Christian Living

m04000

TITLE: WHO GOES THERE? OR IF I HAD THOUGHT YOU WERE ONE OF US I WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED, AND IF I HAD KNOWN YOU WERE ONE OF THEM, I'DA RUN YOU THROUGH - SO I'M AWAITING YOUR QUICK REPLY.

TEXT: Joshua 5:13-6:5

OUTLINE:

I. THE SUPERNATURAL SIDE OF THE CONFLICT (5.13-15)

II. THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE CONFLICT (6.1-5)

III. THE VICTORY SIDE OF THE CONFLICT (HEB. 11.30

We as believers are locked in a SPIRITUAL WARFARE yet we don't know it all too often. The Bible is plain that there are forces warring around us on the spiritual plane - we need to realize it and live like it!

II Kings 6:15-17 "And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us [are] more than they that [be] with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

I believe that this text shows the spiritual warfare that I have mentioned.

INTRODUCTION: While in the navy we had mock war games. We would have different types of scenarios. One scenario was a frog man attack. Frogmen - they were the Navy's elite - sort of like the Green beret. I believe they call them the Navy Seals now days. They were highly trained - select - high brow - self impressed - I trust there aren't any here today! They were to sneek aboard our ship and destroy our communications.

I never figured out why they weren't to swim underwater - attach charges to the ship and blow it out of the water, but they were to come aboard and destroy our communications gear.

Anyway one evening we were to be attacked. We didn't know when they were coming - that would be too easy. One of the radarmen noticed five tiny blips aft of the ship. We had no idea if it was the frogmen or not. We alerted the men on watch and a number of others gathered around. The frogmen started climbing up some ropes.

The watchman didn't want them to get aboard so he was looking for a way to stop them. His only nonlethal weapon was several trash cans of garbage. Well, Need I say more?

Several men started throwing garbage over the side.

The ship won that war game and the frogmen lost. I'd like to talk about a real battle this morning. One in which God intervened. Please turn to Joshua five. Joshua is a book that records the conquest and division of the Promised land. It covers the days of Joshua as he serves his God and his people.

The key verses of Joshua are probably 1.2-3, "Moses, my servant, is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses."

I. THE SUPERNATURAL SIDE OF THE CONFLICT (5.13-15)

Joshua 5.13, "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, [Art] thou for us, or for our adversaries?"

Joshua is locked in a physical war that is taking up most of his concentration. A soldier appears to him and he automatically reacts as would any soldier - who's side are you on? I really don't think, if Joshua had been 10,000 times more spiritual than he was, that he would not have walked up to a soldier that he did not know and ask him if he was on the adversaries side or on His side. I rather think Joshua may even have challenged him with sword drawn!

Nothing disrespectful of God's power and might and involvement in our battles. I do not think that there was any reproach upon Joshua for approaching the captain of the host as he did.

Indeed, it was only natural for him to approach a soldier in this manner. Some make a case for Joshua's low spiritual profile in this text. They suggest that if he had been on top of his spiritual life he would have recognized it was God. I don't believe that these people are correct.

Do you get the feeling that the commander of the Israelites may have been in prayer when this occurred? "lifted up his eyes." The text does not say this yet in the situation that was present I have to think that any person with any spiritual sense would have been preparing for battle on the spiritual level and asking God for His continued blessing on the physical level.

Some try to make a lot of Joshua feeling that this was HIS battle and that the appearance of the captain of the host was to let him know that it was God's battle and not Joshua's.

Very true this is the Lord's battle, however there is little indication, if any, that Joshua was having an ego trip or wave of feeling important.

Verse 14 "And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?"

Yes Sir! Joshua reporting for duty. Indeed, Joshua found the proper position as well as attitude immediately. He did not ask for credentials nor did he ask for a second opinion. He fell on his face and asked for his orders. He knew he should be on his face and he knew this was his Lord.

Indeed, Joshua was not rebuked for worshiping - it was correct and proper! This was the angel of the Lord. We know Him to be the preincarnate Christ.

There are believers today that have accepted Christ and are saved, yet they have never turned their lives over to God to lead and control. They call Him Lord, but they are still lord of their own lives.

It is important to understand that if you are controlling your own life, you are not walking with God. He must control your life for you to be walking with Him.

