Text: Joshua 5:13–15, supported by the whole counsel of Scripture
🙏 Opening Prayer – “Take Off the Sandals of the Past”
Heavenly Father,
We come before You now, not with perfection, but with open hearts.
We enter this space, whether in a sanctuary or sitting in a living room, not by ritual, but by divine invitation.
Because You—Holy One of Israel—have come.
You, Commander of the armies of Heaven, have stepped into our Jericho moments.
Not for war, but for worship. Not with wrath, but with redemption.
Lord, we acknowledge that the ground we’re on is no longer ordinary—it is sacred, because You are here.
So right now, in this moment,
We take off the sandals of our past:
- The sandals of shame…
- The sandals of religion that wounded instead of healed…
- The sandals of fear, doubt, confusion, trauma, and pride…
We surrender them at Your feet,
Because we desire to step into the sacred ground of the eternal now—where You are speaking, where You are healing, and where You are calling us to rise.
Prepare every heart to hear the voice behind the veil.
Let Your Word burn away everything false, and illuminate everything true.
Speak through Your servant with fire, with clarity, and with compassion.
Let the power of resurrection be more than a season—let it be a revelation.
In Jesus’ Name, the Commander and the Christ, we pray.
Amen.
In the hallowed stillness before the siege of Jericho, Joshua, the valiant leader of Israel, encounters a mysterious figure—a man standing with a drawn sword. When Joshua inquires, “Are you one of us or one of our adversaries?” the figure responds, “Neither; but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Joshua falls prostrate, worships, and is instructed to remove his sandals, for the ground is holy (Joshua 5:13–15).
This encounter signifies a divine presence, reminiscent of Moses’ experience at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5). The command to remove sandals indicates the sanctity of the moment and the place, affirming that Joshua stands before the divine.
As we reflect on this passage during Easter, we recognize the Commander of the Lord’s army as a manifestation of God’s presence among His people. This prefigures the ultimate revelation of God in Jesus Christ, who leads not with a drawn sword, but with a cross, conquering sin and death through His resurrection.
In Christ, we find our true identity. We are called to be holy, to remove the sandals of our former ways, and to stand on the sacred ground of new life. Just as Joshua encountered the divine before entering the promised land, we, too, encounter the risen Christ, who leads us into the eternal promise of redemption.
Let us, therefore, embrace the resurrection with reverence and awe, acknowledging the holy ground upon which we stand, and following our Commander into the fullness of life He offers.
Joshua 5:13–15 (NASB)
13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing 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 enemies?”
14 He said, “No, rather, I indeed come now as captain of the army of the Lord.” And Joshua fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?”
15 And the captain of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Who is this “Commander of the Lord’s Army”?
Based on the text and its elements, especially verse 15, there is strong biblical evidence that this is a theophany — a visible appearance of God Himself in human form.
- The command to remove sandals parallels what God told Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5), signifying the presence of God Himself.
- Joshua bows down in worship, and the figure does not refuse — something angels typically do (cf. Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9 where angels refuse worship).
- He identifies Himself not merely as “a” commander, but as “captain (commander) of the army of Yahweh.”
So, who is He?
From a biblical, monotheistic perspective that does not support Trinitarian doctrine, this Commander can be understood as YHWH (the LORD) Himself, manifesting in a form that interacts with humanity.
- Not an angel, because angels do not receive worship or declare the ground holy.
- Not a second person, but God Himself, who is Spirit, choosing to reveal Himself in a form Joshua could see and hear.
The Commander of the Lord’s Army is God Himself (YHWH) appearing to Joshua in a visible form. He is not an angel, nor a separate divine person, but the One true God making His presence known as Israel prepares for battle — reinforcing His leadership and holiness.
Here’s the combined grand message and lessonry—crafted for an Easter service where hearts are listening across a spectrum: the faithful, the weary, the doubting, the wounded, and the seeking. This message calls back the prodigal, reassures the disillusioned, and ignites a longing in every soul for the Holy One who has come near.
Beloved, there is a moment recorded in the sacred scrolls, quiet and raw, standing on the brink of conquest—when Joshua, the chosen successor of Moses, stands alone near Jericho. He is a man of courage, yes, but also a man of burden, leading a nation with a wilderness behind and promise before. And it is here, at this holy threshold, that he looks up and sees a man—a warrior, radiant, resolute, sword drawn.
Joshua, ever the leader, approaches and asks the defining question: “Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?”
