Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

“Gilgal”: the Captain of the Host.

The last feature which Gilgal presents is now before us. Circumcision gave it its special character. The Passover eaten in the plains of Jericho followed; and then the feeding on the old corn of the land. In this spot too, stood the “memorial stones,” taken from the bed of the River Jordan; and there the Captain of the Host now presents Himself to lead His people into the possession of their “own things.”

He comes too, as suited to their present condition of conflict. Adapting Himself to it, He presents Himself with a “sword drawn in his hand.” Thus you will ever find that Christ adapts Himself to the condition, and to the need of His people. If they need redemption, then He is their Redeemer. If they need to be fed and guided in the wilderness, He is their Food and Guide. In every thing He adapts Himself to them. So when they are about to do battle with the foe, He comes with a drawn sword in His hand to lead them to victory.

When Joshua was standing by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and “Behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” Why this question? Because in our heavenly warfare there can be no neutrality! Every one we meet all day long is either for or against Christ. Every moment of each is an opportunity for victory or defeat; for obedience or disobedience. Hence the question. There can be no neutral ground — no middle place for those who would fight God’s battles.

We are either for the Christ whom the world has rejected; and in consequence, against the world; or, we are for the world that has cast Him out, and consequently against Him. There is either with or against. But it is but the one thing or the other. Lukewarm, we may seek to be; or, we may advocate so-called “Christian charity” — than which there is no one thing more nauseous to Christ. What an outcry raised if a heart seeks to be true to Him, and refuses the right hand of fellowship to those who are false, or indifferent to the holiness and truth of His name, whose one mission to the earth was this — that He “might bear witness to the truth” (John 19).

Many a practical infidel heart turns away now-a-days without seeking a reply to Pilate’s question, “What is truth?” Men do not care. Alas, Christians do not care! If, they say, our salvation is secure, why trouble us with more? You only seek to press what we believe to be non-essentials!

O the solemn state of souls, when good is put for evil and evil good — bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter; and His people love to have it so. Not only so, but, under the plea of Christian charity, as it is termed, evil is tolerated, and Christ’s honour and God’s truth esteemed valueless things, unless, indeed, so far as the selfish ends of souls are served. Shall not God visit for these things? Do you suppose that He is as indifferent as you would be, and as you desire He should be? He would not be God if it were so! Do not the burning words of Isaiah most deeply and fully apply in this lukewarm day? “Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey (or ‘is accounted mad’, margin); and Jehovah saw it and it was evil in his eyes (margin) that there was no judgment,” etc. (Isaiah 59). Indifference is a more hateful thing to God, than pen of man may tell. The gushing, indignant words of Scripture pour out His thoughts about these things, in their deep and solemn tone. “Curse ye Meroz! said the angel of Jehovah: curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of Jehovah, to the help of Jehovah against the mighty” (Judges 5).

This was God’s thought about neutrality which His people in this latitudinarian day would term “toleration” and “forbearance,” and which covers up under the cloak of Christianity that which is more deeply hostile to His name than the horrors and darkness of the heathen world.

“And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come.” Mark what he says; “now come.” They had rolled away the reproach of Egypt, and now bore distinctly the marks of heavenly citizenship — haying exchanged them for the marks of Egyptian bondage. They had surveyed the fulness of redeeming grace in that paschal feast on the plains of Jericho: they had fed upon the old corn of Canaan — while standing around the memorials of death, taken from the spot where the Ark stood fast in the waters of death. Now the Captain of the Host appears to lead His people to victory.

“And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?” Beautiful attitude of worshipful obedience! He does not enter Canaan as a suppliant merely, but as a worshipper; one whose ear is open to hear the needed charges of the Captain of the Host of the Lord. We find another thing too in this touching scene. The unshod holiness, which is the strength of conflict, coupled with the worshipful heart of one whose ear is thus waiting to receive the commands of the Lord.

Remark, also, that at the far distant moment when God in grace came down to deliver His people — revealing Himself to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3), these very words had been spoken to him. Now, at their entrance upon the conflicts of this heavenly warfare, they are sounded again in the ears of Joshua — “for the place whereon thou standest is holy.” If holiness was needed at the deliverance of His people out of Egypt, how much more, now that they are entering into Canaan!

Here I must pause, before entering on the next words of the Lord to Joshua (Joshua 6:2); for we have yet only noticed the first of the second feature which we named in the opening pages of this book (page 2); i.e., the dealing with self and flesh, by practical circumcision, needed that the heart may be in condition for these divine wars. We must now examine another feature, that is, the arming of the Host in order to meet the foe. This we will enter upon in the next chapter.