There is a wealth of evidence in the Scriptures to show that the Angel of the Lord of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ Himself. There is nothing to indicate that this captain of the Lord's host is anyone less than the Angel of the Lord. If this was a normal angel Joshua would have been rebuked for worshiping as was John the apostle in Revelation 22.8-9.

Joshua 5.15 "And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy. And Joshua did so."

Sound familiar? Exodus 3.2-5 mentions a similar incident in the life of Moses. How is it that Christians are allowed into the presence of God yet we go in and stomp around with our grubby mukluks on? I'm not saying we have to take our shoes off to pray, but I think we do need to realize that we are on holy ground and ought to begin by removing our dirty grimy spiritual shoes so that we are not an affront to the Lord.

Sin in our lives must be akin to wearing shoes on Holy Ground to God.

Not only is this battle being waged on a spiritual level but it also has a human side to it.

II. THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE CONFLICT (6.1-5)

Joshua 6.1 "Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in."

It is not mentioned whether they had set a siege at Jericho, though that would be the first natural step of warfare in this day. That sounds like what is going on in the text.

It seems that possibly the Jerichoians may have been reacting to some stories that they had heard about the Israelites through the years.

You don't need to turn to it but in 2.9-11 Rahab recounts the attitude of the people and it is not a feeling of superiority! Over 40 years had passed and they are worried about the Israelites.

Joshua 2.9-11 "And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that [were] on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard [these things], our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he [is] God in heaven above, and in earth beneath."

No, not chicken - just very wise to heed what they had heard!

Joshua 6.2 "And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, [and] the mighty men of valour."

"have given" happens to be a past tense. it was already done - in God's mind the city of Jericho had fallen and was in Joshua's hands.

Our salvation is just as sure as this statement of God to Joshua! He has given us eternal life - It is finished in God's mind.

Just as sure. Joshua only had to wait seven days for the fulfillment of God's statement. It did come to pass - our salvation is just as sure a promise!

I wonder how would you and I react if God gave us orders like this? Sure!! It's easy for you to say Lord. You don't have to go out and make a fool of yourself marching around that city. Do you have any idea, Lord, how much fun those Jerichoians are going to poke at us.

I can hear it now, HEY YOU ISRAELITES, ARE YOU OUT FOR YOUR MONDAY MORNING EXERCISE?

WHAT IS THIS SOME SORT OF AEROBICS CLASS YOU DREAMED UP JOSHUA? WE'VE HEARD OF WALKING THE MALL, BUT AROUND THE CITY?

Many of God's people have done strange things in the name of obedience to the Lord. Noah and his ark - Ezekiel playing war in the dirt like a child.

One of my students at Frontier shared in class that God had directed her to do several things - the things seemed silly to adults - she was criticised for doing them. Her maturity outweighed that of her adult critics. Don't be afraid to do what God tells you to do - even if it seems silly.

Joshua 6.3-5 "And ye shall compass the city, all [ye] men of war, [and] go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long [blast] with the ram's horn, [and] when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him."

This battle should be of interest to us!

1. God had given the victory.

2. God could have walked up - that is if He walks - and kicked that wall down. He could have scraped the earth with the back of His hand and leveled the city. He could have stepped on the city, however this was a spiritual battle. He could have called 10, 342 angels and two cherubim and a partridge in a pear tree down from heaven to dismantle the city piece by piece.

Yet, he relied on Joshua and his soldiers to walk around the city six days and then holler their heads off on the seventh.

Actually I'm not sure they didn't just let loose with a war cry and then watch the walls crumble. It may well be that God's spiritual forces did tear down the walls.

One must wonder if the Lord didn't just want a shout of victory. Remember that shout was a step of faith. Would you have shouted or may be just mouthed a shout in case it didn't work?

Is that not a giant step for God to make - to come to mankind to seek assistance in His program? God still relies on us - remember - we are in a spiritual battle - we are soldiers of the cross.

Yes, a spiritual battle settled by human activities to gain God the victory and the glory! IMAGINE - God relying on us for the victory. Who says God is not brave!

JOSHUA MET GOD ON HOLY GROUND!

JOSHUA HEARD GOD!

JOSHUA OBEYED GOD!

Where are you today? Have you met God for your salvation? Have you heard God concerning His will for your life? Have you stepped out in obedience to that will?

At times you may feel you are walking around the city day after day accomplishing nothing! Remember the detail - God deems it important. The daily walk around the city is what God uses to prepare for the crumbling of the walls.

