The Commander of the Lord’s Army. The captain of the LORD’S army said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy (set apart to the LORD).” And Joshua did so. Jos 5:15
INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
INTRODUCTION
Though there are evident traces of the hand of an editing scribe, probably Ezra, there are many indications that the substance of this book was written while the events were still recent. There is therefore no good reason for doubting that the book in its original form was written by Joshua, as Jewish tradition alleges.
This book is to the Old Testament what the Acts of the Apostles is to the New. The name “Joshua” is equivalent to Jesus, and means “he shall save,” Heb_4:8. The Jericho of the early Church was Jerusalem, which they compassed through ten days of prayer as Israel compassed Jericho in seven days of marching. At Pentecost the walls of prejudice fell flat. Ananias and Sapphira were the Achan of the first days. The victories of the Church at Samaria, Antioch and elsewhere recall the conquests of Joshua. And the failure of the Church to go forward to the conquest of the nations finds a bitter parallel in the story of Israel’s apathy toward driving out the Canaanites.
Possessing the Promised Land
2. The Jordan Crossed; Memorial Stones; Circumcision and the Passover, Jos_3:1-17; Jos_4:1-24; Jos_5:1-15
8. From whom and how did Joshua receive instructions for his first attack?
Joshua 5:13-15 and Joshua 6:11
THE COMMANDER OF THE LORD’S ARMY
Now when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his drawn sword in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?”
e said, “No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of the LORD.” Then Joshua fell with his face toward the earth and bowed down, and said to him, “What does my lord have to say to his servant?”
The captain of the LORD’S army said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy (set apart to the LORD).” And Joshua did so. [Exo_3:5]
THE FALL OF JERICHO
Now Jericho [a fortified city with high walls] was tightly closed because [of the people’s fear] of the sons of Israel; no one went out or came in.
The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty warriors.
Now you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do this [once each day] for six days.
Also, seven priests shall carry seven trumpets [made] of rams’ horns ahead of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall cry out with a great shout (battle cry); and the wall of the city will fall down in its place, and the people shall go up, each man [going] straight ahead [climbing over the rubble].”
So Joshua the son of Nun called for the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets made of rams’ horns ahead of the ark of the LORD.”
He said to the people, “Go forward! March around the city, and let the armed men go ahead of the ark of the LORD.”
And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets made of rams’ horns went on before the LORD and blew the trumpets; then the ark of the covenant of the LORD went behind them.
The armed men went in front of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued to blow the trumpets.
But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout [the battle cry] nor let your voice be heard nor let a word come out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout!”
So Joshua had the ark of the LORD taken around the city [on the first day], circling it once; then they came back into the camp and spent the night in the camp.
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
On
Joshua 5:13-6:11
THE COMMANDER AND HIS PLAN OF CAMPAIGN
When the heart is perfect with God we may count on His presence and help. It is to the separated and obedient servant that the vision of Christ, as Ally and Captain, is given. Here were three hosts marshaled by Jericho-of the Canaanites, of Israel, and of the heavenly armies, waiting to war against the evil spirits which ruled the darkness of the land, Eph_6:12.
The answer to Joshua’s question depended on whether Israel was prepared to accept God’s plan of campaign, which was very humbling to the flesh. “The Lord is with us, if we are with Him,” Jos_7:11-12; 2Ch_15:2. As Jericho was the key to Canaan, and its fall was to be the earnest of complete victory, the program was carefully planned to give God His rightful position. From first to last its capture was the result of the interposition of Him who dwelled in the bush. Therefore, the Ark was borne around the city, as the symbol of His presence, Num_10:35.
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