Young People's Group

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE COMMANDER OF THE LORD’S ARMY

by Pastor Mitch
April 29, 2012

Lacking In Regard For The Lord And His Word

Having the right regard for God takes much cultivation. Even great servants of God like Joshua had to learn this important principle of life and ministry.

“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him, with His sword drawn in His hand.” 
Joshua 5:13

Joshua had allowed himself to let fear affect him even though the Lord had promised him that He would be with him. It had also been written in the text of Exodus 23:23 that God would send His Angel to go before the armies of Israel, to bring them into the promised land and to destroy the people that were in Canaan. Joshua still needed to be encouraged and strengthened further. The Lord Jesus, as the Angel of the Lord, came in his pre-incarnate form to Joshua to encourage him. He revealed Himself to Joshua as the Commander of the heavenly army, with sword drawn and ready for war.

Recognition Of The Lord As Commander Of The Heavenly Army

“So He said, ‘No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.'” 
Joshua 5:14

When Joshua saw the Man with a drawn sword, he did not recognise that He was the Lord. This indicates that Joshua was still not as sensitive to the Lord’s presence as he should be. In fact, he asked whether the Lord was for them or for his adversaries. The Lord replied with tremendous authority that He did not come for either but He had come as the Captain of the heavenly host. He was the One who commanded the millions of powerful angels of the angelic host and he was going to carry out God’s will. At that moment, Joshua finally recognised that he was in the presence of a great divine Commander.

Good Humble Responses In The Presence Of The Lord

“And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, and said to Him, ‘What does my Lord say to His servant?'” 
Joshua 5:14

Joshua, realising that He was standing before divinity, humbly responded by prostrating Himself before the Lord and worshipped Him. He realised that he was wrong in asking whether the Man was for them or for his enemies. He now spoke with great humility and submission to the Great Commander and asked what He wanted him to do. Young people, as soldiers of Christ, it is not what we want our Divine Commander to do for us that matters but what He wants us to do for Him.

Learning To Have The Sacred Regard For God That Moses Did

“Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, ‘Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” 
Joshua 5:15

The first thing Joshua had to learn to do was to have the highest regard for the Lord’s holiness. Joshua, like Moses, could not sense the holiness of God’s presence at first. He had to learn to understand the sacredness of being in the presence of God. He had to recognise how sinful he was before Him. We, like Moses and Joshua, must also learn to cultivate a sacred regard of God each time we worship or serve Him. May we humbly “take off our sandal” each time we meet with Him in prayer, in praise and in performing our service for Him.

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