And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” Then the Commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so. (vv.13-15)
Here in chapter 5 Joshua has an encounter with what he thought to be just a man. This person stood opposite him, sword drawn in His hand causing Joshua to question him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” The answer came back, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come” (v.14a). In a sense, the Man refuses to answer Joshua’s question because it is not the right question, and it is not the most important question to be asked at the time. The question really wasn’t if the LORD was on Joshua’s side. The proper question was if Joshua was on the LORD’s side.
This was God Himself pulling rank on Joshua, who himself was a great military leader – but he was not the Commander in Chief. Yikes! He had to be thinking, what does that mean for me at this very moment. Joshua’s immediate reaction was exactly like those who encountered God or an Angelic representative before him (Abraham, Jacob, Moses), he fell on his face in awe and worshiped Him.
This is exactly where we need to be in our hearts when we approach God, prostrate, worshipful, paying honor due His name. Like Joshua and Moses before him, we need to remove our junk, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy” (v.15), when we approach God and listen for His direction in our lives in – where to go, what to say, what to do.
The Truth: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he may fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His right hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24)
