Just like at the Red Sea, the people of God crossed over the water on dry ground: this time it happened as God had stopped the waters of the Jordan River so that they could march into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:7-17). They had then set up a memorial, so that future generations would remember what God had done (4:21-24).

Then, as they drew near to Jericho, Joshua saw a man standing in front of him, holding a sword. Joshua asked him, “Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?” (5:13). The man replied, “Neither; but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come” (5:14).

In the midst of conflicts – theological disputes, basketball games, military battles, sometimes even family arguments – we have an expectancy that God will see the rightness of our cause and be on our side. In such circumstances we would do well to ponder on Joshua’s conversation with this angel commander. The army of the Lord may end up fighting in the battle, but it won’t be because God is on our side. The real question is whether we will turn out to be on Yahweh’s side.

Recognizing this, Joshua fell on his face in the dirt, and asked what orders the commander of the Lord’s armies might have for him. The answer was that the presence of the Lord hallowed the place where they were: and therefore Joshua needed to respond to God’s holy presence by taking off his sandals in humble worship. That’s what Joshua did (5:14-15). We would do well to remember, then, that the chief task of those who want to be on the Lord’s side is to bow before the holiness of Yahweh.

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O God, we see so many things as battles, and we are ready to fight them, thinking that you will be on our side and help us prevail, for the glory of your righteousness: but so often it is only for our own ego. Teach us to bow in humility before you: for you are the Lord, and we are not.

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