TEXT: Joshua 5:13-15

SUBJECT: Christ in the Old Testament #11: Commander

Today, with God’s blessing, we’ll continue our study of Christ in the Old Testament.

The story begins with Israel camped on the West Bank of the Jordan River. A few days before, God parted the waters and the people walked across on dry land. When the last man stepped ashore, the waters came together trapping Israel in the land of Canaan.

At their back was the Jordan River. Ahead were the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, along with the dreadful Anakim.

The Anakim were giants. One of them was nine feet four inches tall! Another slept on a bed thirteen-and-a-half feet long by six feet wide! One threw a spear weighing thirty-seven pounds! The sons of Anak were so huge that brave soldiers melted in their presence and reported,

One of these monsters would later intimidate a whole army. But at the time of the conquest, there were whole towns full of them. The contest was not between men and boys; it was more like men and bugs!

The other inhabitants of Canaan were not giants, but they were tough. They served man-eating gods and lived up to their religion. Their armies were experienced, well-armed, and dug in.

Most of all, they had something to fight for! Politicians fight for democracy or socialism or human rights or some other abstraction. But soldiers don’t. They fight for their homes, for their farms, for their families, and for their lives. That’s what the Canaanites were fighting for. Israel had not crossed the Jordan to share the land; they meant to take it all.

The Canaanites were a desperate people. They would fight with the rage of mother bear robbed of her cubs. And the tenacity of men who had nothing to lose.

Israel knew this. I wonder if we take our enemies as seriously as they took theirs? We are at war with the world, the flesh, and the devil.

The world is trying to mold us into its own ungodly shape. It’s using popular music, advertising and magazines; TV, radio, and the Internet; peer pressure, public schooling, the politicians and the laws they make. Even churches are cooperating as they lay aside the old themes of sin and grace for the new ones of "need" and "self-esteem".

What about the flesh? Well, don’t confuse it with "the body". Both body and soul are created by God, redeemed by Christ, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. No, the word flesh means those unsanctified things in body and soul. Things like laziness and gluttony, envy and pride. These things join the world in fighting against us…

…What makes them especially dangerous is that they’re inside us and often unrecognized. They’re traitors. Dressed in the uniform of our side, they’re fighting for the other side.

Then, of course, there is the devil, whom the Bible calls both a subtle serpent and a roaring lion. Which means he is both cunning and ferocious. If he can’t rape, he seduces. In either event, he gets what he wants.

We have enemies. They’re real, they’re clever, they’re powerful, but most of all, they’re relentless. They never give up.

Satan is many bad things, but he’s not a quitter. If you overcome one temptation, he’s got another one waiting for you. In fact, he’ll often use your victory to his advantage. If a man repents of gluttony, he starts thinking about how good he looks, which is vanity. If he prays more than others do, he starts thanking God that he "is not as other men are", which is pride.

When he came to our Lord in the wilderness, Satan didn’t tempt Him once, but three times. Finally, he left, of course, but Luke says it was only

A day is coming when you can take off your armor, lay down your weapons and enjoy eternal peace. But that day hasn’t come yet.

Joshua was at the beginning of the Conquest, not the end. It wasn’t time to celebrate the victory, but to fight the war.

To keep his strength and courage up, God made him a promise,

Joshua believed the promise, of course. But how do you think he understood it? I suspect he took it rather like we do—metaphorically. We have the same promise—in almost the same words--

"Where two or three are gathered together

But in believing the promise, what are we looking for? Success? Help? Guidance? These are all good things, of course. But being satisfied with them is shortchanging yourself and dishonoring God. The Lord promises more than a blessing! He promises Himself.

A carnally minded man wants the blessing of God more than God Himself. But those who know the Lord know better.

Forty years before Israel committed a great sin at Mount Sinai. There, in the Presence of God, they worshiped the Golden Calf. This made the Lord so angry He couldn’t stand to look at them any more.

Sick of their unbelief, God turns to Moses and makes an amazing offer,

God is not being sarcastic! He will send an angel to wipe out their enemies and give them a rich land. But they’ll go without Him.

To many, it sounds pretty good. Wine, women, and song—and no God to get on your nerves!

But Moses is horrified by the offer,

It’s better to die in a desert with God than to live in a paradise without Him.

The Lord’s Great Promise is not that He will drop off everything we need. But that He Himself will drop by. Here it is,

That’s the Promise. Made to Joshua long ago. And today, it’s made to us.

The promise made in Chapter One is kept in Chapter Five. The Lord promises to lead the armies of Israel.

At the gates of Jericho, He takes command. Joshua sees a Soldier standing nearby with a sword drawn. He walks up to Him and demands an answer,

The Man turns to him with a sneer and says, "Neither one!" He’s come as

Joshua falls down before the Man and wants to know,

Only this, Joshua,

The same words were spoken forty years before at the Burning Bush. And by the Same Person—Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ has joined the battle. Not in the rear where other generals show up, but right up front where the fighting is hot and heavy.

Like Israel, we’re in a deadly conflict. And, like them, we’re not alone! Jesus Christ is with us. And not only with us in the battle, He’s leading the charge! John saw Him riding a White Horse, wearing a Crown, and going forth,

Jesus Christ has become "The Captain of our Salvation". By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ broke all His enemies. He broke the power of sin, the power of Satan, and even the power of death.

He did it—not only for Himself—but for His People. Sin is still with us, but it’s damning and dominating power is no more! Satan is still with us, but he’s crushed under our feet. And, of course, death is still with us, but it’s lost its "Sting" and the grave has lost its "Victory".

In short, we are "More than conquerors through Him who loved us".

This doesn’t mean the Christian life is an easy one—far from it! In Christ, you see, we don’t duck our enemies, we fight them—with blood, sweat, and tears—and in that way emerge victorious.

How should we respond to our Commander in Chief?

If you don’t believe in Christ, you ought to—right now. Resistance is Futile! Surrender to Jesus Christ. Or be crushed. When asked by an enemy scout if he came in peace, Jehu snapped, "What do you know of peace? Get behind me". In other words, fight for me or taste my vengeance. However you think of Christ, please don’t think of Him as

For all His grace and mercy,

It’s better to fight for Him than against Him.

For believers, the boldness and power of Christ ought to encourage us to fight our battles with faith and hope. To not give up and see our enemies as invincible. They’re not. Not as long as Christ is in command!

As we compare the strength of our enemies to our own weakness, let’s remember we’re never stronger than when we’re at our weakest. Why? Because His "Power is made perfect in weakness". One of the best known verses in the Bible is also one we’re prone to forget,