The Commander of the Lord's Army

 

Joshua 5:13-15

 

The Commander of the Lord's Army

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”   And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped^[c] and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?”  And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

 

I’m going to ask you to put yourself in the place of Joshua, you are getting close to a city, not just any City but a very large and sophisticated City well-armed and with a mighty army.  And out of nowhere, a man is standing before you with a drawn sword.  What the first thing you’re going to do, remember you are the leader of your people.  You do not have your generals with you, it is just you and the man with the sword, what is your option?  Running is not a good one, but what about what Joshua did, are you willing to ask that question?  Here is the question Joshua asks; “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”  That is a very dangerous question, maybe a safer one would have been, “Hi, I’m Joshua just out for a little walk, what is your name and why the drawn sword?”  But that might have not gone well either, and I believe Joshua knew God had made him a promise and he was not afraid to ask the straightforward question.

 

But I am not sure Joshua was prepared for the reply, we know what Joshua did, but we do not know what you are I would have done.  But this I can tell you that God is still speaking to His people, and so is the enemy of our souls.  I believe our minds are bombarded with what I refer to as Channel One, the deception channel, it's going 24 seven, and its theme is to give you information that asks this old question, “did God really say that”.  Channel One likes to tell us we deserve better, and it also will tell us how much better things would be if we were not here, that we have no value, and attack our person.  But Channel Two is the Holy Spirit, it is a quiet voice, that never tells us we deserve, but it does tell us we are of great worth to God.  Joshua was tuned into Channel Two, which channel are you listening to?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice