FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
A surprising visit from Jesus before He was born?
I didn’t teach on this at FORGE because I simply didn’t have time. Let’s think it through now:
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.
Joshua 5:13-15
Think this through with me-here are some questions I asked when reading this through…
When a man has a drawn sword in his hand, what does that indicate?
This man seemed to just appear before Joshua. Was it a supernatural appearance?
Joshua thought this man was a real man and not a scary supernatural figure because he walked up to him. What does this reveal about Joshua? Walking up to a man with an already drawn sword says something about Joshua, but what? Was Joshua armed?
When Joshua asks this man if he is for the Israelites or their adversaries, the man responds in a way that indicates what reality in particular?
When the man revealed his identity to Joshua, Joshua worshipped him. What does this indicate about how Joshua identified this man?
What does Joshua’s words to this man, “What does my lord say to his servant?”, reveal?
How do the words in verse 15 echo Exodus 3:5?
Who could this person be?
Why is this encounter crucial for Joshua at this very moment? Look ahead to Joshua 6 for the answer.
So in your DAWG, learn to ask questions of the verses you read through.
I’ll give you my answers next week!
Strength and Courage,
Pete Alwinson
