Day 5: Genesis 5, Matthew 5, Joshua 5, Romans 5, Isaiah 5, Hebrews 5, Job 5, Psalm 5.

In Joshua 5, it seems that the commander of the Lord’s army is more than just an angel. Like when Moses met the Lord himself in the burning bush, Joshua must remove his shoes, because the Lord’s presence makes the ground holy. The one who is both the commander of the Lord’s army, and the Lord himself is, presumably, the Word who was with God and was God.

How then can the one who, dressed for battle, prepares to wage war against His enemies say “blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God” and “love your enemies... that you may be children of your Father in heaven?” (Matthew 5)

Or, to put it another way, how can the one who is not a God who is pleased with wickedness, who hates all who do wrong (Psalm 5), who knows that though he has loved us with a beautiful, cherishing love, we have been fruitless (Isaiah 5); how can this one speak of a son of Adam like Enoch (Genesis 5) that they walked with him, when Death came to all people through Adam? How can David (Psalm 5) hope that he might come into God’s house and be surrounded with His favour when we know that David was an adulterer and a murderer?

Only because of one other Son of Adam. If ever there was one who should not have died, it wasn’t Enoch, but Jesus. Yet when we were powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

This is the God who so loves his enemies that he reconciled us through the death of his Son. Thus through His obedience many are made righteous (Romans 5)