Impact - Day 25

Day 25 – Holy Ground

Joshua 5:13-15  Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The commander of the LORD’S army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

This short vignette reveals a handful of insights into Joshua’s psyche. He takes a solitary early morning walk down a foggy pathway between the encampment of those he leads and the city filled with hostile enemies. Rounding a bend in the trail, he notices a shadowy figure with a drawn sword. How would you react? I would likely slow my pace, back up, and extract myself from the situation. Not Joshua. His pace seems to quicken. You can almost hear his sword grate against the scabbard as he readies for the inevitable. Joshua’s internal compass guides him straight into the line of fire while muttering, “Alright, here we go. Let’s do this.”

Two warriors are facing off on an isolated path. This could go either of two ways. If the stranger is an Israelite out on a similar walk, he is on Joshua’s side, and this will end peacefully. Otherwise, he is an enemy, and deadly combat will result. Those are the options.

Fast approaching the stranger, Joshua calls out, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” The Hebrew of the stranger’s response can be translated as “No.” As if to say, “Wrong question.” It hasn’t occurred to Joshua that there could be a third option as to the identity of the stranger who reveals himself as the commander of the army of God. Many scholars believe this is, in fact, Jesus. As He had with Moses, the Heavenly Warrior will soon invite Joshua to take off his sandals and submit himself facedown on this holy ground. Joshua does so with reverence.

If we add up the components of this story, we find a reminder for ourselves. Joshua has just come off the most incredible leadership victory of his life (something his revered predecessor couldn’t do). Gearing up for the battle of Jericho, courage courses through his veins. So, filled with bravado, he asks Jesus Himself if He would like to be on Joshua’s team and be under his leadership—wrong question. Jericho is not Joshua’s battle, nor are your struggles really your fight. The battle belongs to the Lord. The right question is, “Are you on God’s side?” 

In our misguided blindness, we become disoriented and forget that our way through today’s battles only comes with submission to God. He is our deliverer, not me, not you, and certainly not Joshua.

1. Have you ever been involved in a rescue plan, emergency preparedness procedures, or even helping someone by bringing them a forgotten item? What was that situation? How do you feel in those moments?
2. What person do you lean on if you have a financial problem? A tech issue? Or when you are traveling and need something done at home?
3. Do you find it difficult to accept the assistance of others? How easy is it to turn difficulties over to God? What is one you would like to submit to Him now?