4).

• The destination is predetermined by God—the Promised Land (Genesis 15:7, 18;Exodus 3:8).

• His preparation includes:

– Physical territory flowing with “milk and honey” (Exodus 3:17)

– Spiritual rest where God will “dwell among them” (Exodus 29:45-46)

– Foreshadowing of the eternal inheritance: “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2-3;Hebrews 11:16;Revelation 21:2-3).

• The certainty of arrival rests on God’s prior planning, not Israel’s performance (Deuteronomy 7:7-9;Philippians 1:6).

Exodus 23:20 assures Israel that their covenant God personally oversees every mile: He captures their attention (“Behold”), sends His own heavenly Messenger ahead, guards them from danger, guides them step by step, and guarantees arrival in a land He has already prepared. This verse invites believers today to trust the same faithful Lord who still protects, leads, and brings His people safely into all He has promised.

(20-33) The Book of the Covenant terminates, very appropriately, with a series of promises. God is "the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." He chooses to "reward men after their works," and to set before them "the recompense of the reward." He "knows whereof we are made," and by what motives we are influenced. Self-interest, the desire of our own good, is one of the strongest of them. If Israel will keep His covenant, they will enjoy the following blessings :--(1) The guidance and protection of His angel till Canaan is reached; (2) God's help against their adversaries, who will, little by little, be driven out; (3) the ultimate possession of the entire country between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea on the one hand, the Desert and the Euphrates on the other; (4) a blessing upon their flocks and herds, which shall neither be barren nor cast their young; and (5) a blessing upon themselves, whereby they will escape sickness and enjoy a long term of life. All these advantages, however, are conditional upon obedience, and may be forfeited.

(20)I send an Angel before thee.--Kalisch considers Moses to have been the "angel" or "messenger;" others understand one of the created angelic host. But most commentators see in the promise the first mention of the "Angel of the Covenant," who is reasonably identified with the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Eternal Son and Word of God. When the promise is retracted on account of the sin of the golden calf, it is in the words, "Iwill not go up with thee" (Exodus 33:3).

1. That he will send an angel before them to be their guide, director, and helper (vers. 20 - 23).

2. That he will be the enemy of their enemies (ver. 22), striking terror into them miraculously (ver. 27), and subjecting them to other scourges also (ver. 28).

3. That he will drive out their enemies "by little and little" (ver. 30), not ceasing until he has destroyed them (ver. 23). . . .

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