THE Commander of the Army

This is the time of year when many make preparations for a family vacation. Planning involves things like where we are going, when/how we will travel, what to do while there, what to wear, how to stay entertained and fed on the trip, what to do with the pets and lifestock, and many other miscellaneous details about which each member of the family has strong opinions.

In today’s text we find that Joshua is about to lead the Hebrews on a journey. This is a conquest that has been delayed for 40 years. In the meantime, Moses has lost the privilege of leading the conquest, the people are camped at the edge of the territory and that leaves Joshua in charge, or so he thinks…

Today we will learn that our allegiance is more important than our service when we live as God intends.

Joshua 5:13–15 ESV:2016

13 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?” 14 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 and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 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.

People’s presence deserves a response (v.13)

Joshua sees a situation that cannot be ignored

1. The man is described to us from Joshua’s perspective. He is not described as a vision, an angel, but as a common soldier with a drawn sword. It is a situation that is not simply going to go away. The drawn sword will either be used or sheathed.

2. Drawn swords tend to get our attention.

a. In Gen 3:24 God placed cherubim with flaming swords to prevent man from accessing the tree of life.

b. In Numbers 22:23 an Angel with a drawn sword appears that Balaam’s donkey can see, but not Balaam.

c. In 1 Chron 21:16 God was displeased with David because he ordered a census. God sent an angel with a drawn sword to warn David from going further into a displeasing situation that would turn our horribly for David’s army.

You and I find ourselves in situations that we would prefer not to be. Situations where we wish other people had made different choices. Situations that we wish we could avoid. Situations that we don’t fully understand. Situations where our response is going to generate consequences for the future

Our country’s southern border is in crisis. Some see the situation as a political crisis. Some see it as a health or humanitarian crisis. Some see it as a legal crisis. Some see it as an economic crisis. Some see the situation as a crisis initiated by criminal activity in other countries.

The issues of both legal asylum and immigration as well as illegal border crossing have been debated by politicians for decades. While the politicians will continue to negotiate the crisis in ways that yield votes in the ballot box, the individuals, families and children caught in the crisis deserve a response, much like the man in Luke 10 who fell among robbers.

3. Joshua does not back down from this soldier, but inquires of the man’s intentions. According to 6:1, Jericho is about to secure its defense, so Joshua knows this encounter with this man is happening in a militarily charged environment.

4. Joshua went to him. This is the idea of challenging, or squaring up as if to engage in a struggle.

5. Joshua is prepared to enlist the man in his ranks if he is for the Hebrews or to disarm and defeat him if he is for the adversaries.

6. Joshua is holding an open mind, but he is prepared to move forward and take action either way.

Transition: This man’s presence deserved a response, but the story progresses so that the response is elevated to respect.

Some authority demands our respect (v.14)

Explanation

1. The Commander states that Joshua is asking the wrong question.

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was purportedly asked if God was on his side. “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side,” said the President, “My greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”

2. To this day politicians try to attach God’s will to their initiatives. The last few Presidents have all hosted a National Prayer breakfast and invited keynote preachers who are sympathetic to the views of the seated administration. I just read this week in World Magazine that one state legislature passed a resolution seeking pastors to endorse an opinion that has been commonly promoted during this rainbow pride month.

3. I could compile a list of passages that urge care for the sojourner and every progressive here would love me. I could preach about how Nehemiah’s first step in revival was to rebuild the wall or how the New Jerusalem described in Revelation is surrounded by mammoth walls and every conservative would say, “we need more preaching like that.”

4. This has been a hard message for me to prepare. First, as I was planning to preach on Jericho today, God laid this pre-Jericho passage on my heart. Secondly, I know we are in a politically charged environment and that few people are neutral about our leaders. I’m aware that anything I can say could be misconstrued in a way that leaves you feeling either supported or attacked in your understanding of what is best for America.

5. It is natural to desire God’s support for our agendas. Every one of us wants to be on the right side of history. But the Commander’s response reminds us that often God is doing something greater than our perspective.

6. In this verse the Commander identifies himself as a representative of God and a leader of God’s forces. The word translated commander is actually the word “sar”, from which we get words like Czar, Caesar, or Kaiser.

7. In essence this man tells Joshua, “I’m God’s representative and you now report to me, not the other way around.”

8. I believe at this point Joshua still thinks he is talking to a regular human, but he submits to this man as his superior.

a. Unfortunately, the KJV and ESV indicate that Joshua “worshipped” where most other translations simply say he bowed or showed reverence.

b. Yet you will notice that the title “lord” at the end of v.14 is not capitalized.

Illustration

1. Too many today confuse respect with worship. I can be a respectful American, and this does not mean that I do not see room for improvement. I can vote for a politician who is imperfect as a person. I can support our politicians and not agree with all their policies. I can sing our National Anthem and still work to improve racial inequality. I can salute our flag and still not delude myself into believing our soldiers have never made poor decisions in combat. I can count myself as blessed to live in what I believe to be the greatest county of the world and still admit that our history is scarred with oppression.

Pastor Rick Warren is credited with writing, “Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”

2. It is possible, no, necessary that even if a person needs to be deported to their country of origin, that the person deserves dignity and compassion in that process.

