Saving the World

 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

… Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” (Joshua 5:13-14, 6:2)

Ever feel like it’s up to you to save the world? My fiancée and I have recently started working our way through season 2 of the TV show “24” on Netflix. (We’re a bit behind the times since the season first aired in 2002-03). In the show, counter-terrorism agent Jack Bauer has to save Los Angeles from a nuclear bomb threat. As the clock ticks down, he is driven to increasingly desperate acts because he knows the fate of the city rests on his shoulders.

I’ve never had to save anyone from a nuclear bomb. But sometimes I catch myself feeling as if the fate of the world rested on my shoulders. If I would only write one more article, teach one more class, join one more committee, I’d be doing my part to save the world, by explaining church decline in Canada, or developing the perfect program of study, or inspiring a student—whatever the task at hand is.

I’d never put it that way out loud, of course. But if I’m honest, something like that drives me to work a little harder. It ramps up my blood pressure and makes my heart beat a little faster. Sometimes, it crowds Sabbath out of my life and leaves me feeling drained and overwhelmed at the end of the day.

Maybe you feel it too, though in your case it might be saving the world by passing that course that will help you to get that job where you will feed starving kids halfway around the world. Or maybe it’s recruiting the students who will keep Redeemer going strong in its mission to save the world through Christian higher education.

But in this passage from the book of Joshua, we are reminded that God sees things differently. Joshua is about to lead the Israelites into a fight for the Promised Land against strong, fortified cities filled with strong, numerous people. The stakes are high: if he fails, his people will die in the wilderness.

Yet on the eve of the battle, Joshua is visited by the commander of the army of the Lord. I want you to notice two things about this passage. First of all, God shows up! Joshua and the Israelites aren’t alone in their fight; in fact, God has already determined the outcome of the battle. Second, the commander answers “neither” to Joshua’s question; God’s army isn’t part of Joshua’s army. It depends on God, not Joshua, for its orders and its tactics.

This doesn’t mean Joshua is supposed to sit on his hands. To the contrary, he has a key role to play in God’s plan, and God has specific instructions for him to carry out (6:3-5). But it does remind him that this is God’s battle before it is Joshua’s battle. It allows him to move forward with purpose, but also the assurance that God is in control.

This week, before we turn into wild-eyed Jack Bauers driven to desperation by holding the fate of the world in our hands, let’s slow down and remember whose battle this is. Let’s remember that he is here, sword in hand. Let’s remember that he has already given us the victory. And then let’s join him in saving the world.