Week 29/2024
A word fitly spoken is like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver [Proverbs 25v11]
We continue our series of Christ in every book of the Old Testament in the Book of Joshua chapter 5v13-15: “Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lordhave for his servant?’ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so”.
As Joshua was contemplating how to conquer the impregnable city of Jericho, he is confronted by a man whose appearance struck fear in his heart. Joshua’s immediate response is whether this man will be his helper or not, but then he realises that here is what is known as a THEOPHANY or a visible appearance of God. If I can paraphrase the man’s response: “I am neither your helper or opponent – I am taking over”.
Friends, Christ is not interested in just being an extra arrow to our bow – He wants to take over our lives – our ambitions, our wills, our desires, our passions, every aspect of our beings. If we allow Him to take over and live by faith trusting His Word, we will see the walls of our spiritual Jericho’s collapse. That is why the apostle John tells us in 1 John 5v4: “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith”. But people of faith have a deadly enemy seeking their harm, so we need to be soaked in God’s Word (Bible) and trust what it says and obey it. 1 John 2v14 says: “I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one”.
God Bless
Graeme Greenwood