Holy Sand

 

“Are you for us or for our enemies?”  “Neither,” he said,

“but as Commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come.”

Joshua 5:13-14

After the death of Moses, Joshua was the leader of Israel and commander of the army.  One day when they were near Jericho, Joshua saw a lone man standing ahead of them, a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua called out to him: “Are you for us or against us?”  The Being proclaimed, “Neither!  I come as the Commander of Jehovah’s army!”

Immediately, Joshua knelt in the sand and inquired what message the Lord had for him.  The Being in front of him was not going to be boxed into the categories of for-and-against, but declared Himself to be the commander of the Lord’s army.  When He told Joshua to remove his sandals because he was on holy ground,  Joshua had a clear memory of the stories of Moses and the burning bush, and understood immediately exactly Who was standing before him: the Lord Himself.  Joshua inquired, "What message does my LORD have for His servant?"

God could have sent an angel to give instructions to Joshua, but He did not. This was the very beginning of Joshua’s leadership of the children of Israel, and God came personally to give him strength, courage and hope.