This supplies overwhelming evidence that the Commander is a divine Person. In light of Revelation 19 where Jesus, “The Word of God ” commands the heavenly armies we interpret that the divine Person appearing to Joshua is none other than the pre-incarnate Christ.
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Commander of the Lord’s Army. “The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, ‘Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so” (Josh. 5:15). Examining Scripture reveals that God employs angels often in the unfolding of His plan of redemption.
The Commander uses the same terminology as the great “I AM” in Exodus 3:5 when He commands Moses before the burning bush to remove his sandals because Moses is on holy ground in the presence of God. This supplies overwhelming evidence that the Commander is a divine Person.
Some think the Commander of the army of the Lord is a superior angel like Michael for this reason. However, in an almost corrective manner the Commander clarifies: 15 “And the commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”
Now, there is no question that the Lord was there with the armies of heaven to secure Jericho and this so God’s people could possess their God-given inheritance, the Land, yet a certain perspective was vital for true success. The first principle: It was not for Joshua to claim God’s allegiance for his cause no matter how right and holy it might be.
Preaching Christ Through the Bible | JOSHUA: JESUS IS THE COMMANDER OF THE LORD’S ARMY. Joshua 5:13-15 (ESV) 13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand.
The Fall of Jericho. 13 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?” 14 “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 ...
Verse 14. - And he said, Nay. Many MSS. which are followed by the LXX. and Syriac versions, have לו for לאֹ here. The Chaldee and Vulgate read לאֹ, and the Masorites do not reckon this among the 15 passages in which לו is read for לאֹ (Keil). But when Keil adds that a comparison of this passage with Joshua 24:21 decides the point, he is going too far, since כִּי often stands ...
Joshua stood before the “commander of the army of the Lord.”. There was an army Joshua could not see – spiritual warriors fighting a battle against spiritual forces. Victory against Jericho would never be just about Jericho’s defenses and Joshua ’s army. Something hidden from human eyes would decide that battle.
Certainly Joshua knew God was speaking to him. He was in God’s presence, and the commander of God’s army was before him. For Joshua, there was only one thing to do – he fell face down on the ground in reverence. That encounter gave Joshua powerful lessons to learn. 1.
Joshua was about to learn a powerful lesson like that about leadership. He’d gone out alone to scout out the challenge of conquering the great walled city of Jericho. He had to be asking himself: “How will my army overcome these massive defenses? Can I be a good enough commander?”
Soon he had an effective army. The Jacobite Rising had begun. The Jacobites won several early battles and ended most opposition in Scotland. Then the army marched south and got within 125 miles of London before confidence ran out and they retreated back to Scotland and deep into the Highlands.
Perhaps the most critical moment for the Israelites – who had just entered into their Promised Land – came in a meeting just outside Jericho between their leader, Joshua, and a mysterious stranger.
Those who supported the Stuart line of succession were called Jacobites, and many gave their loyalty to Charles Edward Stuart – better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie – when he sailed from France and landed in Scotland in 1745. Soon he had an effective army. The Jacobite Rising had begun.
God does not stand around, merely taking pity on our problems. God’s sword is drawn. The work, the ministry, the mission of God’s church is God’s mission, and it will be won in God’s way and God’s strength. 2. The battle ahead would have an army greater than Joshua’s army.
An objection can be noted here. Joshua calls him lord ( adon) and not Lord (Adonai) or LORD (YHWH). The word lord (adon) can be used for both divine and non-divine according to Strong’s. Some think the Commander of the army of the Lord is a superior angel like Michael for this reason. However, in an almost corrective manner the Commander clarifies:
This supplies overwhelming evidence that the Commander is a divine Person. In light of Revelation 19 where Jesus, “The Word of God ” commands the heavenly armies we interpret that the divine Person appearing to Jos hua is none other than the pre-incarnate Christ.
Before Israel conquered Jericho, which would be their first battle in the Promised Land, an important moment occurred as Joshua surveyed the city from a close distance ( Josh 5:13 ). As the newly installed leader of Israel and her army, he was probably brainstorming a battle plan.
This title identified this man as the superior leader of God’s heavenly, invisible, angelic army, a massive military force later portrayed as defending Israel against Syria during the ministry of the prophet Elisha ( 2 Kin 6:17 ). This heavenly army also appears magnificently at the future Battle of Armageddon ( Rev 19:14 ).
On the eve of their first major conflict (when Joshua and the people were likely nervous or afraid), God assured Joshua of his divine aid and presence. This episode affirmed what God had already promised before, that “no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
As believers living and serving God today in a pagan, hostile world, we find similar encouragement from Christ. He has not given us instructions to conquer cities or possess land as an army might do.
Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" "Neither," he replied, "but as a commander of the army of the LORD, I have now come." -Joshua 5:13-14 NIV
Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" "Neither," he replied, "but as a commander of the army of the LORD, I have now come." -Joshua 5:13-14 NIV
Going back to the bottom of verse 13, we find Joshua asking the man he saw with an interesting question, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” The man responded and said, “No; but I am the Commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” In other words, Joshua wanted to know whether or not the man was an ally or an enemy.
Moses brought Joshua to Mount Sinai to collect the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:13-18).
Joshua stood before the “commander of the army of the Lord.”. There was an army Joshua could not see – spiritual warriors fighting a battle against spiritual forces. Victory against Jericho would never be just about Jericho’s defenses and Joshua ’s army. Something hidden from human eyes would decide that battle.
Certainly Joshua knew God was speaking to him. He was in God’s presence, and the commander of God’s army was before him. For Joshua, there was only one thing to do – he fell face down on the ground in reverence. That encounter gave Joshua powerful lessons to learn. 1.
Joshua was about to learn a powerful lesson like that about leadership. He’d gone out alone to scout out the challenge of conquering the great walled city of Jericho. He had to be asking himself: “How will my army overcome these massive defenses? Can I be a good enough commander?”
Soon he had an effective army. The Jacobite Rising had begun. The Jacobites won several early battles and ended most opposition in Scotland. Then the army marched south and got within 125 miles of London before confidence ran out and they retreated back to Scotland and deep into the Highlands.
Perhaps the most critical moment for the Israelites – who had just entered into their Promised Land – came in a meeting just outside Jericho between their leader, Joshua, and a mysterious stranger.
Those who supported the Stuart line of succession were called Jacobites, and many gave their loyalty to Charles Edward Stuart – better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie – when he sailed from France and landed in Scotland in 1745. Soon he had an effective army. The Jacobite Rising had begun.
God does not stand around, merely taking pity on our problems. God’s sword is drawn. The work, the ministry, the mission of God’s church is God’s mission, and it will be won in God’s way and God’s strength. 2. The battle ahead would have an army greater than Joshua’s army.