Jesus in the Old Testament 025:

Jesus Fights for Us

Josh 5:13-15

 

Thesis: We live in a world of hostility, based both in the physical and spiritual realms. If we try to fight our battles ourselves, we are destined to fail.  Jesus alone is the universal champion of Heaven.  He commands the armies of God and is indomitable.

 

1. Nutshell w/Kids
1. Show the picture of Superman to the kids.
1. What is happening here?
2. Are these people in danger?
3. What will happen to them?
4. How do you know?
5. You believe that these people are going to be okay because you believe that Superman is able to handle whatever danger that might come.
6. Superman is a fiction, but there is a warrior who always wins and who cannot be defeated. What is that? Jesus.
2. In several places in the Bible, we see Jesus as a warrior. How does that make you feel?
3. There is no danger of Him ever losing, “indomitable.”  Jesus fights for you.
4. If Jesus says that he will fight for you, what does that mean?
5. Is there anything that can defeat you if you are walking with Jesus? No.

 

2. Deeper w/Adults
1. Context: Joshua leading the Israelites against Jericho.
1. Up to this moment, he is approaching this as an impending siege, and so is Jericho.

a)    Spies (Ch. 2, Rahab)

b)    City shut up tight (6:1)

2. Joshua prepares the Israelites spiritually

a)    Circumcised again, for they were not circumcised in the wilderness wanderings.

b)    Observed Passover.

3. Entered the land and started eating its fruit after Passover. Manna stops.
1. Josh 5:13
1. Joshua is “by Jericho.” Spying out the land.  Perhaps his army is already encamped in front of it.
2. “A Man,” The Angel of the Lord.  Not so glorious in this appearance that Joshua immediately knows that He is not a normal man. 
3. Sword in his hand. 

a)    Num 22:23, 31

b)    1 Chron 21:15-16

4. “Are you for us or against us” Joshua doesn’t recognize him, so he asks if he is one of his own soldiers or an emissary come from Jericho.
2. Vs 14-15
1. No.  Neither.  Self-revelation, “the commander of the armies of Lord.”
2. Joshua immediately worships him.

a)    We know this isn’t Michael or some other angel.  No angel receives worship (Rev 22:9)

b)    The Angel of the Lord receives worship in several of His encounters, reinforcing the case for a pre-incarnate Christophany.

3. Vs 15: Angel instructs Joshua to take off his sandals because where he is standing is Holy ground.

a)    Cf Ex 3:5

b)    Symbol or respect and honor in the Middle East, not tracking in the dust of the common world around.

4. Joshua asks for instruction.

a)    He has already been scouting out the land and developing a battle plan.

b)    God had already given general instructions for laying siege (Deut 20:1-20)

c)    Now, however, a superior force has landed upon the scene.

d)    Joshua’s response is immediate humility and receptiveness.  Is this our posture of heart in light of the Word of God and indwelling Holy Spirit?

4. The story plays out famously, with the armies of heaven handling the taking down of the wall.  Joshua’s men are only needed for the invasion of the city after the fact.  The battle is won by Jesus and his angelic army.
5. Example 2: 2 Kings 6-7
1. King of Syria sends a contingent of his army to arrest Elisha
2. 6:15 armies of heaven are visible to Elisha, but not to his servant.  His eyes ore opened.
3. 6:24 ff King Ben-Hadad of Syria comes and lays siege to Samaria.
4. People start to starve. King blames Elisha and summons him.
5. Elisha prophecies the rescue of Samaria.
6. 7:3-8.  The armies of heaven frighten the Syrians into abandoning their camp and running away, leaving all their supplies behind.
7. Jesus, the AOTL, is not mentioned, but He is the commander of the armies of heaven, and His armies won the day. The Israelites did nothing.
6. Example 3: 2Kings 19
1. Sennacherib, King of Assyria is on a rampage, conquering nations all around Judah.
2. He defies Judah and the Lord as being impotent to stop him.
3. Hezekiah takes the Sennacerib’s letter and lays it before the Lord in the temple.  It’s God’s problem.
4. Isaiah prophecies God’s reply.
5. Vs 32-34 Don’t worry.  He won’t get close enough to shoot an arrow at Jerusalem.
6. Vs 35: The Angel of the Lord kills 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight.

a)    They didn’t get up and fight.  They died in their sleep.

b)    Sennacherib leaves the next morning.

