“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 approached him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied. ‘I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.'”

One of the most famous stories in the Bible is the story of God bringing down the walls of Jericho and giving the city to His people, just as He promised He would. I have heard people teach the story in a way that sounds like we can get God to tear down the walls that our holding us back from our plans. Sermons that essentially sound like, “What are your plans? What walls are in the way? God can tear them down.”

But the story is not about God joining our plans. Before the people marched around the city, Joshua had an incredible interaction with the Commander of the Lord’s army. This interaction helps us understand the story.

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 approached him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied. “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.” Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in worship and asked him, “What does my lord want to say to his servant?” The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did that. (Joshua 5:13-16)

Who is this Commander? In Scripture, angels never receive worship so the Commander can’tbe an angel. If not an angel, then who is the Commander? Joshua’s predecessor, Moses, received the same instructions – to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground – and those instructions came from the Lord. The Commander of the Lord’s army is Christ.

Read More