The response slices through tradition and tribal lines: “Neither; but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” (Joshua 5:14)
Now come. Not from legend. Not for a far-off battle. Not to take sides—but to take command. Not for one side or the other. But as Commander of Heaven’s Host—God Himself revealing His presence to lead His people into divine purpose.
And Joshua—brave, battle-hardened Joshua—falls face down. He worships. And then comes the holy charge: “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.” (v. 15)
Not because the terrain was sacred. But because God was there.
📖 The Commander—Then and Now
This ancient moment is not just a footnote in Israel’s conquest. It is a whisper of resurrection glory, a foreshadowing of Easter’s dawn.
Because this Commander is not confined to the Old. He is revealed in fullness in the New.
- This Holy One who stood before Joshua now walks among us in flesh and blood.
• He does not wield a sword this time—but bears a cross.
• He does not demand our allegiance through fear—but through unfailing love.
• He does not destroy the sinner—but dies for the sinner, so the sinner might live.
The Commander has come again—not in the image of a warrior—but as the Lamb, slain and risen.
🧍♂️ To the One Who Wonders If God Is Real
To the one skeptical of religion, weary of empty rituals and judgmental pulpits—you are seen.
God is not waiting behind stained-glass windows. He is not cloistered in traditions built by men. He stands now, sword not in hand—but arms stretched wide in invitation. He says:
“Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
He is not the religion that hurt you. He is not the system that failed you. He is the Commander of mercy, the embodiment of truth, the One who bled to buy back your soul.
💔 To the Believer Who Has Strayed
You walked strong once. You walked close once. But the journey grew hard, and you sat down. Maybe sin crept in. Maybe disappointment did. Maybe church people broke what was left of your faith.
But just like Joshua—God has come to meet you before the battle, before the wall falls, before victory or defeat.
You are not too far. The holy ground is here, again. He speaks your name, not with shame—but with reinstatement.
Remove your sandals. Come back to what’s holy.
🕊️ To the Seeker and the Broken
There is a hunger in you that no pleasure has ever satisfied. You’ve tried it all. The highs, the distractions, the intellectual escape. But deep calls unto deep. The Commander of eternity is standing in your path. And He is not against you. He is not neutral. He has now come—for you.
He came through womb and manger. He lived sinless. He died willingly. And on the third day, He stood again, risen, undeterred by death.
His name is not “religion.” His name is YHWH—revealed to us as Savior, Deliverer, Counselor, Friend.
👑 Who Are We in Christ?
If this is the Commander… then we who follow Him are not just churchgoers. We are:
- Redeemed out of bondage, like Israel from Egypt.
• Sanctified in the wilderness, like Joshua’s generation.
• Called to holiness, like those told to remove their sandals.
• Made alive in Christ, raised with Him in resurrection life.
As Romans 8:11 says: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.”
We are not only saved—we are transformed. We are not only forgiven—we are commissioned. We walk now, not in fear, but in the power of Him who stands over time.
🪧 The Decision
So here we are, like Joshua, face to face with the Divine.
Not religion. Not philosophy. But Presence.
The Commander of the Lord’s Army is here—not with condemnation, but with calling.
Will you fall before Him? Will you worship? Will you let go of what has held you? Will you stand on holy ground again?
Whether you’ve known Him long, known Him briefly, or never known Him at all—He has now come.
And He comes to lead you—not to destroy you. To redeem, not to shame. To fight for you. To resurrect you.
This Easter, hear His voice. Take off your sandals. Let your soul stand on what’s holy again.
The Commander has now come—not only to lead you into promise—but to make you holy where you stand.
🙌 Closing Prayer – “He Has Now Come… For Me”
Lord God Almighty,
How shall we respond when You come with sword and Spirit?
How shall we walk when You call us holy—while we still remember the dust?
Yet we have seen tonight…
That You are not distant.
You are not just for the strong or the religious.
You came for the weary.
You came for the wounded.
You came for the wondering and the wandering.
And You have come for me.
Tonight, Father, we remove every excuse.
We refuse to walk back into the past we laid at Your feet.
We will not return to Egypt.
We will not worship at the walls of Jericho.
We will not let religion keep us from relationship.
We commit now,
To walk with the Commander—
To listen, to yield, to follow, and to trust.
Let every heart that joined this broadcast know:
They stood on holy ground tonight.
And this ground will testify that God has spoken.
Let Your Word echo long after the message ends.
Let souls be stirred. Let the lost be found.
Let the church be revived—not in form, but in fire.
And may we all boldly say: The Commander has come… and I followed.
In the matchless name of Jesus,
Amen and Amen.