"The Man in the Shadow" (Conclusion)

“The Man Standing in the Shadows”

K. Adrian Scott

March 15, 2026

Contextual Introduction.

This seventh book of the Old Covenant of Scripture is named after Israel’s new leader, Joshua, who succeeded Moses in leading the people of Israel. And as I mentioned last week, this book of history describes in great detail the struggles Israel endured in transitioning from one outstanding, long-term leader Moses, and for the past forty years living a very nomadic life in the wilderness, to a new leader, Joshua, who unlike Moses had a military background. Under Moses’ leadership Scripture tells us the people of Israel were now standing on the very cusp of entering the land God, or Yahweh promised Israel four hundred years earlier when Yahweh spoke this promise to their forefather, Abraham.

However, Canaan was on the opposite side of the Jordan River, and of course, if they were to enter and occupy the land of Canaan, that lush “land that flowed with milk and honey”, the Israelites must first accept the formidable challenge of crossing the Jordan. Friends, even considering God’s promises, the Lord God expects us, the Lord’s people, to have some ‘skin in the game.’ God expects to participate or make an investment of our time and effort into the cause of God’s righteous Kingdom.

Note: Christianity is not a spectator sport but requires our active and faithful participation. And if your religion does not cost you something, you have the wrong religion!

And the successful crossing of the Jordan by the multitude of Israelites; priests first carrying the Ark of the Covenant, the Israeli Army of 40,000 next, then the entire twelve tribes of Israelites numbering approximately one million people was so significant and worthy of it being an historical marker, the Lord commanded them to take stones from the middle of the temporarily dried-up River and make a monument so they would remember, ‘this is where the Lord delivered us – look where the Lord has brought us from!’

God's miraculous intervention on Israel’s behalf when God dried up the Jordan long enough for the people to cross over was a ‘God thing’ and the telling and re-telling of this historical event would happen for centuries and a few thousand years even up to this present day in Jewish Temples across the world.

God making a way when there seemed to be ‘no way’ is a refrain we are all familiar with because we too have experienced it!

Once across the River and their feet firmly planted in Canaan’s soil, it was as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. How with every step they took while in the middle of the often-tempestuous Jordan River, a place where normally they were subject to have drowned because of the overwhelming intensity of the river. But God. But by a single act of Yahweh’s mercy and out of an abundance of God’s underserved kindness, where Israel might have perished, they were walking and standing on dry ground. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul would later say, “So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15.58, NET Bible).

Because, whoever heard of people crossing a river and not even getting wet? They didn’t need swimming lessons! This kind of thing only happens when God is involved in it!

What do you need or want the Lord to be involved in your life?

God had buried their sin of disobedience in the depths of the Jordan and has forgiven them of everything they had thought, said or done. It is true that God’s mercy is wider than any river and is even deeper than any sea or ocean. To be forgiven is to no longer be captive by our shame but is to be completely free.

What the Israelites learned in that river is their God whom they called Yahweh, was then and remains more powerful than the mighty Jordan River, and God’s grace, that endowment from God to God’s people, which we do not deserve nor have we earned, is stronger than our mistakes. And the strength of our faith comes from the strong rocks which we stood on while going through our most difficult challenges and scary experiences. It is no wonder Psalm 18.2 says, “the Lord is my Rock!”

God’s grace is more abundant than we can ever envision; God’s mercy is wider than our failures, and is inclusive of our shortcomings; God’s love is not shallow but is deeper than any trouble, stronger than any test and is flexible enough to cover us when our lives are twisted by personal troubles, bent by unbelief, cracked by our mistakes, blown down by the howling winds of adversity! What God promises will come to pass!

If you feel like you’ve lost everything like Job, have fallen into a hole like Joseph, been overlooked like David, devastated by loss of everything and everyone loved like, the loss of all that is familiar and the uncertainty of moving to start over with a new life a little or nothing like Ruth, without a clear plan except faith and obedience like Abraham, then God has you and me where God wants us, that is, with little to contribute other than our obedience because God specializes in doing the impossible; making much out of little and growing magniicent fruit out of a seed! Trust Him!

5. 2-5, ESV; “At that time the Lord said to Joshua, Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time. 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. 5 Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised.”

Note: If you remember, this issue of circumcision came up before in the case of Moses who had refused to circumcise his oldest son by his wife, Zipporah and the Lord threatened to kill Moses if he did not comply (Exodus 40).

5. 2-5, NET; “At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites once again.’ 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at the Hill of the Foreskins. 4 This is why Joshua had to circumcise them: All the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt died on the journey through the wilderness after they left Egypt. 5Now all the men who left were circumcised, but all the sons born on the journey through the wilderness after they left Egypt were uncircumcised.”

Israel has crossed the Jordan and has entered Canaan, but they are not ready to occupy! The gift of land from Yahweh was specifically to be enjoyed by God’s faithful chosen people and no one else. So, what physical sign were the Israelites to accept as a way of identifying as one of God’s chosen faithful people? Through circumcision Genesis 17.10-14). It was through circumcision Israel would just as their fore parents did, identify with the one true God, Yahweh, as their God.

