Take off your shoes, Joshua.

Book of Joshua 5:13-15

The second person in the Bible God asks to take off his shoes is Joshua. Why?

1. God wants to remind Joshua of His covenant.
2. God wants to remove Joshua's self-insignificance.
3. God wants to recommission Joshua to His battle.

Remember Exodus Ch. 3 when Moses encounters this almighty God, I AM, who shows up in burning bushes? At that moment, God tells Moses to take off his shoes because it is the holy ground. God is proclaiming His total sovereignty at that moment as Moses steps closer to the burning bushes. In the Book of Joshua Ch. 5, God tells Joshua to take off his shoes when he faces this general of the army of the Lord. Before Moses passed away, Joshua, the general of Israel, saw what his master Moses could do with the staff in his hand.
To Joshua and everyone else (even now), Moses was the symbol of Signs and Wonder. There is no comparison to what Moses could do in the Old Testament. It's hard for Joshua to live up to that standard of Moses; however God never wanted Joshua to compare himself to his master, Moses.

Book of Joshua Ch. 1, God encourages Joshua again and again; I totally believe that Joshua is afraid, otherwise God wouldn't remind him that many times. God reminds Joshua that whatever He did to Moses He will do the same to Joshua; God makes sure that Joshua receives the same favor as Moses. First, take off your shoes; that's what God says to Moses when he encounters Him. God gives Joshua the same grace as He tells Joshua to take off his shoes - Joshua, you has seen Me today, says God. It's God's individual covenant with Joshua.

Why is Joshua so afraid? Feeling of self-insignificance and the spirit of comparison. In God's eyes, you are as important as King David, Moses and Elijah, etc. Why feeling self insignificant? The only difference is do we find the grace in His eyes? Do we truly know Him?

Genesis 6:8 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."

In those evil days before the flood, the only person that stood out in that generation was Noah. Why? Was he a better person? Not really. What about Abraham? Was he a holy guy? Not really. What about King David? He was not so much better than Saul...But why did these people stand out in those days?

Because they found something - grace. They found out that God is full of grace and mercy. God's eyes are full of grace! Do you find that? When you do, you will stand out in your generation.

God removed Joshua's self-insignificance, or should I say, Joshua finds grace in the eyes of the Lord. Thus Joshua no longer looks down on his own image or ability but through God's eye, he receives strength and courage.

Wow...more I read the Book of Joshua, more I become confident of what God is doing in my life. I choose to stand firm. I choose to be happy. I choose God's promises over so called reality.
Amen.