Joshua Learns a Lesson...

Recently the Spirit directed me to read Joshua chapter 6.

My initial thought was “Why?!”

I’m so obedient sometimes…

I did read it though and was mildly amused at what I saw as God’s sense of humor in verse 2. The situation in verse 1 is that Jericho is shut up tight. This fortified city with its high walls is completely secured so that no one is coming out and no one can get in. It is then that the Lord says to Joshua, “See, I have given you this city, along with its king and all the fighting men.”

I would probably not actually say this to the Lord but I certainly was thinking this as I read what the Lord said. My thought was, “Are you kidding me?! It looks pretty secure to me, nobody coming in, nobody getting out. How is it that you have “given” this to me??! It looks like they still have pretty good control over it!”

As I kept on reading, I read God’s highly irregular combat plans for Joshua to follow in order to defeat this well fortified city. March around the city once a day, saying absolutely nothing, just have the priests blow the horns. On the 7th day, march around it 7 times, then SHOUT! Then go take the city when the walls fall down.

And even though I know the story, I’m trying to think as Joshua might have been thinking when he first heard these directions. So my thought was, “Um, oh-kaaaay… and “that” will work you say?!”

Of course, the story goes on to tell that Joshua followed all that the Lord told him to do and we do see just how well God’s plan does work.

Something in me was a bit dissatisfied though. It all seemed too easy. Unusual yes, but it seemed that Joshua just gave in to his whole idea rather effortlessly. I mean, come on! This is a bit crazy!

So I decided to look into it a bit more closely. I read the latter part of Chapter 5 and found that “aha!”

Just shortly before chapter 6 started, Joshua sees a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua boldly approaches the man and asks “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

The man replies, “Neither. I am the captain of the Lord’s army and I am here.”

That answer puts a little fear in me, to realize that God’s angel is not choosing sides. I have the thought that if he is nor for us, then he could be against us…and that would be baaaad!

Joshua bows with his face to the ground in reverence. Great move Joshua.

The next words spoken by the captain of the Lord’s army changed everything for me. The angel tells Joshua, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

“Aha!” Now, I see….Joshua is on holy ground before the Lord – in reverential worship. He is awestruck that he is seeing the angel of the Lord face to face.

So, THEN when he hears what the Lord has to say…it is not a struggle to believe it. In fact, ANYTHING that God would have said then would have been very easy to accept because Joshua’s heart was fully yielded to God in worship.

Aha. The connection is now clear for me.

Perhaps the actual title of this piece should be: Ray learns a lesson!