The Commander of YWHW’s Armies
Joshua & The Angel of The LORD
PART TWELVE
We are still reading the scriptures that make specific mention of one called the Angel of the LORD. Today we will begin with the account of Joshua, as the successor to Moses. In this account the Angel of YHWH is describe as a man with a drawn sword. This point of reference is very significant, because it only occurs three times in scripture. So today we will be comparing scripture with scripture to help clarify what is being communicated.
Joshua 5:13-15 NKJV:
13 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?”
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now 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 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.
There are a number of clues the writer wants you to pick up on in Joshua’s encounter with this person. At first, Joshua only recognizes this person as a man with a drawn sword. It is the translators and publishing house who recognize this to be God Himself. This is why they capitalize both “Man” and the pronouns “Him.” However, in answer to Joshua’s question, this man identifies Himself as a divine being connected to YWHW. He is the Commander of YHWH’s army. With this announcement, Joshua falls before Him and worships this Him. This Man receives Joshua’s worship.
This is one way we know that this Man or Angel is none other than YHWH Himself. In other scriptures where angels are not identified as the Angel of the LORD, men are rebuked for falling down before them or offering them worship in any form.
This Man/Angel further instructs Joshua saying, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so. This is similar to what happened at the burning bush, in Exodus 3:5; and Joshua knows Moses’ story.
Remember we already read in Exodus 23:20-23 God told Moses that The Angel of Yahweh would go before them to drive out their enemies. But Israel did not fulfill their assignment. Because of their failure to do all they were instructed and were not faithful to YWHW alone, the Angel of the LORD appears and brings a message to all the children of Israel.
Judges 2:1-4:
Then the Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. 2 And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? 3 Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’” 4 So it was, when the Angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept.
The next time we read about the Angel of the Lord is in Judges 6. This is the call and commission of Gideon. We will look at this in the next session.
I also mentioned in the opening that there are three scriptural references the Angel of the LORD as a man with a drawn sword. We have only looked at the first one found Joshua 5. If you would like to study the other passages on your own, they can be found in: Numbers 22:22-35 and 1 Chronicles 21:16-30.