Between Jericho and the Jordan River

It's one of the first stories I remember learning in class as a kid. I can still remember the flannel graph and the accompanying song. But the circumstances surrounding the fabled Bible story are as enthralling and important as the battle itself. That's what God taught me in Joshua 5 & 6.

Highlight:

'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 5:13-15

Explain:

Joshua chapter 5 is quite an interesting passage of Scripture. First of all, the children of Israel, fresh off the miracle of that parted the Jordan River for the children of Israel to cross over on dry ground, are asked to do something pretty incredible and scary. These people had to have recognized the incredible feat that had just occurred, in their mind they had to draw the similarities to the Red Sea and the Jordan and God vindicating Joshua’s ministry the way He had Moses’. These people had endured so much and now they were on the very edge of exactly what God had promised them. In fact, they were already in the land! They were actually camped between Jericho and the Jordan River. These people are ready to go forward and take the land! But instead, God asks them in an act of obedience to undergo circumcision. This was not what these people likely had in mind! Not here, why not do this on the other side of the river. Why wait until we get into the land and we’re sitting ducks slammed up against the river bank to decide to ask us to do this.

But maybe that’s the whole point. See all the way back in Genesis 17 God instituted the act of circumcision as the sign of the covenant made with Abraham regarding this land and this people. It was literally a “cutting away” of what was impure and signifying a holy seed from the loins of a man chosen by God to raise up a holy people.

Fast forward to a man called from the backside of the desert to rescue a people who, according to the same prophecy and promise made to Abraham, had labored for 400 years in slavery. In a very peculiar story in Exodus 4, Moses after surrendering to God’s will is nearly killed by God Himself in an attack on the way. Why? Because his son was uncircumcised. God was not going to allow a redeemer of His people who did not abide by the sign of the covenant.

Now this nation as promised to Abraham are about to take the land God had promised them, but if they are going to realize the promise made to Abraham would have to abide by the sign of the covenant as well. What is so peculiar about it is that God basically waits until they are sitting ducks between Jericho and the Jordan to ask them to abide by this covenant. He wanted them to trust Him to protect them while they obeyed His plans.

As they are healing and making preparations to take the land, another challenge occurs. A stranger comes to Joshua sword in hand. To Joshua’s surprise, the stranger calls himself the commander of the Lord’s army. Innocuous as it might seem initially, wasn’t Joshua the commander of the Lord’s army!? Joshua could just as well have been offended and confused as he was compliant. But instead of arguing, Joshua is quick to humble Himself in submission. Why would God have needed to send a commander everything He had been asked to do, he had done meticulously. He was charged by Moses and God both to do this and he had done so, yet he doesn’t feel threatened at all when God sends a heavenly delegation to their earthly headquarters. Instead he, according to Joshua 5:15, “Joshua did that.” What an understated, yet beautiful display of devotion and submission. That submission eventually led to explicit obedience at Jericho and decisive victory based on that obedience.

Apply:

What we learn in all of this is the unique and beautiful relationship between trust, submission, obedience, and triumph. We must be willing to trust God to protect us as we walk in holiness. As we embrace the callings of the covenant made, there will come a point in time where our humility and our submission will be questioned, are we threatened by that or are we willing to succumb to the Lord’s leadership through His word in our lives. As we willingly submit, we learn the keys of obedience that will lead us to victory. There is a definitive relationship between trusting God when He asks us to cross the Jordan and be sitting ducks across the Jordan in the land of promise. In that vulnerable position, we need to be willing submit to God’s authority in what He asks us to do. We have to be willing to surrender our will and desire as the captain of our own lives to the Commander of the Lord’s army and be willing to live in vulnerability, trust, submission, and obedience, then and only then will we find victory.

Respond:

Jesus help me continually embrace vulnerability, trust, submission, and obedience even as a leader and most especially as a follower.