Who are you for?
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Kid’s Corner
Kid’s Corner
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
28 The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers.
Each of these verses explain that doing things God’s way are always beneficial/good/rewarding.
Those who fear/trust God will be blessed with long life/eternal life.
Hoping in God brings joy, but when we seek joy from other things, our joy and happiness will be cut short.
God is just and protects those who trust Him, but that is also a guarantee of destruction for those who don’t trust Him.
Who are you for?
Who are you for?
I’m not sure how many of you watched the State of the Union address this week, as President Trump reported to the nation what has taken place over the past year and what he hopes will take place in the coming years, but it was very evident (as it has been each time the President has given the SOTU speech in my lifetime) that some were for him and some were against him.
We see this kind of choosing sides, all around us. In Politics, In sports (little league all the way up to professional sports). This often takes place in our own personal relationships too.
This is very evident throughout history, especially when we think back to the various battles and wars that we either lived through or learned about in History class.
Today our focus in going to be on Joshua 5:13-15.
I am hopefully going to help us learn something about choosing sides. To learn about picking a team.
13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up 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.
The Setting
The Setting
Have you ever been out on a hike, exploring an area that you have never been through before? It is something I enjoy doing. I like to travel to new places or visit places I haven’t been to for a period of time.
Joshua was probably on alert, knowing he was entering a foreign land.
A man appears, wielding a sword. This was probably a bit startling, but Joshua approaches none the less, and asks this person a question.
The Question
The Question
“Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”
This could be broken down into two questions but it appears that Joshua believed it was an “either or” kind of situation. Isn’t it easy for us to think of the circumstances of our lives and especially the interactions that we have with people in the way Joshua did?
Watching the SOTU address each year, we very quickly identify, who is for the President speaking at the time and who is for his adversaries.
We often, whether consciously or subconsciously ask:
Are you for us?
Are you for us?
Are you for our adversaries?
Are you for our adversaries?
We are quick to determine whether someone is for us or against us. Sometimes we do this by simply looking at them and evaluating their “look”.
Well, Joshua asks the man, directly and the man answers the question, doesn’t he?
The Answer
The Answer
NO, Neither
NO, Neither
I am not for you
I am not for you
I am not for your adversary
I am not for your adversary
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?”
The answer given, may not be completely unexpected, except we know the context in which it took place.
For example, you may walk around town and see another person and if you asked them, “Are you for me or for my adversary?” They may reply a number of ways,
“What?” “Who are you?” “Who is your adversary?”
These are three legitimate questions.
They might say, “I’m not for you or your enemy.” or “Neither, I’m a Bills fan.” or I’m an anti-Patriots fan.” or “I’m a member of the socialist party.”
But here, in the context, the man is carrying a sword, and Joshua has recently been told that the land he is entering will be given to the people of Israel.
The Unabridged Answer
The Unabridged Answer
. . . but I am the Commander of the Army of the Lord.
. . . but I am the Commander of the Army of the Lord.
I’m not for you or your adversary, Joshua. I’m not against you or your adversary, Joshua.
My presence here, is not about your adversary and it is not about you, It’s about the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!
“Now I have come.” My presence, right here, right now, is because the Lord God Almighty has sent me as the commander of His army.
(This man was possibly the pre-incarnate Christ, and is likely the same “being” that appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and one of the men that appeared to Abraham when he was told that his wife would bare him a son.)
The Real Issue/s 3 Main take aways
The Real Issue/s 3 Main take aways
1. LIFE is about GOD, not you, or me or our adversaries.
1. LIFE is about GOD, not you, or me or our adversaries.
The angel of the Lord helped Joshua to remember this.
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.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Jonathan Edwards, “. . . within the being of God, his love for virtue – that which is fit and decent – cannot be separated from the love he has for himself. This is because loving God is primarily and chiefly what makes up all virtue and holiness.”
Jonathan Edwards, “. . . within the being of God, his love for virtue – that which is fit and decent – cannot be separated from the love he has for himself. This is because loving God is primarily and chiefly what makes up all virtue and holiness.”
Edwards, Jonathan. The End for Which God Created the World: Updated to Modern English (p. 84). Glory Focus (www.gloryfocus.com). Kindle Edition.
2. God is Holy and we are not holy (apart from faith in His Saving grace)!
2. God is Holy and we are not holy (apart from faith in His Saving grace)!
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.
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
3. We need to bow down and take off our shoes/sandals/boots and worship in the presence of a Holy God.
3. We need to bow down and take off our shoes/sandals/boots and worship in the presence of a Holy God.
The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.
The End for Which God Created the World
Chief Ends
Ultimate Ends
God’s Chief End (which makes it the chief end of all things, which He created) is to bring glory to Himself.
Job understood this,
Habakuk questioned this,
and the Psalmists wrestled with this truth.
The Syrophoenician Woman understood this
So I’ll pose Joshua’s question to you.
“Who are you for?”
“Who are you for?”
It is best for you and all creation, if you are for God because He is for Himself!
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
If you see God for who He is or if you meet the commander of the Lord’s Army, what will your response be?
If you see God for who He is or if you meet the commander of the Lord’s Army, what will your response be?
The proper response is that you will fall on your face and worship, and ask Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
The proper response is that you will fall on your face and worship, and ask Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
This is the challenge we are faced with each and every day. Having a proper comprehension for the God of the Universe, and a proper knowledge of who we are.