7. Again, Jesus and the armies of heaven in the battle, and God’s people just watch and enjoy his protection.
6. Example 4: Rev 19:11-16
1. Clearest, “revealed” image of Jesus as the commander of the armies of heaven.
2. Sword not in his hand, but coming out of his mouth, the spoken word of the Lord is powerful and effective! (cf Isa 11:4)
3. The armies of heaven, led by Jesus, go and make war.  The church watches from behind.
7. Application:
1. When God says that He will fight for us and that all we have to do is be still, He means it. Rest in His protection.

a)    Ex 14:14

b)    Deut 3:22

c)    Deut 20:4

2. This security continues past the physical realm into our spiritual lives. Romans 8:31-38
3. The weapon of Jesus ins the Word of God (Rev 19).  This weapon is available to us as well.

 

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What battles are you facing?  What do you need protection against today?
2. Have you asked Jesus to fight these battles for you, or are you trying to fight them yourself?
3. The weapon of Jesus is the Word of God.  How can you make use of this weapon in your battles?
4. Spend a moment praying as a family and asking Jesus to fight the battles you’ve mentioned.

Jesus in the Old Testament 5: Jesus, the Angel of the Lord

Jesus in the Old Testament 005:

Jesus, the Angel of the Lord

Thesis: Jesus Christ has always been the Person of the Godhead who is sent out into creation for the purpose of imaging and revealing God to man.  That role is most clearly revealed in his 35 or so years of physical life on the Earth after His incarnation, but those were not the first years of His fulfillment of that role.  Before His incarnation, such appearances were recorded in scripture as manifestations of “The Angel of the Lord.”

1. Nutshell (>5 min with kids):
1. What is Jesus’ main job? 
2. Read John 1:18.  Jesus’ main job is to reveal to us the Father, to make a way for a relationship with him.
3. When did Jesus start doing this job?
1. He has always been the one to reveal and make a way for us to know God.
2. Introduce the character of “The Angel of the Lord”
3. Angel = Messenger, sent one
4. Jesus is much more than an angel, but he is the “sent one” of God.
4. Have you responded to Jesus’ desire to have you know and have a relationship with God?

2. Deeper
1. Some Preliminary principles from scripture first:
1. Nobody can see God and live:

a)    Deut 4:12

b)    Ex 33:20

c)    1Tim 6:15-17

d)    1Jn 4:12

2. Angels do not receive worship:

a)    Rom 1:25

b)    Col 2:18-19

c)    Rev 22:8-9

2. Gen 16:1-13:  Hagar
1. Clearly the angel of the Lord (vs 7, 9, 10, 11)
2. Yet, speaks as God (vs 10-12) Not, “The Lord says…”
3. Hagar’s reaction is to declare that she has seen and been seen by God “El-Roi,” The God who sees me.
4. Also, Ishmael, the name given to Hagar’s son, means “God hears me.”  All senses involved.
5. The first appearance of TAOTL is to a runaway slave fleeing an oppressive master.

a)    Hardly an “important” person.

b)    Fleeing the house of faith and blessing (although not perfect) and heading toward Pagan Egypt.

c)    Satan would tell us that, once we’ve turned toward sin, it is a permanent trajectory, but Jesus intercepts those fleeing from him toward sin and encourages an about-face. 1 John 1:9

d)    The rest of the story implies that she obeyed, although her obedience is not directly stated.

3. Gen 22:9-22:  Abraham Sacrificing Isaac
1. TAOTL calls to Abraham (vs 11, 22)
2. Speaks as God (vs 12, 16-18)

a)    Implies that the worship and the devotion of Abraham were toward him (vs12).

b)    esp. vs 16 “By myself I have sworn”

c)    Isa 45:23; Heb 6:13-18.  Specifically, this is attributed to God.

3. Reiterates the covenant with Abraham.
4. TAOTL prophecies of the coming Messiah through the family of Abraham (vs 18). Cf. Gal 3:16
3. Gen 31:11-13: Striped and Spotted goats
1. TAOTL speaks to Jacob in a dream
2. Directly claims to be God (vs 13)
3. Gives a command and is obeyed.
4. Exodus 3:1-21: Burning Bush
1. Several critical aspects of God’s nature are revealed in this interchange!
2. God’s name is given (vs13-15)
3. God’s plan to redeem Israel out of Egypt through signs and wonders (vs 7-12, 17-21)
4. God’s desire to be worshiped by His people (12, 18)
5. God’s plan to judge Egypt for their treatment of the Jews (vs 20-21)
6. God’s identification as the covenant God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (vs 6, 13, 15, 16).
7. Who is speaking all of this rich revelation? TAOTL! Vs. 2.

a)    Not a separate speaker.  TAOTL is in the bush (vs 2)

b)    God speaks from out of the bush (vs v4)

c)    Moses is afraid to look at God (vs 6).

