Another Helper

In Exodus 23:20-24, God promises that an Angel would help the people of Israel. By this time God had already moved the people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. They were now at the foot of Mount Sinai, receiving instructions from God through Moses in preparation for advancing towards the Promised Land. These instructions gave insight on how they were supposed to live once they reached the Promised Land. In Exodus 23:20-24 God speaks of an Angel who would go before Israel, clearing the path for them to move into the Promised Land. Who is this Angel and does this promise foreshadow a similar one in the New Testament? Let’s find out.

In order to get a better understanding of this passage I think we must look at the definition of an angel. Simply put, an angel is a messenger from God. Quoting the Bible Project:

The word “angel” in the Bible is translated from the Hebrew word malach and the Greek word angelos, both meaning “messenger.” God sends angels to warn, comfort, and guide people by communicating his messages to them.

I checked a number of different sources and all agree that an angel is a messenger sent by God. Some sources seem to limit the use of angel to what we usually think of: a powerful creature that looks like a man with wings. But there are also a number of sources that apply the use of “angel” to any messenger, including people, like pastors. The Angel in Exodus 23 is clearly a powerful being, sent to “cut off” the nations that the people of Israel would find already dwelling in the Promised Land, meaning He most likely is not human. (By the way, the people of Israel seemed to have forgotten about this promise when they heard about the “giants” that lived in the Promised Land.)

God says that His name will be in this Angel and this Angel will have the power to choose not to pardon their transgressions. I find that aspect of this Angel to be very interesting as, according to Jewish tradition, only God has the power to forgive or to not forgive sins (see Luke 5:17-26, specifically verse 21). This makes me wonder if this Angel is actually The Son of God, going before the people in order to deliver them into the land. Looking at a handful of Bible Commentaries reveals an agreement that this is likely the Angel of the Covenant with many of them also seeing this as being the second Person of the Trinity.

So we have here God’s promise that He will send an Angel (possibly His Son) to guide the people. This Angel was sent to help them reach and take the Promised Land if they trusted in God and followed His teachings. He was to be their helper as they followed God’s calling, doing whatever was needed to help them succeed. As such this promise sounds a lot like the promise Jesus makes to us in John 14:15-17 where He promises to send another comforter.

Jesus was/is the first comforter, sent to deliver us from sin and death and into the promised rest given by God. He promised to send another comforter, the Spirit of Truth (The Holy Spirit) who lives with and in those who follow Jesus. I think that the similarities between these two promises shows that God never intended for us to live this life without His help but if we do not accept His help then that is on us.

God wants to help us follow His will. He wants to walk with us and work in us in order to help us receive His ultimate promise: the Kingdom of God which is our true home. Remember that if you have received Christ as your Lord and Savior, He has sent another Helper to you. Believe in God and let Him lead you forward.

“as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,”

2 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)

A Constant Glucose Meter Update

Back in August I wrote about how wearing a constant glucose meter (CGM) is a game changer in helping me manage my diabetes. I still believe that a CGM should be standard issue when someone receives a diabetes diagnosis but in this post I want to talk about one downside that I have experienced over the last several months. While the commercials for CGMs talk about getting away from finger sticks, in my experience it is prudent to keep the old lancet and standard glucose meter nearby.

Recently, after attaching a new CGM, I began to get numbers that did not make any sense. I woke up the next morning to an unusually high reading and just couldn’t seem to get the number back down. Over the next 48 hours I did what I would usually do when my readings are high but  nothing seemed to work. And then it hit me. I needed to get my old meter out to verify what the CGM was telling me. After a quick finger prick, I had my reading and it was significantly lower than what I was seeing on my CGM. Fortunately the Dexcom G7 that I wear has a function that allows for recalibration and within 5 minutes my CGM was back into agreement with my old fashion glucose meter.

The instructions for the Dexcom G7 warn that during the first 24 hours after inserting a new unit, there might be some readings that are off and on their website Dexcom advises taking a finger stick reading any time that the CGM readings don’t make sense or don’t match what you are feeling. While most of the time my CGMs are on target, there are times when I need to recalibrate. So while I wish I could get rid of my old lancet, I still need it and am thankful for the ability to verify the information that I use in managing my glucose levels.

Maybe one day we will have a CGM that does not need any recalibration or any other kind of back up reading. But for now, if you are thinking about getting a CGM, remember that you need to keep your old lancet and glucose meter, and yes you will still need to do the occasional finger stick. That being said, a good constant glucose meter is still the way to go when managing diabetes.

See Also: Continuous Glucose Monitors Are Game Changers

Book Reviewed: The Golden 13

 Prior to World War II the Navy’s record when it came to race relations was…well…dismal. Opportunities for blacks within the service were very limited in part due to a major written report that warned of what might happen if African-Americans were allowed to serve onboard a Navy vessel alongside a white crew. These attitudes were a reflection of what was going on in the nation outside of the service. So as the nation fought for freedom overseas, blacks were not afforded the same here at home.

The Golden 13 describes a major change within the Navy. Under pressure to change, this branch of the military would create a test program in which 13 men would become the Navy’s first black officers. Based in part on personal interviews, this book tells why these men joined the service in the first place and describes what they faced as they worked their way up the ranks. Dan C. Goldberg gives us a good mix of historical background along with the personal stories of these men, leaving the reader with a view of what was at stake and why these men were the right group to face the challenge.

The Golden 13 is well written and fun to read. The writing is unbiased, a simple telling of a story that should not be forgotten. The narrative covers a topic that must be acknowledged as we cannot run away from the fact that racism is a part of our history and in some areas is still an issue today. But in acknowledging the problem we must also acknowledge situations where people of both races worked towards change. This book is a record of just such a situation, revealing a major step towards this nation fulfilling its promise.

I give The Golden 13 two thumbs up, recommending it to anyone who enjoys history and to those who are interested in learning about where the United States used to be and how we got to where we are today.

The Golden 13: How Black Men Won The Right to Wear Navy Gold by Dan C. Goldberg. Published by Beacon Press Books.