Joshua and the people of Israel had to fight the people of Canaan. But this battle was so much more than just people fighting together. This war was a war of Satan and his devils against God and his people. It was a spiritual war. The devil was behind the heathen nations, but God and the heavenly hosts were behind Joshua and the Israelites. 

Joshua needed to be reminded of this before the fighting started, so the Lord sent him a man with a sword drawn in his hand. This was no ordinary man, but a heavenly being. He was an angel.

When Joshua asked whose side the man was on, the man answered that he had come as the commander of God’s army. He wasn’t there to fight the physical battles. He wasn’t going to be taking commands from Joshua, the leader of God’s earthly army, but he was the commander of God’s army.

In Exodus 23 God had already told the Israelites why they had to destroy all the enemies from the land of Canaan. If they didn’t destroy all the enemies, then the Israelites would start serving the idols of the nations instead of serving the Lord. That’s why they had to win the physical battles and destroy all the enemies. And that’s why the commander of God’s army was there, to remind Joshua that the battles they were to fight were so important. Behind the actual battle was a hidden battle — a fight between the seed of Satan and the children of God. This angel reminded Joshua that God was there helping the Israelites in the battle against God’s enemies.

There is a hidden battle happening in our lives as well. The devil is always trying to take us away from serving the Lord, but we don’t need to worry. The commander of the Lord’s army, the Lord himself, is on our side and is helping us in our fight against Satan. We too must continue to serve and trust the Lord always, and he will be with us as well.

Reflection with your child:

Why did the angel come to Joshua?

Source: Sermon by Rev. R. Vermeulen