Joshua 5:14 Komentář

Israel have now got over Jordan, and the waters which had opened before them, to favour their march forward, are closed again behind them, to forbid their retreat backward. They have now got footing in Canaan, and must apply themselves to the conquest of it, in order to which this chapter tells us, I. How their enemies were dispirited (Jos 5:1). II. What was done at their first landing to assist and encourage them. 1. The covenant of circumcision was renewed (Jos 5:2-9). 2. The feast of the passover was celebrated (Jos 5:10). 3. Their camp was victualled with the corn of the land, whereupon the manna ceased (Jos 5:11, Jos 5:12). 4. The captain of the Lord's host himself appeared to Joshua to animate and direct him (Jos 5:13-15).

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 5 The Canaanites being dispirited on the passage of the children of Israel through Jordan, Jos 5:1; Joshua is ordered to circumcise such of the people of Israel that were uncircumcised, Jos 5:2; in order to their eating of the passover, which was now to be kept, Jos 5:10; and they being now provided with corn sufficient, the manna ceased, Jos 5:11; and there appeared to Joshua a divine Person, in an human form, to encourage and direct him what to do in the conquest of the land, and particularly Jericho, Jos 5:13.

And he said, nay,.... Not for or on the side of their adversaries was he come, as Joshua suspected at the first sight of him; the Septuagint version is, "he said unto him", taking for as it sometimes is: but as Captain of the host of the Lord am I now come; of the host of the Lord both in heaven and in earth, angels and men, and particularly of the people of Israel, called the armies and host of the Lord, Exo 7:4; so that though Joshua was general, Christ was Generalissimo; and so Joshua understood him, and therefore showed a readiness to do whatsoever he should command him; the spiritual Israel of God, the church, is in a militant state, and has many enemies to combat with, sin, Satan, the world, and false teachers; Christ is their Leader and Commander, the Captain of their salvation, and has all necessary qualifications or wisdom, courage, and might, for such an office; see Isa 55:4, and Joshua fell on his face to the earth; in reverence of this divine and illustrious Person, whom he perceived to be what he was: and did worship; gave him religious worship and adoration, which had he been a created angel he would not have given to him, nor would such an one have received it, Rev 19:10, and said unto him, what saith my Lord unto his servant? that is, what commands had he to lay upon him, and he was ready to execute them? he was heartily willing to be subject to him as the chief general of the Israelitish forces, and to consider himself, and behave, as an officer under him, and to obey all orders that should be given.

What is it that Jesus [Joshua] teaches us through this? That, doubtless, which the apostle says: "Do not believe every spirit, but test if it is from God." Therefore, Jesus [Joshua] recognized not only something from God but that which is God; for certainly he would not have worshiped unless he had recognized God. For who else is chief of the army of the powers of God except our Lord Jesus Christ? For every heavenly army, whether angels or archangels, whether powers or "dominions or principalities or authorities," all these that were made through him, wage war under the chief himself, who is the chief of chiefs and who distributes sovereignty to the sovereigns. For he himself is the one who says in the gospel, "Have power over ten cities," and, to another, "Have power over five cities." This is the one who has returned after accepting the kingdom.

And as Joshua, the successor of Moses, was about to fight against the former possessors of Palestine, his enemies, foreign and most ungodly races, he rightly appears to him with a sword drawn and pointed against the enemy, showing by the vision that he himself is about to attack the ungodly with an unseen sword and with divine power, the fellow soldier and the fellow combatant of his people. Wherefore he gives himself the name of Chief and Captain of the Lord to suit the occasion. - "Proof of the Gospel 5.19"

Joshua, the successor of Moses, calls the leader of the heavenly angels and archangels and of the supernal powers and as if he were the power and wisdom of the Father, entrusted with the second rank of sovereignty and rule over all, “prince of the host of the Lord,” although he saw him only in the form and shape of a man. At any rate, it is written: “And it came to pass, when Joshua was in the field of the city of Jericho, he lifted up his eyes, and saw a man standing over against him, holding a drawn sword, and he went to him and said: ‘Are you one of ours, or of our adversaries?’ And he said to him, ‘I am prince of the host of the Lord and I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the ground and said to him, ‘What does my Lord command to his servant?’ And the prince of the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Loose your shoe from off your feet, for the place on which you stand is a holy place.’ ” Here, too, you will perceive from the identity of words that this is no other than he who also spoke to Moses.

