Who was he and where did he go?
There's an interesting character in the story of Joshua that some of you may never have noticed before. He is called "Commander of the Army of the LORD" and he appears in Joshua 5:13, as promised in Deuteronomy 31:3-6. He reminds me of Merlin in the King Arthur series by Stephen R. Lawhead, which I read as a teenager. He's not just the kind, yet fussy old tutor made famous my Disney, he's a warrior, passionate and brave, helping establish the kingdom with his sword as well as his counsel.
Now, the best thing about the person described in Joshua's story is that we can know who he was, and it may surprise us. What are the clues? First, his title: Who has a right to be called the commander, or Captain (NASB), of God's army? Second, he allows himself to be worshiped: Who alone is worthy of worship? (Certainly not an angel) Third, he commands Joshua to remove his sandals and declares the place holy ground: Where have we heard that before? So, a person (with a body) claims to be in charge of the army of heaven, accepts worship from the leader of God's chosen people (one who heard God talking to Moses [Exodus 33:11]), and reenacts the theophany of the Burning Bush (claiming to be God)... The Commander of the Army of the Lord is none other than Jesus!
Now, this isn't the only time Jesus appears in the Old Testament text, but it is unique because it begins a prolonged interaction between people and the pre-incarnate Christ, where it seems he may actually be fighting on Israel's side as they drive out the kingdoms under God's judgment in Canaan, extending all the way to Judges 13. However, the moment that struck me as I was reading was his declaration that he wasn't going to continue fighting for Israel in the same way. It is recorded in Judges 2 and happens in a place called Bokim.
1 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3 And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’” 4 When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, 5 and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the LORD.
Now, this angel (or messenger) seems to be Jesus: he physically moves, receives sacrifices, and is called "the LORD" in 2:20-23. After this, Jesus sends the people Judges to lead them in his place. In fact, he makes encore appearances in the call of Gideon and of Samson, but after that he no longer leads the way he did with Joshua. He allows Israel to face the consequences of her sin. In effect, he says, "Ok, you want some space from me? Here you go: Space."
Sometimes, I wish God hadn't removed himself in this way. I wish I could still see him standing over the battlefield with his his sword drawn. However, I know that He is wiser than I am. I'm sure the early disciples of Jesus felt the same way when he said, "You are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:6-7)
In the end, he is still fighting for us: he is still Jesus; he is still here.
Now, the best thing about the person described in Joshua's story is that we can know who he was, and it may surprise us. What are the clues? First, his title: Who has a right to be called the commander, or Captain (NASB), of God's army? Second, he allows himself to be worshiped: Who alone is worthy of worship? (Certainly not an angel) Third, he commands Joshua to remove his sandals and declares the place holy ground: Where have we heard that before? So, a person (with a body) claims to be in charge of the army of heaven, accepts worship from the leader of God's chosen people (one who heard God talking to Moses [Exodus 33:11]), and reenacts the theophany of the Burning Bush (claiming to be God)... The Commander of the Army of the Lord is none other than Jesus!
Now, this isn't the only time Jesus appears in the Old Testament text, but it is unique because it begins a prolonged interaction between people and the pre-incarnate Christ, where it seems he may actually be fighting on Israel's side as they drive out the kingdoms under God's judgment in Canaan, extending all the way to Judges 13. However, the moment that struck me as I was reading was his declaration that he wasn't going to continue fighting for Israel in the same way. It is recorded in Judges 2 and happens in a place called Bokim.
1 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3 And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’” 4 When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, 5 and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the LORD.
Now, this angel (or messenger) seems to be Jesus: he physically moves, receives sacrifices, and is called "the LORD" in 2:20-23. After this, Jesus sends the people Judges to lead them in his place. In fact, he makes encore appearances in the call of Gideon and of Samson, but after that he no longer leads the way he did with Joshua. He allows Israel to face the consequences of her sin. In effect, he says, "Ok, you want some space from me? Here you go: Space."
Sometimes, I wish God hadn't removed himself in this way. I wish I could still see him standing over the battlefield with his his sword drawn. However, I know that He is wiser than I am. I'm sure the early disciples of Jesus felt the same way when he said, "You are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:6-7)
In the end, he is still fighting for us: he is still Jesus; he is still here.
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