09.27.09: Joshua 1 - 7

Think back to your first day on the job. Like most people, you probably felt a little overwhelmed by all the challenges ahead of you; new names and faces to learn, responsibilities, procedures and high hopes. The book of Joshua opens with the anticipation of a new job for Joshua, the new leader of Israel. No sooner does he get the job than he must deal with an unpleasant situation - calling upon the tribes of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh to keep the promise they made to Moses. In addition, Joshua must follow God's orders and carry out a painful and possibly humiliating task. But he is capable and willing to do what the Lord desires of him as the leader of Israel.

Joshua succeeded Moses as Israel's leader. What qualifications did he have to become the leader of a nation? 1. God appointed him (Numbers 27:18-23). 2. He was one of only two living eye witnesses to the Egyptian plagues and the Exodus from Egypt. 3. He was Moses personal aid for 40 years. 4. Of the 12 scouts, only he and Caleb showed complete confidence that God would help them conquer the world.

Joshua's new job consisted of leading more than two million people into a strange new land and conquering it. What a challenge - even for a man of Joshua's caliber! Every new job is a challenge. Without God it can be frightening. With God it can be a great adventure. Just as God was with Joshua, he is with us as we face our new challenges. We may not conquer nations but everyday we face tough situations, difficult people, and temptations. God promises, however, that he will never abandon us or fail to help us. By asking God to direct us we can conquer many of life's challenges.
Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must 1. be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy, 2. Obey God's law and 3. constantly read and study the Book of Instruction - God's Word. To be successful, follow God's words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world's standards but you will be a success in God's eyes - and His opinion is most important.

We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work. Throughout the Bible we see an important truth illustrated over and over. The Holy Spirit releases his power the moment you take a step of faith. When Joshua is faced with an impossible barrier, the floodwater's of the Jordan River receded only after the leaders stepped into the rushing current in obedience and faith. Obedience unlocks God's power. God waits for you to act first. Don't wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops!

5:11,12. God supplied manna to the hungry Israelites during their 40 years in the wilderness (Exodus 16:14-31). In the bountiful Promised Land they no longer needed this daily food supply because the land was ready for planting and harvesting. God had miraculously provided food for the Israelites while they were in the wilderness; here he provided food from the land itself. Prayer is not an alternative to preparation and faith is not a substitute for hard work. God can and does provide miraculously for his people as needed, but he also expects them to use their God-given talents and resources to provide for themselves. If your prayers have gone unanswered, perhaps what you need is within your reach. Pray instead for the wisdom to see it and the energy and motivation to do it.

The blessing of surrender. The Bible is crystal clear about how you benefit when you fully surrender your life to God. First you experience peace, then freedom and lastly you experience God's power in your life. Stubborn temptations and overwhelming problems can be defeated by Christ when given to him. As Joshua approaches the biggest battle of his life (v.5:13-15) he encountered God, fell in worship before Him and surrendered his plans. That surrender led to a stunning victory at Jericho. This is the paradox: Victory comes through surrender. Surrender doesn't weaken you.; it strengthens you. Surrendered to God, you don't have to fear or surrender anything else. William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, said, "The greatness of a man's power is found in the measure of his surrender."