God lead me to Bible college - as the days went by I wondered if He would ever use us. It was many years before God chose to place us in a full time ministry. As I've looked back there was a lot accomplished on those daily walks around the city!

Don't be discouraged about those daily walks around Jericho. If God called you to walk around for a few years - learn and walk. God has specific reasons for you doing it. He has purpose in everything that He does. He has purpose in everything that He has you do.

MEET - HEAR - OBEY!

If you have met and if you have heard then OBEY, don't look for anything else until you have obeyed that which He has told you to do!

III. THE VICTORY SIDE OF THE CONFLICT (HEB.11.30)

Heb 11.30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

True the text in Joshua goes on to tell of the victory that was Israel's that week but the physical fall of Jericho was not the only exciting thing that happened that day.

Hebrews tells us that the walls fell because of faith!

THEY FELL BECAUSE OF FAITH AND NOT WHAT THE SOLDIERS OR JOSHUA DID

FAITH IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, SO SAYS THE HYMN WRITER! Does faith really overcome your world for you? Do you find yourself operating in the area of faith? Are you trusting in the Lord in all areas of your life?

APPLICATION:

1. God intervenes in human affairs. He is needed to get the job done in our churches today.

We need to be seeking the captain of the Lord's host if we are going to wage a proper war against the world.

2. The sword being drawn would seem to indicate that He stands ready for whatever battle He calls us into.

3. He appeared right on time. Not a day early nor a day late.

4. The captain was not on either side - He was the leader of God's side! He was there to enlist Joshua and Israel's aid in the battle. If you are fighting battles - join God's army and fight along side God! Remember the armor mentioned in Ephesians is for the soldier not God.

5. God reveals His will for our OBEDIENCE not for our consideration. Joshua didn't call his officers to discuss the plan - they obeyed. If God has called you to do something don't consider it - don't seek council - DO IT!

6. Details are important! Six days once around the city. The seventh day, seven times around and holler your heads off!

THEY DID IT WITHOUT HESITATION.

Did it ever cross your mind why the Israelites so willingly submitted themselves to such activities as walking around the city seven days in a row?

Could fear of the Lord enter into the picture? Do you think it might have had something to do with the fact they had just come through the Jordan River on dry land? After seeing a pile of water (3.16) stacked up I think I'd think twice before I decided not to follow God's direction.

I think many Christians need to see the pile of water, and to go across the Jordan on dry land. We see no fear of the Lord today!

We are so self sufficient today, if God performed the miraculous for us we'd just assume it was something we did or something we bought.

What has God told you to do?

Have you yielded and submitted without hesitation as Joshua did?

They had seen God work and they were willing to take Him at His word.

It also crossed my mind that in 5.10 it mentions that they had just kept the passover. Since this was a generation that submitted itself, just prior, to circumcision we must assume that they were interested in the whole idea o the God of Abraham.

They had seen their parents die in the wilderness because of disobedience, they had seen their needs met for many years in the wilderness, they had seen the pillar of smoke and fire in the wilderness so why wouldn't they know what the passover was all about.

Naturally they had knowledge that the passover was when God spared the firstborn of Israel in Egypt.

There are many reasons that they would obey what God had instructed them to do through their leadership, but I must wonder if they didn't have a proper fear of the Lord.

I have to ask myself something. After five days of marching around the city - wouldn't we be tempted after not seeing anything happen - to move the seventh day up a day and get on with the program?

At least go to the wall and inspect for cracks and reevaluate the situation. Are you sure he said seven days Joshua? You know, the wall hasn't even cracked yet - why go on?

You know, I'm not learning anything here at ___________ church! Why go on?

You know, I'm not seeing anything happen here at ___________ church! Why should I keep coming?

JOSHUA MET, HEARD AND OBEYED!

Many there are today that have met Christ is salvation, but I fear few there are that have really heard Christ.

If believers were hearing we would have more laborers.

I recently read that some believe the hype from mission agencies is wrong - that we won't have manpower shortages in missions.

From an article in Christianity Today Dec. 11, 1987, "Two popular notions running rampant within evangelicalism are, frankly, more rumor than reality. One is the so-called leadership crisis, which portrays a generation of saintly "go-getters" retiring with no one in the wings to replace them. The other concerns the state of missions, or more specifically, the perceived lack of missions interest on the part of the church in the West.

