Thursday, August 19, 2004
Martyr Andrew the General (Stratelates)
Kellia: Joshua 5:13-15 Epistle: 2 Corinthians 7:1-10 Gospel: St. Mark 1:29-35
Joshua 5:13-15, especially vs.13: "When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up
his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood before him with his drawn sword in his hand...."
Joshua presents the Faithful with a masterful icon of a true spiritual warrior, even as St.
Theophan the Recluse provides us with seasoned counsel should we long to reach Joshua's
perfection through spiritual struggle: "in order to succeed...you must constantly oppose all evil in
yourself and urge yourself towards the good. In other words, you must ceaselessly fight against
yourself and against everything that panders to your own wills, that incites and supports them. So
prepare yourself for this struggle and this warfare and know that the crown - attainment of your
desired aim - is given to none except to the valiant among warriors and wrestlers."
Today's reading portrays Joshua, the God-ordained leader of the people of Israel (Josh. 1:9), the
chieftain holding the sure loyalty of his troops (Josh. 1:16-18), standing alone surveying the
formidable, defensive battlements of the very first military objective in what augured to be a
tough, protracted campaign to take the Promised Land. Joshua had no siege towers, no engineer
battalions, no sappers trained to undermine walls, and no rams to batter down the bulwark facing
him. True, his spies had found one friendly supporter within the walls. Nonetheless, trusting
God, he approached fortressed Jericho, "lifted up his eyes and looked" (Josh 5:13). He did that
which every spiritual warrior must do: he faced the enemy of God before him.
Having taken the first necessary step of every spiritual warrior - an honest look at the foe, Joshua
reveals five other steps that also must be taken: 1) searching the field with the eyes of the heart,
2) testing one's inward vision to determine God presence, 3) worshiping God the source of all
victory, 4) seeking the Lord's will, and 5) submitting in reverence. Before every spiritual clash,
each of these actions must be undertaken if a spiritual warrior would hope for victory.
The text speaks of Joshua's sight in three phrases: "he lifted up his eyes," [he] "looked", and
"behold" - that is, he beheld (vs. 13). Sight is emphasized, but understand what is meant by
"lifting up" and "looking." The eyes which the Prophet of Israel "lifted up," were not his physical
eyes but his spiritual eyes. His physical eyes saw Jericho. With the eyes of the heart, Joshua
perceived the spiritual truths of the battle before him. St. Isaac the Syrian notes that when man's
knowledge is raised above worldly concerns, he begins to see inwardly "what is hidden from the
eyes....then faith...itself swallows up knowledge, converts it, and begets it anew....Then it can
soar in the realms of the bodiless....Then the inner senses awaken for spiritual doing." This
surely is "lifting up," looking with the heart, and beholding what bodily sight cannot see.
Joshua not only "saw" an armed man, but one "with his drawn sword in his hand" (vs. 13). He
approached to determine whether he was encountering a friend or a foe - one from God or one
from the Enemy - "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" (vs. 13). The spiritual warrior
desperately needs the assurance of God's presence. Like all the Saints, Joshua received the
needed word from the Lord: "as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come" (vs. 14).
Appropriately, "Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshiped," something every true warrior
of the Lord does before his Lord in the face of the enemy.
Finally, see that the great warrior sought the will of God: "What does my Lord bid his servant?"
(vs. 14), and that he reverently submitted to God (vs. 15) - something all disciples do who hope
for victory - stand barefoot on the holy ground of God's will as Joshua did (vs. 15).
Almighty God, Who knowest that I can do nothing without Thy guidance and help; assist me I
pray Thee, and direct me to divine wisdom that whatever I do may be according to Thy will.