Battle plans were all made, and Captain Joshua was sure of victory over the city of Jericho. Perhaps you have felt like that too, maybe just before an exam or a contest or a race. Or perhaps you have planned a music program or a large dinner reception and everything is ready. You feel sure that everyone will do their part well, and you are expecting the event to be a great success.
As Joshua was expecting victory, he looked up and saw a man with a sword drawn in his hand! A man usually carries a sword in a sheath at his side, but this man’s sword was in his hand, up and ready for action. It took courage to go right up and face the man, but that’s what Joshua did.
Are you for us or for our enemies? asked Joshua.
The man gave a strange answer. His answer was, No. That may not seem like an answer to Joshua’s question, but if that is God’s answer, don’t find fault with Him. Just listen.
The man told Joshua, I have come as captain of the army of the Lord.
Now Joshua was already captain of the children of Israel. This may have hurt his pride and self-importance. Perhaps you can understand that too. It is natural for each of us to choose the most important place. But Joshua knew that this man was sent from God Himself and that all honor belongs to God. He also knew that hope of victory in any battle is only in God.
What does my Lord say to His servant? asked Joshua. He was prepared for battle, but he knew that God is in control of everything we do and even our very lives. God had given Joshua the battle plans. Would He change them now? Would He cause the plans to fail and spoil his life?
Perhaps you do not know our God if you think that He likes to spoil things for us. Listen to the order which God gave to Captain Joshua.
Take your shoes off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. And Joshua did exactly as he was told . . . no arguments and no further questions. He obeyed. Will you also believe without arguing that the God who is in control of all things is holy?
The next day the battle plans which God had given were carried out with total success. The only failure was one of Joshua’s own men who failed to obey God’s command. Joshua needed that lesson of God’s total control or perhaps he would have failed too.
Maybe you have made good plans and you’re all prepared, but what is all that without power? You plan on going to heaven someday, and God wants you there, but your power to go there must come from God Himself. “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:1414And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)). You also know that the world crucified God’s Son. God’s response to this is simply, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
Without question or argument, will you now believe on this wonderful Savior whose blood cleanses from all sin? Our God is forever holy, and His holiness can be satisfied in nothing less than His beloved Son who died for sinners. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)).