JOHN CALVIN

63
been without the angel as their leader as long as they wandered in the desert; and, besides, it was
afterwards said to Moses, “Mine Angel shall go before thee,” (Exodus 32:34;) and again, “And I
will send an Angel before thee,” (Exodus 33:2.) Moses, too, elsewhere enlarges on this act of
God’s goodness, that He should have led forth His people by the hand of an angel. (Numbers
20:16.) But what need is there of a long discussion, since already mention has been so often
made of the angel of their deliverance? This point ought now to be deemed established, that
there is no reference here to a mortal man; and what we have already said should be
remembered, that no common angel is designated, but the chief of all angels, who has always
been also the Head of the Church. In which matter the authority of Paul should be sufficient for
us, when he admonishes the Corinthians not to tempt Christ as their fathers tempted Him in the
desert. (1 Corinthians 10:9.) We gather this, too, from the magnificent attribute which Moses
immediately afterwards assigns to Him, that “the name of God should be in him.” I deem this to
be of great importance, although it is generally passed over lightly. But let us consider it
particularly. When God declares that He will send His angel “to keep them in the way,” He
makes a demand upon them for their willing obedience, for it would be too base of them to set
at nought, or to forget Him whose paternal care towards them they experience. But in the next
verse, He seeks by terror to arouse them from their listlessness, where He commands them to
beware of His presence, since He would take vengeance on their transgressions; wherein, also,
there is a delicate allusion to be observed in the ambiguous meaning of the word employed. For,
since ‏,שמר shamar, in Hebrew signifies “to guard,” after He has said that an angel shall be their
guardian, He warns them, on the other hand, that they should guard themselves. Herein the
Angel is exalted above the rank of a human being, since He is appointed to be their judge, if the
Israelites should offend in any respect; not in the way that judgment is deputed to the Prophets
with reference to their doctrine, the power of which is supreme, but because nothing shall be
hidden from Him. For Scripture assigns to God alone as His peculiar attribute, that we should
walk before His face. What follows is to the same effect, “provoke him not,” which is
everywhere spoken of God. But, as I have just said, this seems to me to be of most importance,
that the name of God was to be in Him, or in the midst of Him, which is equivalent to this, that
in Him shall reside my majesty and glory; and, therefore, He shall possess both the knowledge