The Commander of the Lord's Army

A Surprise Encounter

Before Israel conquered Jericho, which would be their first battle in the Promised Land, an important moment occurred as Joshua surveyed the city from a close distance (Josh 5:13). As the newly installed leader of Israel and her army, he was probably brainstorming a battle plan.

Deep in thought, he glanced in a new direction and saw an unexpected person standing next to him. This man was frightening because he held a sword in his hand, ready to fight!

The exact Hebrew phrase translated as “with his sword drawn in his hand” occurs two other times in the Old Testament (OT):

• When the angel of the LORD blocked Balaam in his attempts to curse Israel (Num 22:23, 31)
• When the angel of the LORD appeared to David to bring consequences to Israel for David’s sin of ordering a census which God had forbidden (1 Chr 21:16)

In both these cases, the appearance of this man with a sword in his hand was an ominous moment, not an encouraging one, and Joshua would have known about the first. If you were Joshua, how would you have felt in this moment? What would you have done?

How would you have felt in this moment? What would you have done?

Surprised, Joshua blurted out a reasonable question: “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” By asking this question, Joshua hoped to find out whether this man was an ally who had come to help him or an enemy who had come to hurt him.

The man refused to answer and said “no” (Josh 5:14). By doing so, he refused to take a side and chose to identify himself instead as “the Commander of the army of the LORD.” With this answer, he also refused to identify exclusively as “pro-Israel,” though he was certainly on their side.

A Superior Officer

This title identified this man as the superior leader of God’s heavenly, invisible, angelic army, a massive military force later portrayed as defending Israel against Syria during the ministry of the prophet Elisha (2 Kin 6:17). This heavenly army also appears magnificently at the future Battle of Armageddon (Rev 19:14).

Perhaps most familiar is the common description of God as “the LORD of hosts,” which occurs over 250 times in the OT. This title portrays God as the supreme, divine leader of an overwhelmingly large, highly skilled army prepared to fight for his purposes.

In response to this extraordinary answer, Joshua bowed himself on the ground as a subordinate soldier. Though he (Joshua) was the commander of Israel’s troops, he recognized the superior rank of this other military officer, calling this man “my master” and himself “his servant.”

In response to Joshua’s request for orders, the man did not immediately give him military plans. He gave him spiritual instructions instead. “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy,” he said (Josh 5:15). This order resembled the instructions God had given Moses at the burning bush when he commissioned him to lead Israel out of slavery (Exo 3:5).

A Divine Endorsement

On the eve of their first major conflict (when Joshua and the people were likely nervous or afraid), God assured Joshua of his divine aid and presence. This episode affirmed what God had already promised before, that “no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Josh 1:5). It also affirmed the need for genuine reliance on God through spiritual preparation rather than relying on high-caliber military strategies.

This episode affirmed the need for reliance on God through spiritual preparation rather than relying on high-caliber strategies.

Just before this surprising meeting, Joshua had led the nation of Israel in spiritual preparation for battle (Josh 5:2-11). Following this meeting, Joshua would lead the nation of Israel into battle, but with God-given plans that would appear to make them vulnerable to the enemy (Josh 6:2-5).

In the end, Israel would win a decisive victory, but not due to any sophisticated plans drawn up by Joshua. They won because the Lord gave them the city (6:16) and because “the LORD was with Joshua” (6:27).

This did not mean that Israel should never employ sophisticated battle plans, for they would do this very thing with God’s direction

This did not mean that Israel should never employ sophisticated battle plans, for they would do this very thing with God’s direction on multiple occasions. Yet even in such cases, they would win as a result of their reliance upon and obedience to God, not because of their strategic plans.

Encouragement for Today

As believers living and serving God today in a pagan, hostile world, we find similar encouragement from Christ. He has not given us instructions to conquer cities or possess land as an army might do. Instead, he has ordered us to find and train new followers of him, guiding them to be baptized and teaching them obey everything that he taught (Matt 28:19-20).

We find similar encouragement from Christ.

Just as Joshua may have been nervous about the task before him, we may also be nervous to carry out our mission today. Just as Joshua may have feared to enter the territory governed by powerful Canaanite rulers and military officers, so we may be afraid to speak for Christ in a world governed by powerful and ungodly leaders.

To comfort our hearts and inspire our confidence, Christ said, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth” (Matt 28:18). Just as the man whom Joshua met (who was likely Christ himself in his preincarnate – prehuman – state!) assured Joshua of his superior and supreme authority, so Christ gives us the same assurance today.

Just as the man whom Joshua met assured him of his superior and supreme authority, so Christ gives us the same assurance today.

Christ also assured us of his constant aid and presence when he said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20). This strongly resembles God’s assurance to Joshua when he said, “I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Josh 1:5) and “the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9).

When you intend to say and do things that will spread the gospel and lead people to become followers of Christ, prepare your heart and mind in a spiritual way. Be sure that you are submitted and obedient to him, then follow him with confidence and courage. When you do, you’ll have the entire army of heaven on your side with nothing to fear.