by Randy Willis

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” Joshua 5:13

A humble soldier, Joshua, walks in the shadow of Moses, the great Lawgiver of Israel. God chooses Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. But how can anyone follow the story of Moses and the 10 Commandments?

 And the Lord said to Joshua, This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. Joshua 3:7

Joshua encounters a flooded Jordan River. God drys the Jordan as He did the Red Sea in Moses’ day.

On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life. Joshua 4:14

The Bible records all the kings of the Canaanites  “heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.”

I would have been scared to death, too, when this news reached me. Surely Joshua thought, “How am I going to do this?” This is my conjecture and is not in the Bible. But as I write, I recall the story that first made me love and respect Joshua. I was a teenager, and Joshua was 40 years younger than in this story.

It is why I named my son Joshua after him.

Twelve Spies were dispatched by Moses to scout out the Promised Land. God promised Abraham this land centuries before. The land also known as Canaan that the spies were to explore was the same Promised Land.

Ten of the twelve spies came back with adverse reports. The other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, had an entirely different point of view.

There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight. Numbers 13:31

To this day, Joshua and Caleb’s response has been my heart cry. I planned to name my next son Caleb if I had had a fourth son.

Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them. Numbers 14:9

When I first read these words as a boy, I thought, “Yes, how wonderful, they are only light bread.” I eagerly imagined, “Bring on the peanut butter.” I realized that’s not an interpretation any of my learned Bible scholars friends would ever use. They all have an array of “Ds” at the end of their names. I have none. However, I have not found a better metaphor in half a century. I have kept the same one since I first read the story. At least I never added jelly.

The far more important message is this. Joshua and Caleb were the only men from their generation permitted to enter the Promised Land. They were allowed because of their faith in God’s promise.

Now, once again, in the Promised Land, four decades later. Joshua has not forgotten those 9-foot giants. He also remembers the impregnable fortified walls with a barbaric, cruel enemy.

Surely Joshua thought, “How am I going to do this?” Joshua is near the first of the fortified cities, Jericho. I will cease from conjecture and let one of the most profound lessons in all the Bible unfold.

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, Are You for us or for our adversaries? Joshua 5:13

I like the words, “He lifted his eyes.” They remind me of one of my favorite Psalms.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord. Psalm 121:1

He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” I can’t imagine “no” being the answer Joshua was seeking. The more critical question is whos side is Joshua on. Nevertheless, in the blink of an eye, we find out.

And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” The “Commander of the army of the Lord” is the pre-incarnate Christ. No Angel would have ever allowed themselves to be worshiped.

Christ, the Lord of Creation, has no beginning nor an ending. He is from everlasting to everlasting. He appears numerous times before his incarnation. He is fully divine, the second person of the Holy Trinity.

No metaphor, analogy, allegory, or example can explain the Trinity adequately. I know of none in any narrative. Jesus was also fully human when He was born in Bethlehem. He becomes God in the flesh, incarnate henceforth.

Christ comes to pay the penalty for our sins. He sheds His lifeblood on the cross of Calvary. He is 100% God and 100% man. God is infinite. He is not limited by time or space. He created them. Only God can create something from nothing. Man is finite. Our inability to explain God is well documented in thousands of attempts. Therefore we walk by faith as the scriptures declares we must over and over again.

The pre-incarnate Christ is what Joshua needs for victory. Joshua can not win the battle in his own strength. Nor can I. Nor can you.

In this case, the mighty warrior God, the pre-incarnate Christ, reveals several truths. We must learn these truths to conquer our most significant obstacles in life. Write them down. You will need them for the rest of your life.

And every common bush afire with God, But only he who sees takes off his shoes.  Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Joshua discovers four great truths:

​Lesson one: Joshua, you are not alone. I am standing next to you.

​Lesson two: Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy. And Joshua did so {my emphasis}.”

​Lesson three: Joshua, you are not in control. I am in control. Therefore, follow my commands, for I will lead you to victory, not you.

​Lesson four: Number four is the greatest lesson I’ve learned in my life’s struggles. When Christ takes over, the victory is already won. It is NOT going to be won; it’s already won. (Joshua 6:1-2) All I need to do is carefully follow His instructions to victory. They can be found in His owner’s manual. His instruction Book. The inerrant, infallible Word of God, the Bible. These step-by-step instructions have rarely made sense at the time.​ I reckon that’s called walking by faith.

Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. Joshua 6:1-2

Through osmosis, you will not absorb God’s instructions for your well-being, and victory. You will have to open your Bible and read. 

And dare I say, it’s called obedience. You must surrender control of your life to the Lord. This includes all its choices. It is a daily challenge for me. I feel as if its two steps forward, then one step backwards at times. And other times two or three steps backwards. But, we are not the first to recognized our weakness in living the Christian life. Paul writes in Romans of the difficulty.

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:15-19

He is our Lord and Savior who created us and the universe. Christ is the glue (another inadequate metaphor) that holds it together.

Whenever I take control, I ask myself: Would any decision I make not yield a better result? If I say, as Jesus did, “Not my will, but thine.” My mother always had the same answer to every question. Whenever I faced dilemmas, she would ask, “Randy, what would Jesus do?”

Thank the Lord His strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul wrote in II Corinthians:

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities. II Corinthians 12:9

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Victory in Jesus

“So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat.” Joshua 6:20

Here are a few of the lyrics to the spiritual Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho I grew up singing.

Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
Around Jericho around Jericho
Joshua fit the battle around Jericho
And the walls come tumblin’ down

The Bible says the last will be first in Heaven. Therefore, I may be the best singer in Heaven for I sure can’t down here.

What’s in a Name

Historically, “Jesus” was the Greek form of “Joshua.” The name “Joshua” is a rendering of the Hebrew name “Yehoshua” and means Yahweh is salvation. Both forms of the name mean “The Lord Is Salvation.”  Yeshua is a Hebrew name that means to “deliver” or rescue.

Jesus’ mother, Mary, and His stepfather, Joseph, did not name Jesus. God did this through his angel.

My Joshua in safely in the arms of his grandpa Jake Willis

My granddaughter Olivia, safely in the arms of her father, my son Josh Willis

My prayer is we teach our children how to always be safely in the arms of Jesus. Randy Willis

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The incarnate Christ is what we all must have today. Christ became God in the flesh that starry night in the tiny village of Bethlehem. Without Christ, there is no hope, salvation, or eternity with Him in Heaven. Apart from Him, only separation from God remains, which the Bible calls hell.

Mama and Daddy did not know much theology concerning hell. Mama told me something when I was an eight-year-old boy. She said, “It’s a place you don’t want to go Randy.” That was enough for me. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior in 1958 (although not because of the fear of hell).

It was a hot August Wednesday night at Temple Baptist Church in Clute, Texas. Since then, I’ve read many opinions on hell. They include the eternal separation between Holy God, who cannot even look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13). This eternal separation involves unrepentant sinful man.

I believe the Bible and I don’t want to go there. And neither do you. I’ve attached a prayer.

The most famous 25 words ever written: “For God so loved the world. He gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

If these words are how you feel in your heart, then pray:

“Heavenly Father,

I pray to You, asking for the forgiveness of my sins.

I confess with my mouth. I believe with my heart that Jesus is Your Son. He died on the cross at Calvary, so I might be forgiven.

Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I ask Jesus to come into my life as my personal Lord and Savior.

I turn from my sins and will surrender to your will throughout my life.

Your word is truth. I confess with my mouth that I am born again. I am cleansed by the blood of Jesus!

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!”

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