Friend or Foe?

Joshua 1-5

Joshua has successfully taken the reins of control from Moses and moved the Israelites across the Jordan. He has listened to the Lord's commands and obeyed unquestionably. Now as he prepares to go up against the fortified city of Jericho, he looks up to find a man in front of him with his sword drawn. Joshua asks him if he is friend or foe and he simply states his position as the commander of the Lord's army while Joshua falls to his face in reverence and submission.

At first, I found it rather odd that the commander of the Lord's army didn't express his position as a friend of the Lord's chosen people, but on reflection it seems very proper. The commander of the Lord's army is committed to the Lord God only. If you follow after God and revere and obey him, then the commander and you are fighting for the same purpose, and you might be on his side, but he is still neither friend nor foe, but simply the commander of the Lord's army.