Is Jesus the Commander of the Lord's Army? | Hometown Church Podcast Ep 93

Joshua 5 slows the march. The Jordan has closed behind Israel, there is no retreat, and the first city stands ahead. Yet God stalls the advance and orders circumcision. Circumcision, the Abrahamic sign, marks a man into God’s covenant family and sets Israel off from the nations. The cut and the blood preach that sin costs a life. The picture presses further than flesh, since the prophets say God wants more than skin-deep religion. He wants a circumcised heart, the hardness cut away, a people inwardly renewed. In the new covenant the sign shifts to baptism, but the call remains the same: belong to God with the whole self.

The timing matters. Every fighting man is rendered vulnerable within enemy territory. That is the point. Victory will rest on obedience, not on muscle or momentum. This moment functions as a covenant reboot after the wilderness rebellion, and God names it. At Gilgal he says, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt,” the slave-story and the stubbornness that clung to them. The knives cut more than foreskins. They cut ties to an old identity and re-dedicate a people for God’s holy war.

Passover follows, because covenant signs fit together. Passover remembers how God saved by substitution, the innocent lamb’s blood shielding a house from judgment and breaking Pharaoh’s grip. The meal is not nostalgia. It is identity formation. Israel belongs to the God who redeems by blood and delivers from bondage. Israel’s spotty observance in the Old Testament shows how quickly forgetfulness breeds drift. In the new covenant, the Lord’s Supper becomes the regular remembering, not once a year but often, so grace stays near and costly and present.

Then Joshua meets a Man with a drawn sword. “Are you for us or for our enemies?” he asks. “Neither,” comes the answer, “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s armies.” Joshua falls face down in worship, and the Commander tells him to remove his sandals for holy ground. The acceptance of worship and the burning-bush echo identify this Figure as more than an angel, a likely appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ, the One who later rides at the head of heaven’s armies. The lesson lands before Jericho’s walls: God, not Joshua, is the true Commander. The question is not whether God is on Israel’s side, but whether Israel is on God’s side. Yielded leadership will soon look like circling a city in silence and trusting a shout to topple stone. Surrender first, then victory.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Circumcision signals risky covenant obedience Obedience cuts into comfort. Israel submits to God’s sign while trapped in enemy territory, letting go of self-protection to hold fast to promise. God positions his people where only trust can carry the day, so victory cannot be mistaken for human strategy. Dependence is not a delay; it is the plan. [23:52]
• 2. God rolls away Egypt’s disgrace Gilgal names a turning. God removes the shame-story of slavery and rebellion, not by hiding it but by re-marking a people with his covenant mercy. Identity changes when God speaks a new verdict, and practices of renewal help that verdict sink in. Repentance is the door; belonging is the house. [20:32]
• 3. Passover means salvation through substitution A spotless life stands in for the guilty, and judgment passes over. Remembering that grace trains the soul to resist amnesia and ingratitude, the roots of so much drift. Communion keeps the cross close, re-centering desire and courage in the finished work of Christ. Without remembrance, hearts wander. [26:52]
• 4. Heaven’s Commander answers “neither,” so submit The question flips from “Is God on my side?” to “Am I on his?” Worship on holy ground is the posture of true leadership, and strategies follow surrender. Where Christ commands, methods may surprise, but faith finds footing in his authority, not in predictability. Yield first, then move. [33:47]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [09:58] - Joshua commissioned and Jordan crossing
• [11:15] - God halts the advance to circumcise
• [12:56] - What circumcision means in covenant
• [15:41] - From outward sign to heart change
• [20:32] - Gilgal and disgrace rolled away
• [25:25] - Why Passover before Jericho
• [26:38] - Salvation through substitution explained
• [28:47] - Forgetting the feast and spiritual drift
• [29:59] - Communion as the new Passover
• [31:45] - Are you for us or our enemies
• [34:59] - Holy ground and accepted worship
• [38:47] - The true Commander leads the battle

1. In Joshua 5:9, God says He “rolled away the disgrace of Egypt” at Gilgal. What physical act of obedience preceded this declaration, and why was it significant given Israel’s location? [20:32]
2. What two Old Testament rituals (with symbolic meaning) did Israel perform in Joshua 5 before engaging in battle? How do these connect to New Testament practices? [25:25]
3. How does the commander of the Lord’s army respond to Joshua’s question (“Are you for us or our enemies?”), and what detail in his response echoes Moses’ encounter in Exodus 3:5? [34:59]

1. Why would God command Israel to circumcise all their men after crossing the Jordan into enemy territory, leaving them temporarily vulnerable? What does this reveal about His priorities for His people? [23:52]
2. The commander of the Lord’s army says, “I have now come” (Joshua 5:14). How does this statement—and his refusal to take sides—reshape Joshua’s understanding of leadership and victory? [33:47]
3. The sermon connects Passover (Exodus) and Communion (New Testament) as acts of “identity formation.” How do these rituals combat spiritual forgetfulness and drift? [28:47]

1. Circumcision required Israel to trust God’s protection despite vulnerability. Where in your life is God calling you to obey Him even if it feels risky or leaves you exposed? How can you actively depend on Him there? [23:52]
2. Gilgal marked a fresh start where God removed Israel’s “disgrace.” What shame or old identity do you need to let God “roll away” through repentance? What daily practice could help you live into your new identity in Christ? [20:32]
3. The Passover reminded Israel of salvation through substitution. How can regularly taking Communion reshape your perspective when facing fear, temptation, or spiritual complacency? [26:52]
4. The commander’s answer (“Neither”) flipped Joshua’s question. In what areas of your life are you asking, “Is God on my side?” instead of, “Am I on His?” What would surrender look like in those areas? [33:47]
5. Jericho’s battle plan required absurd obedience (marching, shouting). When has God’s direction for your life conflicted with “common sense”? How did you respond, and what did you learn about His authority?