Position

"Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing 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?' He said, 'No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.' 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?' 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." -Joshua 5.13-15

The people have entered the land, and now the time has come to begin taking possession of it. The first obstacle is Jericho, a doubled walled city in the Jordan River Valley. As Joshua took in the city, possibly trying to strategize his attack plan, an armed man appears to him and a conversation begins. Joshua asks who he is and receives the answer that he is speaking to the captain of God's armies. At this Joshua falls on his face and submits to whatever he is about to be told.

Most likely, Joshua is speaking to Jesus here. The Hebrew words used to describe his act of bowing are words describing worship which no angel would accept or allow. This very well could be a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament, and Joshua is flat on his face in submission to whatever He is going to say.

As a warrior this is the last place Joshua wants to be. His face is down so he can't see to fight off an attack. His arms are in no position to do battle. The back of his neck, the most vulnerable part, is exposed for a kill strike. As a general this is the last place he wants to be because it is a position of surrender and submission. But as the leader of God's people, this is the exact position that he needs to be in. Surrendered, submitted, vulnerable, and willing.

Because of his position Joshua is invited to remove his sandals and feel the holy ground he is on. Only with Moses has this happened, remember God is with Joshua as He was with Moses. Joshua is being told that he is in the very presence of God, and his reaction is to assume a surrendered and open position.

Men, what is your position? Are you flat on your face submitted to God and allowing Him to speak and use you as He desires? Are you standing with your feet firmly planted, and your guard up, struggling with Him? Are you standing with your arms crossed, refusing to listen to Him? Is your back turned with your hands over your ears, refusing to even acknowledge Him? We all have battles before us. Each of us faces a personal Jericho every day. Before going into battle what position do you take?

Joshua was no rookie in terms of battle and warfare. He could have devised a strategy to capture the city, but how many men would he have lost? As soon as God shows up he doesn't plan, simply listens, and then marches forward under God's leadership.

Let us take a position of surrender and vulnerability to God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor

Sustained

"While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year." -Joshua 5.10-12

For forty years as the people wandered the wilderness God provided food for them. Each morning manna was sent for them to eat, and in the evening quail would come. God provided food for them because in the wilderness there was no food for them, at least not for that multitude of people. They needed food and God sustained them, but once they entered the land they no longer needed the food God had provided. He sustained them in the wilderness, but when they enjoy the blessings of the land they do not need the sustenance.

God will sustain His people until He pours out the blessings He has promised. There comes a time when we don't need God to merely sustain us, and when that day comes let us not forget to praise Him for what He has done.

Men, has God sustained you? Is He sustaining you now? Praise Him for it. He is taking care of you, helping you make it, maybe even testing you to see if you trust Him. Be grateful for His sustenance, and when the blessings come, don't forget to praise Him.

Let us be men who are sustained by God, and when we receive the blessing, let us praise Him for sustaining us to that point.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor