Joshua 5:13-15: Jesus is With Us

Joshua 5:13-15: Jesus is With Us

A stranger suddenly appears in Joshua's camp. Joshua asks the man if he is for them or their adversaries.  It is quickly revealed this is not a man.  In fact, I will go a step beyond and say this was not even an angel, but another instance of Jesus appearing on earth before He came in human form many years later. Joshua would not have fallen on his face before an angel, and if he had, the angel would have quickly told him to not worship him but God, yet there is no correction.  Also, the ground would not have been referred to as holy for anyone except one of the Trinity.  Remember, the last time someone in the Bible was told to remove His shoes due to holy ground was when God spoke to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus chapters 3 & 4. And one more sign this is Jesus is that He refers to Himself as the Captain of God.  

Because Jesus is impartial (see Acts 10:34), Jesus does not say that He is on Joshua's side when he replies with, "Nay," to Joshua's inquiry of whose side He is on.  What Jesus says is simply that He has come.  He does not give any further words of assurance of victory but is there to let Joshua know that God is with him.  

I can assume that Jesus came as an aid of encouragement because of Joshua's faithfulness and righteous living.  Jesus tells Joshua to remove his shoes because he is standing on holy ground.  Joshua immediately obeys.

This is a brief conversation, but yet so powerful.  Jesus came to give Joshua peace that the Lord was with them and to let him know to maintain and never lose his reverence and awe for God.  As long as Joshua remembered to be faithful to God, then God would honor him with the victories that we can read throughout the book of Joshua.

God has never promised life would be easy, but He did promise He would walk by our side to give us strength through the tough times.  (John 16:33) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Like Joshua, I want to always honor God in submission to His will and be at peace just knowing He is with me.

(Joshua 5:13-15) And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, "Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?"

And he said, "Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come."

And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, "What saith my Lord unto his servant?"

And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, "Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy."

 And Joshua did so.