Title: A Close Encounter of the First Kind
Text: Josh 5:13-15

Do you remember the movie from a few years back with Richard Dreyfus "Close Encounters of the third kind?" Dreyfus is, I believe, a lineman for a local power company who encounters a visit by aliens from space described as a close encounter of the third kind.

In verse 13 of chapter five we read that Joshua has an encounter with a celestial being, but rather than being an encounter of the third kind I think it is safe to say it was an encounter of the first kind. First as in primary importance.

As we saw in the first 12 verses of this chapter Israel had reinstituded the act of circumcision, they had celebrated the Passover and now they are healing and preparing to go to war. They are sharpening their swords, so to speak, getting ready to head into battle to take the land God had promised them.

They are camped on the plain of Moab at Gilgal only a couple of miles from Jericho. It's likely that across the plain from the walls of Jericho the tribes of Israel could be clearly seen. It's also likely that the walls of Jericho could be seen by the Israelites as well. No doubt there is an uneasiness in both places about what is about to happen.

Though we have been told that the people and leaders of Jericho are afraid of Israel because of what they have heard, there is probably a certain sense of security well. There is likely a certain smugness that is common in a world that doubts God and His ability even though evidence abounds of His power and might. I mean after all the city is walled and well fortified.

That's the attitude of the world. Confidence in the things of the world; that humanity is the captain of her destiny; that human knowledge can conquer all obstacles, solve all problems, end all suffering. Yet the greater our achievement, the greater is our failure. The greater our knowledge the lesser our morals; the higher our goals the lower our ethical standards by which to achieve them. We become so blinded by our success we can't see our failure. So confident in human abilities we refuse to humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God.

Throughout the pages of history this attitude has marked all those who stand against God. It was the attitude of Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzer, Sennacherib, Ahab and Jezebel, the prophets of Baal, the Giant Goliath, Herod and the Caesars. All whose bodies have long since turned to dust while our Lord still lives and reigns.

In contrast, Paul says, "for we are the {true} circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh." (NAS) Putting no confidence in the flesh isn't about a lack of self esteem, or poor self image or self-abasement nor is it degrading or devaluing ourselves. It is recognition that, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual {forces} of wickedness in the heavenly {places.} Eph 6:12 (NAS) That we live on both a physical as well as a spiritual plane. Having no confidence in the flesh is to acknowledge there is someone higher; wiser, more powerful who is in control of the world in which we live.

That's the lesson revealed to Joshua on the plains of Moab. We find it revealed in several distinct ways in these three verses.  The first thing revealed to Joshua was he wasn't alone. I'm not a mind reader and Joshua doesn't reveal to us what he was thinking, but you can use your imagination and probably come pretty close to what he was thinking as he walked out on the plain alone with his thoughts and his worries. We've crossed the Jordan, I didn't have much to do with that. God damned up the river I just said saddle up and let's go. But over there is Jericho and we've got to take that city. Moses was a great leader and I'm no Moses, but the people are looking to me for leadership, for a plan, it's all on my shoulders.

Lost in his own cares perhaps the pangs of an Excedrin headache coming on. Joshua looks up and comes face to face with another man this one with drawn sword. That's when he discovers he isn't alone.

That's an awesome discovery when we realize we are not alone, that God is with us. He promised to never leave nor forsake us, but sometimes we get so lost in our own affairs our own sorrow and suffering we can't see Him and can't seem find Him. Then we look up and there He is. Still with us just like He promised. Waiting for us, ready to comfort us and hold us and love us and lead us. And here He was for Joshua.

Joshua doesn't recognize immediately who this man was. He approaches him with a question. It's not who are you and what are you doing here. Are you friend or foe, he asks. Perhaps, since the man had his sword drawn, Joshua thought the battle for Jericho was about to begin at that moment.

The reply to Joshua's question is not a direct answer, rather it is a revelation of authority. And he said, "No, rather I indeed come now {as} captain of the host of the LORD." The answer begins with no, the NIV translates it neither a strange answer for surely we think the Lord is on Israel's side. But it's more an implication that Joshua asked the wrong question, or asked the question in the wrong way. God is sovereign. It is never a question of whether God is on our side but whether we are on God's side.

That's the second discovery Joshua made - he wasn't in charge. Joshua hasn't yet fully comprehended who it is he's speaking with. I don't think there is any doubt Joshua recognized wasn't a man he's encountered, but a heavenly being because verse 14 tells us he fell on his face and bowed down. Joshua by this time is a seasoned fighter. He led Moses' army, he obviously is not afraid of a fight. So there is obviously a reason for him to bow. His bowing before this man is the typical oriental form used when coming into the presence of someone of authority. Since he obviously wouldn't recognize someone from Jericho as having authority over him and since he would know it couldn't be anyone from Israel, he must realize this person is from God.

The reason I say he hasn't yet fully comprehended who he is talking to is because of the word he uses to address this person. The Hebrew word translated lord in Joshua's reply is the generic form of address rather than the word Yahweh which is translated Lord in English. Yahweh is the word used in the first part of the verse. In most translations this second form of address is not capitalized.

Joshua has realized he is not alone, he has discovered he is not actually in charge of things. He recognizes this person has authority over him. He is about to realize even more.

Who is this person who stands before Joshua? The most sound theological explanation is this is a theophany. A preincarnation appearance of God.

I've been asked about this before so I want to give some information and explanation because others have probably asked or thought about it as well. There may be fine distinction here, but it is incorrect to say this was Jesus, and the reason I say that is because of the nature of Jesus.

We know that God the Son is eternal without beginning without end. We know He is God. John 1:1-2, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." (NAS) John also explains to us that the Word who was eternal became flesh in verse 14. That means that there was a point where the eternal Word actually became something He was not before and that was human.

That's what Isaiah prophesied in Isa 7:14, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel." (NAS) and in 9:6, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." (NAS)

Paul explained in Gal 4:4, ". . . when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law." (NAS)

The distinction is that prior to the incarnation these appearances of God were not human, not flesh and blood. Jesus is the human name for God the Son. In the incarnation He was always fully God; He became fully man. Prior to that He was fully God, but did not have a human nature.

Why is this distinction important? Because the humanity of Jesus is important. Because of the fact that He experienced temptation just as we did, he related to His family and our world just as we do. That's what the Bible explains in Heb 2:17-18 where it says, "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." (NAS)

Heb 4:15 says, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as {we are, yet} without sin. (NAS) Tempted because he became flesh and blood.

In Phil 2:7-11 Paul explains the incarnation, that at the point in time when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us this way, He (Jesus) "emptied Himself,(not that he gave up His divinity, but He emptied Himself of the privileges of that divinity) taking the form of a bond-servant, {and} being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NAS)

God manifested Himself at many times in many ways, but He manifested Himself as Jesus Christ at a particular point in time when He physically entered human history.  That's what makes the virgin birth important, the earthly ministry important, the cross important, the resurrection important and the ascension important. Because God actually became flesh.

The last thing Joshua discovered was not only is the victory God's, but the battle is as well. We make take part in the battle, but the Lord's armies are fighting for us as well. Joshua is commissioned just as Moses was to be the servant of the Lord. To follow God into battle, to allow God to work in and through him. God spoke to Joshua. He told him just as he had Moses that where he stood with God was holy. He gave Joshua a command and Joshua obeyed.

That's what He wants us to understand today. No matter what your situation you are not alone. He is in control, He has the authority over your life He expects you to acknowledge that authority just as Joshua, and then he wants you to worship him, not simply with songs and praises and preaching and prayer but by being obedient to Him.  Allowing Him to be your Captain and your Lord.

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