Vv. 8-9; “When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9 And the Lord said to Joshua, Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you. And so, the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.”

This section of Joshua, and some might argue that the entire book of Joshua has a common theme and that is, renewal or starting fresh; born again! Yahweh said, “this day”; “today” I have rolled away the shame of Egypt!” God has forgiven Israel for the years, even decades of their stubbornness; their failure to keep the Covenant God made with them; days of turning away from the Lord; failing to give God credit for the miracles that were done on their behalf! Yahweh extended forgiveness to the people of Israel because they had too often ignored their spiritual legacy, forgotten about their heritage as a ‘chosen’ people and their history of redemption beginning with Adam through the time of Moses. Although mistreated, forgotten about, ignored, cursed, distanced and forsaken, the Lord God still forgave and said, “this day I have rolled away the shame, the disgrace of Egypt” or what Egypt stood for – Israel’s rebellion. God is a forgiving God! And our God is a patient God!

However, we should observe this re-start is not because the Lord wants to make Israel happy, or God is in a good mood. No, this spiritual renewal is God’s response to the obedience of God’s people. They said, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go” (1. 16). There is never a question about what God will do for God’s people, the question is are we willing to do what the Lord commands us to do and go where the Lord sends us?

v. 10-12; “While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.”

Manna was the food God sent directly from heaven, fresh every day. It was food for the disobedient people of Israel; it was a merciful meal and more than enough to sustain them. Instead, the very first day after Israel observed the Passover, a remembrance of God’s mercy to Israel in Egypt, they were treated with a meal of produce from their new land. No more manna because the people were no longer hungry, angry and disobedient travelers without a home, rather, they would now eat the food from the land God gave them. Is it wonderful when you have a clear conscience before God and how the Lord feeds us fresh food from His Word! That meal was a sign from God of things to come! It is a new day! And since God’s people had not been in Canaan during the planting season, this is the food that God provided. Everyone one of us enjoyed things that we had nothing to do with. This was a celebratory meal! God was the host and Israel were the invited guests! They just showed up and ate!

Vv. 13-15; “When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted 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? 14 And he said, no; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, what does my lord say to his servant? 15 And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy. And Joshua did so.”

v. 13; “...he lifted up his eyes and looked,”

Joshua and the people have already faced the challenge of the Jordan River, but now here they are faced with the reality of the challenge of Jericho. Because some of Joshua’s help must have died in the wilderness! Where does your help come from?

Do you ever feel like ‘if it’s not one thing it's another?’ However, people of faith are always looking up rather than down! And the victory of faith is not in the ‘seeing’ but in the ‘looking!’ ‘Looking’ can be an act of faith, while ‘seeing’ can be a statement about our own ability. You may say Joshua won the battle before it started because Joshua was looking up and believed God was present to help! Look around you and look above you!

What did Joshua see? A man with his sword drawn! And he identifies himself as the Captain of the Lord of Hosts. Joshua may have been confused; Joshua thought he saw was the Commander of the Lord’s Army! And here is a man he had never seen before who claims to be in charge, but Joshua had not sworn the man into military service. Who is he?

Notice Joshua had to go near the man (v.13). “Draw near to God and God will draw near to you!!” (James 4.8).

“Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”

Who is he – friend or foe? So, Joshua asks, “are you for us or for our adversaries?”

His nationality was not obvious because the man was from another place!

“Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” The man’s response was “And he said, “Neither. I have come now as the commander of Yahweh’s army.” (Lexham English Bible)

F.W. Grant in his commentary says, ‘this is someone higher than Joshua, the real leader of the people.”

Why the response of ‘neither?’ Is it because Almighty God does not align Himself with us, but we must align ourselves with God? Because God is for us if we are aligned with God’s will and purpose. Also, no one has exclusive rights to God because God is on the side of what is right, what is holy and what is just! And if we are pursuing God’s holy agenda, and only then, can we expect the Lord’s help.

Now that we know what God is expecting of us, we know what we can expect from God; God’s help which this man represents. The presence of this Commander tells us that we are not fighting alone! Joshua has enrolled all the help he can from Israel’s people, so God has sent help from another place!

Joshua learned something valuable here – He was not in charge!

I do not care what your credentials are in this life; You nor I are in charge! And if I am a believer, one of God’s people, my life is not my own and neither is your life your own.

Do not let the term ‘man’ confuse you because this is not another ordinary man or soldier. In Scripture a representative of God was often called a ‘man’

“And he said, “Neither. I have come now as the commander of Yahweh’s army.” Here is the independence of God who alone is absolutely holy, verifiably just, indisputably moral and unquestionably righteous and without rival or comparison!

The man standing near Joshua says something about ‘presence’, God’s ‘presence’; God present to encourage/help! And then, the drawn sword says something about the man’s ‘power’; power to defeat the enemy.

May I encourage you today by saying, you are not alone! Whatever your challenge, please know you are not alone in your doubts, your pain, your disappointments, your struggles with family and health issues, and certainly, and most importantly, we are not alone as we face the spiritual challenges that face us. God is with us. And” if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8.31)