"As in the case of our leadership "crisis," grim scenarios are presented as immediate realities (in this case, an evaporating pool of missionaries) if the church does not wake up and offer its best and brightest to the future advancement of God's kingdom." [originals of these articles are in missions file.]

Harold Smith goes on to tell of the great movement of dedications at Urbana and the spreading pool of workers. He mentions, "The missionary vision of the church is alive and well. And while missions challenges will always be with us, thanks to Urbana, so too will those who are eager to meet them."

I trust that the church is not relying on this source of future missionary leadership. The leaders are not coming forth. Some, yes, but the thousands needed, NO!

Another article that I recently saw was mentioning the fact that at Urbana there was concern about the large gap between the dedications and the people going to the field. Talk about hype! Urbana hypes the young people up instead of the Holy Spirit! If God was really working and believers really listening there would be no gap for Urbana! There would be no manpower shortage! One organization has committed 1/2 million dollars to follow dedications up and to try to get them to follow through. HUMMMMMMM! If the Holy Spirit can't do it how can money do it?

In Christianity Today Feb. 5, 1988 James Reapsome tells us, "Several missions agency representatives say Urbana '87 will be effective in actually producing a growing cadre of new missionaries IF IT MAINTAINS A VIGOROUS FOLLOW-UP EFFORT WITH DELEGATES. IVCF [InterVarsity Christian Fellowship] has committed $500,000 for this purpose, which will involve a two-year, five-part program: a letter to the delegate's pastors, 55 regional conferences within the next three months, nearly 1,000 support groups, one-on-one counseling with a missionary on each student's campus, and a series of seven letters mailed over a two-year period.

"Such efforts are necessary, for signing a commitment card does not insure follow-through by the delegates." He adds in parenthesis "(Of the 8,000 Urbana '84 delegates who filed out commitment cards indicating an interest in overseas missions, IVCF computers have been able to track only 1,000 who have since served overseas.)"

Yep, it really sounds like Urbana is going to take care of our leadership problems - if we can spend enough money to get those commitments to follow through.

If we were bringing forth honest commitments, we would have the workers.

If believers were hearing we would have excessive finances.

If believers would only tithe churches would be able to do wonders for missions.

If believers were hearing they would be sharing their faith with the world freely.

And the we must wonder of that small percentage that are hearing - how many are really obeying.

Christ challenges us in Luke 14 to discipleship. He uses the negative approach to make His point.

Let's read Luke 14.25-33 "And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

Christ said that:

A person must hate his family and his life or else "he cannot be my disciple"

A person must bear his cross and follow or "he cannot be my disciple"

A person must forsake all or "he cannot be my disciple"

The people heard Christ, point blank, make these statements.

The only proper response was to forsake all and follow Him.

They met him - they heard him - we aren't told if they obeyed. The fact that we aren't told makes me believe that very few if any obeyed.

The same challenge is before every Christian today - ARE WE WILLING TO FORSAKE ALL FOR CHRIST?

Are we willing to leave our families?

Are we ready to lay down our lives either literally or give our life to His work? Life expectancy is close to 80 - you 20 year olds are you willing serve God for 60 years?

Are we ready to bear whatever He brings along? Have we really counted the costs?

IF YOU HAVE THEN YOU NEED TO KNOW ONE MORE THING.

7. God is a God of predetermined victories. Let me repeat that for you. God is a God of predetermined victories.

Verse two Jericho was Joshua's before the battle plan was laid!

A side not to this thought is that the Jerichoians had also given the Israelites the victory. "I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us," (2.9). Rahab used a personal pronoun when she said "I know" yet in the rest of the text she was including the people as well. They knew they had had it.

He is a God that has already given you the victory in all the battles that He has planned for you as you yield to Him and His service.

I trust all of you have met Christ.

I trust all of you have heard Christ.

I trust all of you are obeying Christ.

The song writer mentions, "On every hand the foe we find drawn up in dread array; let tents of ease be left behind, and onward to the fray; salvation's helmet on each head, with truth all girt about, the earth shall tremble 'neath our tread and echo with our shout. Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory! Oh, Glorious victory that overcomes the world."

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TODAY?

IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MANY CHRISTIANS I HAVE MET.

IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MANY CHURCHES I'VE ATTENDED.

HOWEVER IT IS THE TRUTH - ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS WALK WITH GOD IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE.