Just Thinking: Whose Side Are You?

Just Thinking: Whose side are you?

Joshua 5:13-15 (NIV)

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”. “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord[a] have for his servant?”
The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

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Preceding this encounter (Joshua and the Angel) was an act of obedience – Joshua circumsizing the fighting age children, whose parents were disobedient, and God giving them peace, so they can heal. As soon they were healed, it was time to fight and the next city was Jericho.

So, God sent an angel to come speak with Joshua on the strategy of the next battle. Joshua had learnt from Moses, that strength and ability to come up with great strategy without Godly direction is futile, so he eagerly await God’s direction.

What is fascinating about Joshua’s encounter with the angel is the conversation they had. Joshua was clearly in obedience and was seeking God, when this angel showed up, yet the angel said “i’m neither on your side nor on your enemy’s side”, what was clear however, was that Joshua and Israel at that particular time were on God’s side.

The question for all of us, is not whether God is on our side, rather are we on His side? Like Joshua, we know we are on His side when we obey Him and His Spirit leads us. Joshua knew circumsizing his soldiers (in a war season) was risky yet he obeyed God. Joshua knew Jericho was the next city on their agenda and perhaps had a plan, yet he wanted to know God’s plan – although he was the best general Israel ever had.

We (True Believers) will be wise not to think God is on our side, but rather keep asking ourselves “are we on His side” based on our utter obedience to His written word and yielding to the leading of His Spirit in us?