Whose Side Is God On?
September 2nd, 2008
It’s official. God has formally endorsed the Democratic National Committee, this according to filmmaker Michael Moore and former DNC chairman Don Fowler.
In an interview with MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann, on Countdown, Moore had this to say:
“I was just thinking, this Gustav is proof that there is a God in Heaven. That it would actually be on its way to New Orleans for Day one of the Republican convention up in the twin cities at the top of the Mississippi River.”
And according to a recent video posted on YouTube, Don Fowler was caught on tape suggesting that Hurricane Gustov’s predicted landfall on opening day of the Republican National Convention “just demonstrates that God is on our side.” Fowler later apologized.
This raises an interesting question. Does God take sides in an election and if so whose side is He on? And by the way this isn’t a new question. In fact it’s centuries old. Prior to Israel’s invasion of the Promised Land, Joshua was seen surveying the field of battle contemplating what would inevitably be their first engagement of enemy forces: Jericho. His thoughts were heavy as he pondered what was about to unfold. When all at once his eye caught sight of a soldier coming to meet him brandishing a sword:
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite 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?”
So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
Then the Commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so (Joshua 5:13-15).
Who is the Commander of the Lord’s army? None other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy of worship. His response to Joshua made it clear that the question of whose side He is on completely misses the issue. You see He is neither for US nor for our adversaries. He is the sovereign Lord of all the universe. It’s not a matter of whether God is on our side. It’s a matter of whether or not we are on His.
So how ‘bout it, Michael Moore and Don Fowler? Whose side are YOU on?
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:47 am
I’m not exactly sure of how you understand the Joshua record here, but I would like to offer this for your consideration.
Joshua’s inquiry was assuming the warrior to be human, not angelic. Therefore the answer of the angelic warrior with sword drawn for battle, was not “no, …” as in taking a side with Israel or its enemy, but to correct the reasonable assumption that the angel was human.
After identifying himself to Joshua, it is clear that Jehovah God had sent His angelic commander to be on the side of Jehovah’s people for His Name.
The OT writer’s word selection of our english translation “lord” was not significant here, and the bowing on the ground was simply the customary practise. The angel also did not identify himself as the “Angel of The Lord”, but rather a commander of Jehovah’s angelic army, ready to fight with Joshua’s army.
My personal opinion on the matter of God taking sides in a nation’s political election process is learned from the OT book of Job. Which makes the point that Jehovah God does not reveal beforehand His reasoning and will in the affairs of nations. However, Jehovah’s reasoning and will can be understood in history, for God’s actions with nations is open and plain to easily understand.
So I believe we can not know right now if God is playing a part or not, and if he is playing a part, is it to judge a punishment or grace?
We will know if we live long enough, and if we don’t we should prepare our children to be ready to know as they look back.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:37 am
Hmmmm, would Pat Robertson agree with Michael Moore and Don Fowler??
September 4th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
David,
Thanks for your perspective. I guess I would lean more toward a different interpretation, though. Most scholars tend to agree that this is a Christophany, the chief reason being that Joshua fell on his face in worship. If this were an angelic commander, as you say, no angel would have permitted Joshua to bow before him in this way, even if it were only customary. Every instance in scripture where men are seen bowing before an angel who is not the Lord, they are always instructed to rise.
Something else to consider is the Commanders instruction for Joshua to remove his sandals. Where else have you heard that? This was the exact same instruction Jehovah gave to Moses at the burning bush. No doubt Joshua heard the story at least a thousand times during the Israelite journey through the wilderness. What better way for the Lord to identify Himself to Joshua. From Joshua’s perspective it would have been unmistakable. At least that’s my take on it.
September 5th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Thanks for the reply .
The main point of this thread was that God takes no sides but is sovereign, but here he comes not as a man of either side of the battle at hand, but as “the” representative of Jehovah, sword drawn for battle taking the side of Israel.
Respectfully to you and this blog, this passages doesn’t serve the purpose of this thread.
As we know, english translations are not always consistant — a Hebrew word used in two passages is not always translated into the same english word — here is such a case more than once.
Joshua fell down “and did worship” …
It by no means follows that because Joshua fell down upon the ground and ???????? (Eng. Ver. “did worship”), he must have recognised him at once as the angel of the Lord who was equal with God; for the word ????????, which is connected with the falling down, does not always mean divine worship, but very frequently means nothing more than the deep Oriental reverence paid by a dependant to his superior or king (e.g., 2Sa 9:6; 2Sa 14:33), and Joshua did not address the person who appeared to him by the name of God, ????, but simply as ????, “My lord.” (Copied from Keil & Delitzsch)
However,as to the actions of Joshua regarded him at once as a superior being, i.e., an angel the word selection by the biblical author clearly points out that he was doing the customary practise and not assuming (guessing) that this was Jehovah manifesting Himself in human form, for he interrupted the angel’s speaking which he would not have done IF he deemed him to be Jehovah.
NOTE: Your reply prompted me to examine the text more thoroughly (My first reply was of faulty memory without taking the time to check the passage text) and because of your blog and service to God here, corrected/completed for me a better understanding and more accurate memory, lol.
The correction and revelation from Jehovah that he was appearing here as the Captain of the angelic host is as you accurate pointed out understood by the command to remove the sandles which was the regional custom for being in the presence of the God of the nation– Jehovah God of Israel.
Because of this Joshua must have recognised him as something more than a created angel of superior rank, that is to say, as the angel of Jehovah who is essentially equal with God, the visible revealer of the invisible God, as soon as he gave him the command to take off his shoes, etc. - a command which would remind him of the appearance of God to Moses in the burning bush, and which implied that the person who now appeared was the very person who had revealed himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Thanks for your work here, God bless your service to Him.