God is Not on Your Side

I’ve spent all of my life in the church. I have called myself a Christian for as long as I can remember. Part of that experience was learning the different stories of the Bible. From a young age, I heard about God’s interactions with the world - in both good ways and bad.

There was a point in life where I actually thought that the Bible couldn’t surprise me anymore. I’ve never been more wrong! I’m regularly amazed at the way God speaks to us and how the stories of scripture can be read in new ways over and over again. I had one of these experiences a few months ago as I was reading Joshua 5.

The story takes place after God sent Moses to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. They eventually make it out, wander the desert for 40 years, and are finally allowed to enter the land that God promised them (Canaan). By that point, Moses had died and Joshua became the new leader of God’s people. However, as they entered Canaan, they realized that there were people already living there. The Canaanites are described as a mighty people with strong fortified cities. Any reasonable military strategist would have strongly encouraged Israel to find another place to inhabit.

This is where the story of the Siege of Jericho begins. I’ve heard it so many times. Instead of fighting, God told Israel to walk around the outer walls of the city for seven days. On the seventh day, they walked around it seven times, blowing their trumpets and shouting. All of a sudden, the walls of the city fell down.

What a great children’s story! It could be used to teach kids that when God is on our side, anything is possible. We don’t have to fight when God fights for us. Just imagine the walls that stand against you. You can overcome them because God is for you!

Christians love the feeling of having God on our side or in our corner. It’s so encouraging to know that the Creator of the universe cares for us and can make the impossible happen. We like to quote verses like Romans 8:31 that claim that no one can be against us when God is for us.

But when I read the story of Jericho more closely, I noticed a section that was conveniently left out during the retellings I remember as a child. It happened right before the fall of the city; it is such an important part of the story because it frames everything that happened next.

Joshua encountered a man seemingly out of nowhere. This man appeared to be a military leader. Perhaps out of curiosity (or fear), Joshua started a conversation.

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’

‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’

The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13-15)

We don’t know if this man was an angel, but Joshua was convinced that he was a messenger from God. With one simple message, this man reminded Joshua of his place in God’s plan. Perhaps Joshua was hoping that God had sent backup or extra protection for the fight ahead. Maybe he wanted some reassurance from God that Joshua was going to be a good leader like Moses.

However, the messenger made it clear that God isn’t a weapon or tool to be wielded for either side. Asking the messenger which side he was on was the wrong question. God isn’t on anyone’s side. Rather, Joshua was the one who had to ask himself which side he was on. It wasn’t about the Lord being on his side but about Israel being on the Lord’s side. If Joshua wanted to be on God’s side, then his rightful posture should be one of worship and reverence. Right away, Joshua complied.

Too often we get caught up in claiming God for our own projects and goals. We like the idea that God is for us because, if that’s the case, then God must also be against our enemies. We may even receive powerful motivation and justification that lead us to wrongly rationalize actions against our enemies that look nothing like what God would do. 

“We’re fooling ourselves if we think that God chooses sides. God isn’t the one who has to choose sides, but we are. In fact, God is a side. The question is - are we on God’s side?”

We’re fooling ourselves if we think that God chooses sides. God does not have to choose sides. We do. The question is: Are we on God’s side? What happened at Jericho made it very clear that God was the one in charge. Israel didn’t wield the power of God. All they did was walk and shout, and God took care of the rest. Why? So that there would be no doubt that God brought the walls down. It was Him and Him alone.

God is God and we are not. As God’s creation, we have no right to claim God as our own or to wield Him as a weapon against our enemies. Whenever we question if God is on our side, we’ve already missed the point, just like Joshua. It’s not about us, our plans, or our battles. God does not do our will if only we say the correct prayer or perform the right spiritual practice.

As followers of God who long to be on His side and fit into His plan, our role is to submit. God is working at justice, redemption, and re-creation all the time. We are called to follow and trust in His mission of healing and hope for the world. We are invited to come alongside God, not the other way around. It’s as simple and complicated as that.