Captain of the Host of the LORD
God had led the people of Israel across the Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 3–4). It was a miraculous crossing. Imagine two million people, including women and children, crossing a swollen river at flood stages.
Joshua was out surveying city of Jericho and planning his battle strategy. How would he take this tightly shut, fortified city with its king and valiant warriors?
Suddenly there was a dramatic, unexpected appearance of a mysterious man with a drawn sword in combat readiness. Joshua immediately went over and asked him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" (v. 13). Joshua had been waiting forty years; he was ready to fight.
Joshua asked the wrong question. The man replied, "No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord" (v. 14). How often do we go in to God asking the wrong questions?
Who was this "captain of the host of the LORD"? A "host" in the Bible is an unseen army, invisible to the human eye that surrounds the throne of God. It is an angelic host. See: 2 Kings 6:17; Psalm 148:2; 103:21. Christ said twelve legions of angels were ready to defend Him.
Joshua immediately recognized the supernatural character of this visitor. Joshua was in the presence of God. "And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, 'What has my lord to say to his servant?'" (v. 14). Joshua fell on his face and worshiped. The worship paid to this messenger of the LORD is directed to God Himself. Who is this person? It is sin to worship angels and men (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5-8; Revelation 19:10; 22:8, 9). The total impact of the context of the passage indicates that a superhuman person is present. He is in the presence of Deity. The commander of the army of the LORD is God Himself. God has come to lead and fight for His people. All distinctions between the messenger of the covenant and the LORD Himself evaporate in the context.
Verse fifteen removes any doubt as to who this "captain of the army of Yahweh" was. "The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, 'Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did so." In the Bible only things, places and people can be called holy because they are set aside for God or claimed by Him.
Joshua did not have any problem with obedience. Jesus said, "If you love Me you will keep My commandments." If you love Him, you will obey Him. You don't turn 18 and no longer have a need to obey Him. It is a question of love and Joshua obeyed.
This is a theophany, or more correctly a Christophany. This "captain" is the angel of the covenant appearing in human form to take command of the armies of Israel. Our Joshua was under His command! Israel's deliverance comes from only one source just as our deliverance comes from only one source––God for us in Christ.
God had come to lead His people to victory. God is our salvation. The captain of the LORD's host is none other than the Great Captain of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ. The angel of the covenant of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ in the New Testament. He is Immanuel––God with us. Moreover, the captain's army is nothing short that the LORD Himself.
We cannot help but make the comparison between Moses and the burning bush that would not burn, and Joshua and the Captain of the host of the LORD (Exodus 3:1). I believe it is there on purpose for the people of Israel and Joshua. "Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you" (Joshua 1:5).
This is the same person we meet in other theophanic manifestations by God the Son in the Old Testament. Sometimes we meet Him in the form of the angel of the LORD and at other times in the form of a man. He is called "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," "the God of Israel" and "the Angel of the covenant."
It was God the Son who thus appeared in human form to Hagar (Gen. 16:7), Abraham (Gen. 18:1), Jacob (Gen. 32:24-30), Israel (Judges 2:1), Gideon (Judges 6:12-18), Manoah (Judges 13:21). He is also called "the Messenger" or "Angel of the Covenant" and "Lord of His temple" (Malachi 3:1).
A promise of God's personal presence always carries with it the assurance of God's personal care and provision. God is not our personal genie. The battle, Joshua is reminded, is the LORD's. We are here to serve Him in His battle for righteousness. We are here to do His will. He is not here to serve us. Christ is our victorious Savior.
It was a humbling experience for Joshua, and a reminder that most of us are too big for God to use. He has to show us who is in charge and bring us to our knees to worship. "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." Where ever God is there is holy ground. Let's humble ourselves and walk in His ways.

Why did God give Joshua so many complicated instructions for the battle (Joshua 6:3-5)? First, God was making it clear that the battle would depend on him and not on Israel's weapons and expertise. This is why priests, not soldiers, carrying the Ark left the Israelites into battle. Second, God's method of taking the city accentuated the terror already felt in Jericho (2:9). Finally, this strange military maneuver was a test of the Israelites' faith and their willingness to follow God completely.
It must have seemed strange to the the Israelites that, instead of going directly to battle, they would march around the city for a week (6:3-20). But that was God's plan and the Israelites had a guaranteed victory if they would follow it (6:2). As strange as the plan sounded, it worked.
God's instructions may require you to take actions that don't make sense at first. Even a you follow him, you may wonder how things can possibly work out. Like the Israelites, take one day at a time and follow step-by-step. You may not see the logic of God's plan until after you have obeyed.