“When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, ‘Are you for us, or for our adversaries?’ And he said, ‘No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.’” (Joshua 5:13–14 ESV).
As Joshua prepared for battle near Jericho, he encountered a mysterious man with a drawn sword. When Joshua asked whose side He was on, the man answered in a way that reframed the question entirely, simply replying, “No.” He then identified Himself as the Commander of the army of the LORD. The broader passage showed that Joshua fell in worship, was not rebuked, and was commanded to remove his sandals, just as Moses had been at the burning bush. This revealed that this was no mere angel, but a direct appearance of God, often understood as a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. The LORD came not to assist Joshua, but to assert His authority over the battle.
We often approach life asking God to take our side, to bless our plans, and to fight our battles our way. This passage confronts that mindset. God is not a mere advisor or agent for us. He is our Commander. The question is not whether God is for us, but whether we are submitted to Him. Like Joshua, we must move from self-confidence to surrender. Victory does not begin with strategy, but with submission. Before we receive direction, we must recognize His authority. Before we fight, we must bow. We are reminded that the presence of God is far more important than any plan we could devise. If we have His presence, we have everything we need. So we ask ourselves honestly: are we truly under His command? For it’s not whether God is for us, but are we for Him?
PRAYER: Dear Father, we come before You in humility and reverence. Forgive us for the times we have tried to make You serve our plans instead of submitting to Yours. Teach us to bow before You as our Lord and King. Help us to seek Your presence above all else and to trust Your leadership in every battle we face. Align our hearts with Your will so that we may walk in obedience and faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.