6. Exodus 13:21; 14:19; 23:20
1. In 13:21, the Lord goes before them. 
2. In 14:19, TAOTL goes before them.
3. In 23:20, we are told that TAOTL is more than an angel, for the name of God is on him.  In other words, he is of the same nature and substance as the Father.
7. Num 22:22-35: Balam’s Ass
1. Very odd story!
2. TAOTL is seen in judgment and power here.
3. Again, He speaks as God (vs 32)
4. Claims to be the one who speaks through the prophets (35)
5. Receives worship (vs 31).
8. Josh 5:13-6:7
1. TAOTL, this time called “a man,” which is commonly done in other Biblical stories.
2. Identifies himself as “The Commander of the army of the Lord”
3. Rev 19:11-16
4. Receives worship (vs 14).
5. Declares that where He is is holy ground.  Josh removes shoes (vs 15; c.f. burning bush).
6. Speaks as God (vs 2) and Declares the plan of God to Joshua (6:1-5)
7. Joshua obeys.
9. Judges 2:1-5: Rebuke of Israel’s disobedience
1. TAOTL again pictured in judgment.
2. Claims responsibility for the miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt (vs 1)
3. Claims responsibility for the instructions given through Moses in Deut 7:2 and 12:3, which Moses delivers as from God (vs 2)
4. Again receives worship (vs 5).
5. In most appearances, the instructions of TAOTL are obeyed.  Here, he comes to address disobedience.
10. Judges 6:11-24: Gideon
1. TAOTL appears and speaks as God (14) and reveals the plan of God to Gideon, which e eventually obeys.
2. Receives worship (vs 18-21) even providing the fire for the offering himself.
3. Gideon fears that he will die for seeing God face-to-face, although he mentions that he knows it is the angel of the Lord (vs 22). 
4. Gideon need not fear (vs 23).  Jesus’ role is to reveal that which cannot be seen!
5. Instructs Gideon in a courageous way to worship God (vs 25-26).
11. Judges 13:2-25: Manoah
1. TAOTL appears twice, neither time announcing who he is, although Manoah’s wife guess correctly (vs 6).
2. He reveals the plan of God and the promise of deliverance to Manoah’s wife (vs 3-5).
3. Manoah generally disbelieves his wife’s testimony.
4. When asked his name, he declines to answer again but says that his name is wonderful (hard, too full of awe, to understand; vs 17-18).
5. TAOTL receives worship, but in a mysterious way, first playing on Manoah’s disbelief in TAOTL’s identity and message (vs 15-21; 23)
6. Afterward, Manoah believes and fears for his life (vs 21-22).
7. Manoah’s wife’s obedience is implied in the unfolding story of Samson in vs 24.
8. The Holy Spirit is mentioned in vs 25, so all three members of the Trinity are mentioned in this chapter.
12. The Angel of the Lord (TAOTL) is a very strange character in the OT
1. He speaks as God and makes covenants
2. He receives worship
3. He is recognized as God by those whom he visits
4. He reveals the mind, character, and will of God
5. He judges and punishes sin
6. He commands the armies of heaven
13. John 1:18
1. Jesus’ job is to reveal the invisible God to us. 
2. He is the exact nature of God (Col 1:15; Heb 1:3)
3. John 14:9 Those who saw Jesus saw the Father
14. The message of Jesus is and has always been to reveal the heart of God, judge sin, and make covenants of peace with God’s people, so that He might prepare a worshipping community of people in fellowship with the Father!  Have you received and responded to that message?

Discussion Questions:

1. Before tonight, what did you think about Jesus’ existence before the manger in Bethlehem?
2. Why do you think people called Jesus’ appearances in the OT the “Angel” of the Lord?
3. If Jesus’ job has always been to reveal God and invite people into a relationship with Him, what was different before and after he came as the baby in Bethlehem?
4. Have you responded to the invitation of Jesus to know and be loved by God?