I Need My Shoe

Joshua 5:13-15

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

Notice how the commander of the Lord's army is seen here in the text. How many of you know that God is in control over all. He might appoint someone else. He might send someone else but he has not left the building yet so to speak. Notice the sword drawn in his hand. There are two things meant hereby. This is not the sword of the Lord but rather the sword of his army's commander. See the character of the Lord's sword. It is keen upon very few things. Isaiah 27:1-3 sees it as sore and punishing bent upon Leviathan that crooked and that piercing serpent. How many know the creation was originally made to serve him. How then have these run wild doing whatever they please. Along with him is found a dragon destined to be slain. Some of you might wonder how he lets these run wild until the end of the earth. But then he lets this commander meet this servant of God to check up on what he is about to do. Could it be that some of you have forgotten what God is doing in the middle of it all. Maybe you are so focused on the tall, handsome commander and the sword that you have lost sight of his purposes.

Isaiah 27:2 promises while these two are being dealt with, the people of God will gather round the ones who have forgotten. Then also will they sing of his judgment. I can almost hear them now "a vineyard of red wine." See, whether the Lord and his sword shows up or his commander, you know stuff is about to go down. It has gotten real up in here fast and there is quiet in the house. To all this mess and distress, the Lord and his commander pull up. Notice his words, "as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come." The focus is not on all those that have done you wrong. The matter is the Lord's. The issue is not what they have done. That is the Lord's alone. Look, do not look at the city and the people or even at what is around. Now his commander has come. He blocks the path and is in the way. It is almost like he is the most important person there. See how Joshua fell out. Regardless of whether his response was right or wrong, this commander showed up for his attention. He showed up for his time, his purpose be it divine or not, and also for his own life.

And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Note then the right response. Stand before me like a man. Take off your shoe for it is treading on holy ground. It is a statement that says in fact 'you presume too much.' The removal of the shoe was considered disrespect to the Arab and total trust to the people of God. But before God is it now made sacred. For only God could use and make a family at his will. Only.God could form and shape them at his word. He kept them by his power. What then would stop him from sending them as he will. As he kept the nation so he kept the family down to the last man. Joshua might be by himself without hope or descendants, but now is he considered half profane, half holy in the service of the Lord. See, he came to make the profane holy. With that he invoked the Mosaic principle of the kinsmen redeemer. Herein is found a mixing of the two along with the divine directions to take off the shoe and leave it for the Lord. Just the same would he later cast his own over Moab and Edom for then would they be his people and himself their God. Could it be some of you are too preoccupied by large swords, random men, and foot fetishes to notice the work of the Lord. In some places it is customary to propose marriage by leaving an earring or nose ring. Now every time I see them, I must question what state I am in.

See here, Joshua waited in the wilderness while everyone near and dear to him died. Now he was left all alone, an older, broken man. He had no children or wives, certainly none that Scripture mentions yet. He meets this man in the way and the first conclusion his brain could offer was that this could only be the Lord. The second conclusion was that he himself was many. Now by many, I certainly do not mean to speak of the plurality of demon possession. Rather this man was so lonely he felt as though surrounded by many. Is it not seen in his words, "are you for us or against us." I am sorry Joshua, but there is only ever one of you. I hate to break it to you and I know it breaks your heart to see. Perhaps you feel there might still be some family left. In the next town maybe, perhaps some are in the next village. Somewhere you will find a few more kinfolks to replace the faithless ones you lost. See how the messenger neither condemns him nor yet rebukes him. I can almost hear you saying, 'isn't he sort of mad.' Yeah, kind of. But how many know that when you meet God, he will not allow you to be the same ever again. Look once more at the text with me here. Something is about to happen. In all his loneliness, searching, and confusion he privately met with the one he without doubt needed most - the Lord. Could it be this whole thing was a set up to get this leader the help he needed before he got everybody else in trouble. Regardless of whether the strange man was the captain or the Lord is beside the point. It is less about the situation and more about getting Joshua and his state before the Lord. Listen now, I can hear Joshua saying 'Lord I need my shoe, it's all I have left.' So softly the Lord says but it is for my glory.