The Commander of the LORD's Army

Joshua 5:13 ~ "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?'"

Joshua had just recently taken over the position held by Moses to be the primary shepherd of Israel. He had spent the past four decades wandering the wilderness with the people of God, learning from Moses and serving as the tactician and leader of the army. Now, as they entered the promised land, he faced the walled city of Jericho.

Joshua looked up to see a man standing on the open plain with his sword drawn. The scene hints at a potential confrontation, so Joshua asks the one question that every leader would want to know--who are you for? Let's also understand that Joshua does not yet know exactly who this man is standing on the plain with him. And, after years of war, the battle-hardened Joshua could only see two options.

We'll get to the answer of the man in a moment, but let's explore the question from Joshua: "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" From our human perspective we see life from the position that there are those who are on our side and those who are on the other side. And that "other side" is the side of our adversaries--our enemies--those that must be opposed. Don't we see that happen in the arenas of confrontation? Consider where some of the greatest adversarial skirmishes happen--from sports to politics--and you will discover the same question asked of those who happen to be nearby: who's side are you on? But concerning our true adversaries, the Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." 

So... what of the answer? Consider what it says in Joshua 5:14, "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?'" The simple answer of the LORD was--no. Basically, He told Joshua that He was neither for them or for their enemies. Does that mean that God does not take sides? Of course He takes sides--He takes His own!

And that's the point--God is the side, and all who oppose Him is on the side of the adversary. We do not ask God if He will stand with us or if He will stand with our foes. The question of allegiance does not go from us to God, but from God to us. God is the authority, He is the Commander of the army. The question is not whose side is the Almighty on, but who's side are you on. Will you take your orders from the LORD?

If you want to know the right response to God's presence, look to Joshua. Upon the revelation that this man who stood on the plain with him was the LORD, Joshua fell on his face, worshiped and submitted himself to the Commander. Joshua had been commanding the army for a generation--that was of no matter. The only right thing to do when God has revealed Himself is to submit. 

Beloved, does the question from Joshua echo in your heart before the LORD: "What does my Lord say to His servant?" When you come to the Word of God, is submission your first intent? Do you wonder whose side God is on, or do you recognize that Christ, Himself, is the side that you must be on? Romans 6:13 states, "Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness."

My friends, let the encounter of Joshua with the Commander of the army of the LORD remind you that God is the One to whom you must submit--for it will never be the other way around.

In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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