It happened, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went to him, and said to him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries?
Here Joshua met Jesus, Jesus the Captain of the Lord's host. You see, if it were an angel then He would've refused his worship. John several times in the book of Revelation tried to worship the angel, and he said, "Stand up worship the Lord." The Lord said, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only." Therefore the Captain of the Lord's host is none other than Jesus who is standing there ready to lead him into the land of promise. "As the Captain of the Lord's host have I come." Joshua fell on his knees, his face, and said, "What do you want me to do Lord?" Much like Paul the apostle. "Lord, what will You have me to do?"Now here is a true picture of leadership. The finest leader is the man who is lead. The finest ruler is a man who is ruled. God chose Joshua for a leader to rule over the people of Israel because Joshua was ruled over by the Lord; the proper chain of command. No man is fit to rule who is not ruled. That's the tragedy of history where we have had despots upon the throne. These autocratic, despotic rulers who did not feel a responsibility to anybody else, but became the final authority within themselves, they became tyrants. The people always suffer under the rule of such people. But those who have a consciousness of the fact that they are ruled, those who have submitted themselves to His throne, are able to reign upon their thrones. But you've got to have that chain of command.When the centurion came to Jesus and sought that Jesus would heal his daughter who was very sick, Jesus said, "I will come to your house."He said, "Oh no Lord, that isn't necessary. I'm not worthy that you should come to my house. For you see, I understand authority, I also am a man of authority having under me, men." "I am also a man", he said, "under authority, having under me men." He sees the chain. "I'm a man who is under authority, but I have under me men." He recognized the position of Jesus. Having submitted to the Father, a man under authority, yet having authority himself.So I can say to one man, "Do this", and he'll do it, to another, "do that", and he does it. I have authority, but I'm under authority. "I know that You have authority, and all You have to do is speak the word, and my servant will be healed." God said, "All right. That's far out. I haven't seen this kind of faith among the Israelites." A man who recognized what true authority is. Oh, that we would realize that we don't have any right to rule unless we ourselves are ruled.So Joshua, the leader over the people and yet being led. "What do you want me to do Lord?" The real heart of a servant. So the Lord didn't have much for him to do, "Just take your shoes off. The ground where you're standing is holy." So much as the Lord spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, the command to remove his sandals, so also to Joshua. So as the Captain of the Lord's host, to lead the people of God into the conquest of the land. "