Day 82

The book of Joshua moves along pretty quickly and there is much that could be written. In our reading for today the people cross the Jordan and set up stones of remembrance. They conquer Jericho. But one of my favorite passage is found in chapter 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?” 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. (Joshua 5:13–15 ESV).

I think the force of this comes out a bit more in the ESV when Joshua asks this man standing before him - “Are you for us, or for our adversaries.” And the response is beautiful: “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord…”

The Lord is not to be co-opted. The Lord is perfectly and perfectly sovereign, yet he graciously condescends to save a people for himself. Joshua has it made clear to him that he serves the Lord, the Lord is not serving his interests (even though the Lord will work for his best interests).

We also see in this the confirmation of Joshua as Moses’ successor in the command to take off his sandals for the place is holy ground.