Josué 5

Josué 5

Meyer - Behold, there stood a Man. When Jericho, its fortifications looming dark through the night, must be assailed, then the Divine Man may be looked for. Only let circumcision do its keen work of separation, so that there be nothing of the flesh with its energy and pride to vaunt itself before God; then, as we stand face to face with some imminent peril, God will be revealed as our very present help. Not weeks before our need, not before the Jordan has been crossed in faith, not before circumcision has been performed; but when all God’s demands have been met, and tomorrow calls for action, then behold there will stand the Man Christ Jesus, not by Himself, but as Captain of the Lord’s host, awaiting with mighty legions on the wing for his least word. It is sometimes thought that the Divine Warrior had come to supersede Joshua; this is not so. He was Prince of another host than Israel. His host was the celestial armies, which were going forth to war against Canaan. As long as Israel was true to God, these were its allies. Look up, Christian soul! Thou thinkest thyself alone; or countest sorrowfully thy poor array; but in very deed the Man of Calvary and of the throne is beside thee. All heaven owns his authority, and will supplement thine efforts. Be reverent, obedient, full of faith and prayer. Keep step with the goings forth of God. Thou shalt have light work to do. Before the impact of his might, thy Jericho shall fall. The battle is not to the strong, nor the race to the swift; but each to those who are living lives separate from the world, and dedicated to God. The vessels which are meet for the Master’s use are pure ones. Cleanness, rather than cleverness, is the prime condition of successful service. Joshua 5:13-15 CHOOSE YOUR SIDE Whose side are you on? 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 worshipped, 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. —Joshua 5:13-15 This man Joshua has been likened to the first SAS soldier! Joshua started out as a brave young soldier and eventually ended up as a great leader. He led the army of Israel (God’s people in the Old Testament) into battle and, in this story, against the fortified city of Jericho. Before this fight God spoke to Joshua through the commander of His own heavenly armies. Joshua saw he had his sword drawn, so naturally he shouted the standard ‘Who goes there?’ challenge. He wanted to know if God was on his side. The response was remarkable. “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Whose side was the commander on? Not Joshua’s or Jericho’s. He was on God’s side—the point being that Joshua should be as well. It wasn’t a case of God being on Joshua’s side, but Joshua being on God’s side. Joshua realised his allegiance to God was more important than his allegiance to his country, so he fell on his face, saying, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” When Joshua showed this submission to God above all others, he was told he was on ‘holy ground’, and was accepted into God’s presence. Being on God’s side We can ask the same question of God when we have to go into battle: is God on our side? What if He is for the other side? The truth is, as Joshua realised, that for every one of us who gives our lives to God, we will be fully accepted by Him forever, and He will always be on our side. God doesn’t support countries, movements or organisations. He is the God of His people (those who trust Jesus): In [Jesus] you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance (a place in heaven). —Ephesians 1:13-14 When we give our lives to Jesus and trust His death to pay for our sin and His resurrection to give us new life with God, we are “sealed” by the Holy Spirit “who is the guarantee of our inheritance”. We know that God is on our side, because He has marked us as His own possession, and we are sealed so that we can’t lose this standing with Him. No matter what stands we may have to make or battles we may have to fight, let us make sure that first and foremost we belong to God. When we do, we know He will be with us forever, and that we have a guaranteed place in heaven when we die. George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 5 13. When Joshua was by Jericho. Heb. בריחו beriho, in Jericho; i. e. in the plains of Jericho, in the country or territory immediately adjoining Jericho, and called by the same name probably at some distance from the camp, whither he may have repaired for the purpose of observing in person the position of the city and the most favorable point of attack. The sixth chapter ought certainly to have commenced here, as the subject now entered upon is entirely new, and the present arrangement most unnaturally divides the communication which Joshua had with the angel, and which is continued to ch. 6:5. There stood a man. One in the appearance of a man, one whom Joshua at first took for a man. That he was a superhuman being, however, is evident from what follows; and there seems no good reason to dissent from the established opinion of both ancient and modern expositors that this was no other than the Son of God, the Eternal Word, appearing in that form which he was afterwards to assume for the redemption of men. The reasons for this opinion are, (1) The title which he here gives himself, ‘Captain of the host of the Lord,’ which is but another form of the name ‘Lord of hosts,’ implying the ruler of all the heavenly hosts, and which is evidently the appropriate title of Jehovah-Jesus. (2) His acceptance of the worship or adoration which Joshua here pays him. This an angel or any created being would undoubtedly have refused. Comp. Rev. 19:10; 22:9; Judg. 13:16. Here, however, instead, of reproving Joshua for doing him too much honor, he commands him to do still more, by ‘loosing his shoes from off his feet;’ thus insisting upon the highest acknowledgment of the Divine presence which was in use among the eastern nations. (3) From the place being made holy by his presence, which was the special prerogative of God, Ex. 3, 5; and (4) From his being expressly called ‘Jehovah,’ ch. 6:2, which passage undoubtedly forms a part of the present narrative, as otherwise he must have appeared without any ostensible object, neither delivering any message, making any promise, nor uttering any command, except merely that Joshua should loose his shoes from his feet. Over against him. As if with a hostile intent, in somewhat of a threatening attitude. The same phrase in the original occurs Dan. 10:13, ‘The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me (Heb. ‘stood over against me.’) With his drawn sword in his hand. As a symbol of the character in which he was now to manifest himself in behalf of Joshua and Israel. So he is elsewhere termed, ‘A man of war,’ Ex. 15:3. His appearing in this form would serve also not only to justify the war in which Joshua was now engaged, to show him that it was of God, who had given him his commission to kill and slay, but to encourage him to prosecute it with vigor. If God was for him, who could be against him? He had indeed previously received many promises of success, but God is often graciously pleased to confirm and follow up his promises, by signal manifestations of his presence and favor: ‘Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways.’ And Joshua went unto him. Displaying herein a remarkable courage and intrepidity. Instead of turning away from the formidable personage before him, and seeking hastily to regain the camp, he walks boldly up, and demands of him whether he be a friend or a foe. This undaunted bearing was the fruit of his strong confidence in God. No face of clay will intimidate him who looks upon God as his friend and protector, and who is found in the way of duty. It is the disobedient, the obstinate, the rebellious spirit, in which cowardice dwells. The good man is ever the true hero. Warren