Josué 5

Josué 5

Morris - Unseen by the Israelites, a host of angels accompanied them as they prepared to fight the Canaanites. (Note similar references to God's hosts in Genesis 32:1,2; 2 Kings 6:16,17; 7:6). Irving Jensen sums up this first section - The Christian who sincerely desires to live his life in God’s blessed will and favor—in God’s rest-land—will find that it is not he living the life, but Christ living in him. Therefore, in the face of all the enemies of his soul who would keep him from this living relationship to Christ as Lord, he must prepare his heart. First, has unconfessed sin broken fellowship with God, causing a suspension of claim to His blessing? Confession will mark the day of reproach rolled away. Then, is there a lurking doubt whether God will give the victories He has promised, because of unworthiness? When God sees the blood of Jesus His Son, He passes over and delivers. Perhaps the Christian has been hesitant to partake of a token of the blessings of Canaan land. He needs but taste and see! The fruit of the land is so much more delightful than the manna of the desert. And if the weight of battle against Satan and his hosts is too heavy to bear, the Son of God goes before to wage His holy war, to meet “the tyrant’s brandished steel.” One has nothing to lose, and all to gain! The Israelites on the plain of Jericho had committed themselves when they crossed the divided Jordan and watched it close behind them. Practically speaking, they had reached a point of no return. But they were not led here to be shut up to a life of squalor, shame, and subjugation; rather, a glorious land lay open before them—a land for them to enjoy with its milk and honey, its homes and temples for the worship of God. The yesterdays were days of preparation; the tomorrows would be days of conquest. Written in the skies above were the timeless words of the mandate, “Go in to possess the land, which Jehovah your God giveth you” (Joshua 1:11). And God’s people of generations later have been joining in the spirit of commitment to such a life by saying, with the writer of Hebrews, “Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest” (Heb. 4:11). QUESTION - Who was the commander of the army of the LORD in Joshua 5:14? ANSWER - In Joshua 5:13–15 we read of Joshua’s conversation with the “commander of the army of the LORD.” This commander appeared to Joshua near Jericho, before that fateful battle. The personage held a sword and told Joshua that the place where he stood was holy ground. The person who appeared to Joshua was clearly a powerful being. We are told Joshua fell on his face and gave him reverence. Then, Joshua addresses the man using a Hebrew word that means “master” or “lord.” Joshua clearly had much respect for this being. Finally, the man tells Joshua to remove his sandals, “for the place where you are standing is holy.” Based on this information, there are only two possible identities for this person. First, this commander could be an example of a theophany, a visible appearance of God Himself. Supporting this view is the fact that Joshua was to take off his sandals similar to how Moses did at the burning bush when he met God (Exodus 3:5). The other possible identity of this commander is that he was an angel. This theory notes that the being identifies himself as the “commander” of the Lord’s army, not as the Lord Himself. In this view, Joshua’s bowing is seen as an act of reverence rather than worship. Joshua’s address of the commander as “lord” could be a general term of respect. Those who favor the view that Joshua met an angel appeal to the fact that no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20). Those who favor the view that Joshua met God suggest that this was God the Son, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Whether the commander of the Lord’s army was angelic or divine, it was God who communicated an important message to Joshua to prepare him for the upcoming battle. GotQuestions.org George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 5 14. And he said, Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. ‘I am neither Israelite nor Canaanite, neither friend nor foe in your sense of the words, for I am not a mortal man, but as prince and leader of the Lord’s host, of the angels in heaven, and even of that very power of which you are commander, have I now come, to instruct and aid thee in the great undertaking in which thou art engaged.’ There seems to be a peculiar emphasis in the word now (עתה attâh), as if he had said, ‘I who formerly appeared as the Jehovah of the burning bush (Ex. 3.), and who was announced as the tutelary Angel of the travelling hosts (Ex. 23:23), now appear in the different character of the Divine Defender of the covenant nation; and as my presence formerly made Sinai holy (Ex. 19:20), so now doth it sanctify the spot upon which my footsteps tread.’ He probably at the same moment put forth some visible demonstration of his true character, which at once satisfied Joshua, and filled him with an overwhelming sense of his majesty and glory, so that he instinctively fell on his face to the earth, and offered him those tokens of worship which a mortal is bound to pay to his Creator. How much reason he had for this is evident from ch. 6:2, where the august stranger expressly denominates himself Jehovah. What saith my Lord unto his servant? With the profoundest reverence I acknowledge thee as my Lord and leader, I subject myself to thy sovereign will, and humbly wait for the orders it may seem good to thee to issue15. Loose thy shoe from off thy foot. This was a token of respect and reverence usual in the east, and equivalent to uncovering the head with us. (See Illustrations of the Scriptures, p. 129.) These are the same words which the angel of the burning bush spake to Moses, Ex. 3:5, from which, and other circumstances, it is probable that it was the same person who appeared in both places. That great and glorious Being, who knows fully his own infinite perfections, which we are very inadequate to comprehend, knows what external manifestations of respect they justly claim of his creatures. ‘Outward expressions of inward reverence, and a religious awe of God, well become us, and are required of us, whenever we approach, to him in solemn ordinances.’ Henry. The place whereon thou standest is holy. Heb. קדש kodesh, is holiness. It was for the time made holy, or consecrated by the Divine presence. As soon as that was withdrawn, its peculiar sacredness also forsook it, and it was no more holy than any other place. Yet with the pious heart there will naturally be, from the laws of association, a feeling of reverence for any place where God has been pleased to vouchsafe the special manifestation of himself. Such a sentiment, however, should be guarded from degenerating into superstition.