Are You for us or for them?

The Israelites, God's chosen people, were enslaved by Egypt for 400 years. God rescued them from slavery with an incredible show of power under Moses' leadership. God has promised His people a beautiful inheritance of property, but for 40 years they've wandered in the wilderness.  Right on the outskirts of the land that God himself has promised to his people, Moses died and passed the baton of leadership to Joshua, his assistant.   Joshua has shown great wisdom and is now assigned the task of leading the Israelites into the land promised to them so long ago. As they prepare to take the first steps into the land that they've only dreamed of until now, God Himself tells Joshua that every place the soles of their feet touch is part of the promised gift. 

Joshua, known for his immediate, "early in the morning" obedience, sets the people to work.  He prepares an elite army, 40,000 strong,  men of valor, to go first into this new land.  Their first stop---Jericho.  Two Israelite spies go into Jericho to scope out the land.  The spies hide in the home of a woman, Rahab, who tells them the whole city is consumed with fear of Israel.  The epic story of their dramatic rescue from Egypt and subsequent victories has preceded them as legend, and the people of Jericho are scared to near death.  God Himself gives the orders to Joshua to start marching into Jericho.  In a scene very similar to the famous crossing of the Red Sea 40 years earlier, the Jordan River dries up (during flood season!) to allow the whole nation of Israel to pass quickly on dry ground.  The people put twelves large stones into the Jordan River as a reminder to future generations that God is mighty enough to stop a swollen river to allow His loved people to cross safely into His promise.  

Joshua, after celebrating the very first Passover in the promised land, stands looking over Jericho.  He sees a man standing in front of him with his sword drawn.  He walks over to him and says "Are you for us or for our enemies?" The man says "No. But I am the captain of the army of God." Joshua falls to his face in worship and waits for the commander's next words.  He says "Take off your sandals, because this place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua does.  

This last scene has been running over and over through my mind.  The angel could have easily said "Of course I'm for you.  I've been giving you battle plans." Or "I'm obviously not with the enemy. I've been giving you battle plans."  But He just says "No".  As American Christians facing what is becoming a more hostile political climate, we feel the need to convince ourselves and others that surely God would vote republican, or He would absolutely vote democrat.  But what if we asked Him?  What would He say?  He might say exactly what He said to Joshua---neither.   Obviously, because we know the story of Joshua and the famous battle of Jericho, we know that God WAS for them.  But before Joshua got caught up in the battle, not knowing the victories and failures ahead, he needed to realize that God was only and always working for His own honor.  We, like Joshua, stand and look over the coming battlefield, not knowing what victories and failures lie ahead of us.  But we do know that God is still only and still always working for His own Name.  So instead of worrying if He is for "us" and for "them", let's leave the outcome in His hands and bow before Him in worship.  For His glory and our good.