What is a theophany? Joshua 5.13-15
Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Joshua, Judges, Ruth (3)
Pray Psalm 45.3-5.
Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
With Your glory and Your majesty.
And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness;
And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
The peoples fall under You.
Sing Psalm 45.3-5.
(Manoah: When All Thy Mercies, O My God)
Your sword gird on Your thigh, O LORD, in splendid majesty;
ride out, resplendent in Your Word, to glorious victory.
For meekness and for righteousness Your Right Hand shall prevail.
Your foes shall come to deep distress when You their souls assail.
Read and meditate on Joshua 5.13-15.
Preparation
1. Whom did Joshua encounter?
2. What did He tell Joshua?
Meditation
The technical term for what Joshua experienced here is theophany: a manifestation (-phany) of God (theo). That is, Joshua saw God, Who presented Himself in a visible form, and this itself points forward to the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But what did Joshua see? A mighty warrior Who identified Himself as “Commander of the army of the LORD”. As such, He was “for” only the good and glorious will of God. All Who embrace that will and devote their lives to it will know His leading, strength, and defense. Any who step outside that will or think they can improve on it will know His opposition.
Joshua immediately recognized the Man as the LORD Himself; he “fell on his face to the earth and worshiped” and addressed Him as “Lord” (here, not Yahweh but Adonai). The LORD affirmed Joshua’s response and spoke the words He spoke to Moses from the burning bush—” Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy”—thus confirming His identity as Yahweh.
This is the clearest manifestation of the Word of the Lord—the second Person of the divine Trinity—Who would assume the Person of Jesus Christ. This is a strong signal of God’s power to take on visible form, to reveal unmistakable details about the purpose of His manifesting Himself, and to command obedience from all those who recognize Him for Who He is.
Which is precisely what Jesus did when God manifested Himself in Him. He was a Man—that, anyone could see—but He was also God—which He demonstrated by His zeal for God’s will and ability to fulfill it completely and perfectly.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Life in God’s Kingdom is not like life on the earth. It runs by a different set of rules, under different Leadership, and by a different standard of reality.
Joshua was living on the earth when he asked the Commander, “Are You here for us or for our adversary?”
The Commander answered, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come” (Josh. 5.13, 14). God answered in a way that informed Joshua he had asked the wrong question altogether.
The disciples had a somewhat similar conversation with Jesus as they were setting out on a boat trip across the lake.
“Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.’ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?’ They said to Him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?’ And they said, ‘Seven.’ So He said to them, ‘How is it you do not understand?’” (Mk. 8.14-21).
Jesus was trying to teach them something about life in His Kingdom whilst living on earth, and all they could do was come up with a false assumption, “We’re getting this lecture because we have no bread.”
Joshua too, had a false assumption. This “Man”, he thought, was approaching to talk with him about the impending battle with Jericho. Both Joshua and the disciples had their vision aimed on their circumstances, and both needed to change their focus. So do we.
Yes, it is true, we live in the here and now. But it is also true that we should be focused on how our here and now transcends into the there and then—here and now.
God met with Moses to call, engage, and encourage him in the bush that did not burn. And He said to him,
“Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground” (Ex. 3.3-5).
God met with Joshua to let him know that He was with him, just as He had been with Moses. “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy” (Josh. 5.15).
God met with His disciples to call, encourage, and send them. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I AM with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28.18-20).
“When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted” (Matt. 28.17).
God meets with us to call, engage, and encourage us. We must not respond with false assumptions or eyes focused on the wrong things. We dare not ask, “Are You for us or our adversaries?” Or “Are you teaching me this because I forgot bread?” For those questioners, I fear, will be the ones who doubt Him.
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him—The Man, The Commander of the army of the LORD—Jesus.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” (Rom. 1.16). Focused directly on Him and His Kingdom, now; and not on battles or bread.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
(Helen H. Lemmel, 1922)
Reflection
1. Sometimes we do ask the wrong questions of the Lord. Such as?
2. Who is the “army of the LORD” over which Jesus is Commander? What are their weapons?
3. So we’re in a war? Why kind of war? How should you prepare for battle each day?
[Joshua] recognized not only something from God but that which is God; for certainly he would not have worshiped unless he had recognized God. For who else is chief of the army of the powers of God except our Lord Jesus Christ? For every heavenly army, whether angels or archangels, whether powers or “dominions or principalities or authorities,” all these that were made through him, wage war under the chief himself, who is the chief of chiefs and who distributes sovereignty to the sovereigns. Origen (185-254), Homilies on Joshua 6.2
Pray Psalm 45.6-8, 16, 17.
Call on the Lord to help you grow in Jesus, to become more like Him, better equipped to serve Him each day, bolder and more courageous in working your Personal Mission Field, and clearer in your vision of His heavenly glory.
Sing Psalm 45.6-8, 16, 17.
(Manoah: When All Thy Mercies, O My God)
Your throne, O God, is evermore, and upright is Your reign;
though wicked men Your Name abhor, Your righteousness must gain.
Your God has thus anointed You with oil of gladness great.
Your robes are rich with sweet perfume; sweet music gilds Your gate.
When we at last Your palace gain, and others take our place,
then let our children with You reign, a legacy of grace!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Our Scriptorium study on the book of Ruth, Ruth: Redeeming Grace, is now available in a free PDF. Download your copy by clicking here, then share it freely with friends and start your own Scriptorium study group..
Support for Scriptorium comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