3. It is essential that our penal system for criminal acts never treats inmates in a way that demeans their human dignity, but that doesn’t mean we should release them all!

4. It is mandatory that every post-abortive woman finds the love of Christ in the people outside of the clinic.

Application

1. Even if the man is not divine, he deserves respect. We would do well to show others a lot more respect, even though they are flawed.

2. This Thursday we will celebrate the 243rd anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence from the British Monarchy. The founding documents of our country were written to embrace diversity of opinion under the banner of freedom. While many of our founding representatives held a solid and public faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, they intentionally did not endorse one denomination as the official position of our country. The variety of denominations and movements represented in the first Continental Congress tells me that our forefathers expected their descendants to respect one another, even when we don’t always agree with each other.

3. We tend to think that our country has never been more divided than it is right now. But I think this underestimates the pain felt by mothers who buried sons killed by Union or Confederate Generals.

Transition: Our politics have not always been harmonious, but that does not exempt us from showing respect when it is due. But the text progresses from Joshua encountering a man, to giving respect to that man, to eventual worship for who that man was and whom He represented.

God deserves our Adoration (v.15)

Explanation

1. Even if v.14 was a polite, respectful “lord”, What the commander says in v.15 takes this to a whole other level.

2. I believe it is in the shoe removal that Joshua finally realizes this is no human commander. In Ephesians 6 we are told to put on the whole armor of God. The last piece of battlewear is to put on shoes. Yet here we have a military commander telling Joshua to take off his shoes. The Commander tells Joshua what to do and why to do it!

3. The language used here is a reflection of Moses’ encounter at the burning bush. The presence of God comes to earth and installs a leader for the people of God. This is a message to Joshua that just as Yahweh was with Moses, led Moses and spoke through Moses; that now Joshua would play that role for God’s people.

4. God in this person, whom I believe was an Old Testament appearance of Jesus himself, God promises to lead His people in conquest and that Joshua will be the spokesperson for the expedition. 3 reasons why I believe this is a Christophany:

a. This person accepts adoration which angels never do. The angelic beings all know that worship is reserved for the creator and never the created. While angels are non-material they are, nevertheless, created beings.

b. The Commander reveals himself as the sar of Yahweh’s armies. A sar always had the full authority of the King he represented. God will not share His glory with another. (Isa 42:8 and 48:11)

c. Some claim this is a theophany but not necessarily a Christophany. If this person claims to be a representative of Yahweh, there is no better physical representative of God because Jesus is the full representation of deity (Col 2:9)

5. In v.14 the Commander clearly states that He has come to command the Army. This takes a HUGE load off of Joshua’s shoulders.

6. Joshua was going to be the voice that told the Army when, where and how to move, but he was no longer the General Manager of the Team, that was a responsibility that the Commander was reserving for Himself.

Illustration

1. At the end of v. 14 Joshua is willing to do whatever the Commander instructs, but in v.15 he is willing to abide in the Commander’s presence.

2. Jesus will teach His disciples the value of abiding in John 15. The key is that our strength, our nourishment, and our very lifesource come purely from remaining in Him as the vine to our branches.

3. Joshua was told to take off his shoes and stay awhile. Just take refuge in the presence of God.

Application

1. This is a huge part of why we come together as the people of God on a regular basis. There is indescribable value to recalibrate our lives by centering on the presence of God. His presence that is expressed in each believer as a Holy Spirit indwelt image bearer. His manifest presence that connects with our spirits through prayer, confession, singing and testimony. His presence which is communicated through His written Word just as it was through the living Word. His presence that is remembered when we share the bread and the wine. His worth that is attested as we give back to Him in tithes and offerings. His pre-eminence as we respond to His word during the time of response before the benediction each week.

2. I trust there are moments when you encounter the Divine each day of your week. Whether that is caring for children and hearing their laughter in the classroom or herding cattle from one pasture to the next and realizing that God loves you even more than each animal that you nourish and provide for. But these individual glimpses of the divine pale in comparison to the gathered body with the manifest presence of our Lord, because from the first Garden He has always designed us for community and chosen to reveal Himself in that context. Even when he does appear to an individual, it is for the benefit of a community.

a. He appeared to Abram but revealed that all the peoples of the world would be blessed through His seed.

b. He appeared to Noah but promised His family would be the source of all future generations.

c. He appeared to Mary but told her she would bear the Messiah who would save the people from their sins.

d. He appeared to Saul to tell him that he would be a messenger to Gentiles throughout the known world.

Transition: Through Joshua’s perspective we discover that he met a soldier, he submitted to this soldier and he took off his shoes in worship of God’s presence.

Conclusion:

In these verses I see a progression that introduces 3 different responses for each of us.

· Joshua met a man and was prepared to act. He couldn’t ignore the situation before him and we cannot ignore the situation before us. God places each of us in situations that demand our response. We can’t ignore those with spiritual and material needs around us.

· Joshua was introduced to a leader and he showed respect. Anarchy, protests and rebellion are too common in our world today. Joshua was self-aware enough to know when it was time to bow down. I know we celebrate freedom this week, but how about if we use that freedom to show respect?

· Joshua was told that he was in a holy place, so he assumed a posture of worship. Each of us needs to look for the moments when God is demonstrating Himself in our world and abide in His presence.

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