A brother asked a hermit, ‘Is it good to be always repenting?’ He answered, ‘We have seen Joshua the son of Nun; it was when he was lying prostrate on his face that God appeared to him’ (cf. Josh. 5:14).

Divine providence surrounds all persons at all times, but it is not visible except to those who have purified their souls of sin and think about God at all times. To these it is luminously revealed at that time; because when they have undergone great temptations for the sake of truth, then they receive the faculty to perceive sensibly as if with eyes of flesh also when necessary, even palpably, according to the kind and cause of the temptation, as if for greater encouragement.So it was with Jacob and Joshua son of Nun, Hananiah and his companions, Peter and others to whom the form of a man appeared to encourage them and to console their faith.

Joshua, the son of Nun, and Daniel bowed in veneration before an angel of God, but they did not adore him. For adoration is one thing, and that which is offered in order to honor something of great excellence is another.

Joshua the son of Nun did not see the angel as he is by nature, but an image, for an angel by nature is not visible to bodily eyes, yet he fell down and worshiped, and Daniel did likewise. Yet an angel is a creature, a servant and minister of God, but not God. And they fell down in worship before the angels, not as God, but as God’s ministering spirits. Shall I not make images of friends? Shall I not honor them, not as gods but as the images of God’s friends? Neither Joshua nor Daniel worshiped the angels they saw as gods. Neither do I worship an image as god, but through the images of Christ and of the holy Theotokos and of the saints, I bring worship and honor to God, because of the reverence with which I honor his friends. God did not unite himself with angelic nature but with human nature. God did not become an angel; he became a man by nature and in truth.

The effect produced on the minds of the Canaanites by the late miracle, Jos 5:1. Joshua is commanded to circumcise the Israelites, Jos 5:2. He obeys, Jos 5:3. Who they were that were circumcised, and why it was now done, Jos 5:4-7. They abide in the camp till they are whole, Jos 5:8. The place is called Gilgal, and why, Jos 5:9. They keep the passover in the same place, Jos 5:10. They eat unleavened cakes and parched corn, on the morrow after the passover, Jos 5:11. The manna ceases, Jos 5:12. The captain of the Lord's host appears to Joshua, Jos 5:13-15.

But as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come - By this saying Joshua was both encouraged and instructed. As if he had said, "Fear not; Jehovah hath sent from heaven to save thee and thy people from the reproach of them that would swallow thee up. Israel is the Lord's host; and the Lord of hosts is Israel's Captain. Thou thyself shalt only be captain under me, and I am now about to instruct thee relative to thy conduct in this war." And Joshua - did worship - Nor was he reprehended for offering Divine worship to this person, which he would not have received had he been a created angel. See Rev 22:8, Rev 22:9.

THE CANAANITES AFRAID. (Jos 5:1) the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea--Under the former designation were included the people who inhabited the mountainous region, and under the latter those who were on the seacoast of Palestine. heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan . . . that their heart melted--They had probably reckoned on the swollen river interposing for a time a sure barrier of defense. But seeing it had been completely dried up, they were completely paralyzed by so incontestable a proof that God was on the side of the invaders. In fact, the conquest had already begun in the total prostration of spirit among the native chiefs. "Their heart melted," but unhappily not into faith and penitent submission.

the host of the Lord--either the Israelitish people (Exo 7:4; Exo 12:41; Isa 55:4), or the angels (Psa 148:2), or both included, and the Captain of it was the angel of the covenant, whose visible manifestations were varied according to the occasion. His attitude of equipment betokened his approval of, and interest in, the war of invasion. Joshua fell on his face . . ., and did worship--The adoption by Joshua of this absolute form of prostration demonstrates the sentiments of profound reverence with which the language and majestic bearing of the stranger inspired him. The real character of this personage was disclosed by His accepting the homage of worship (compare Act 10:25-26; Rev 19:10), and still further in the command, "Loose thy shoe from off thy foot" (Exo 3:5). Next: Joshua Chapter 6

Circumcision of the People, and Celebration of the Passover at Gilgal - Jos 5:1-12 When the Israelites had trodden the soil of Canaan, Joshua began immediately to make arrangements for conquering the land, and destroying its inhabitants. As the Lord had only promised his His assistance on condition that the law given by Moses was faithfully observed (Jos 1:7.), it was necessary that he should proceed first of all to impose it as an inviolable obligation, not only upon himself, but also upon all the people entrusted to his charge, to fulfil all the precepts of the law, many of which could not be carried out during the journey through the wilderness, whilst many others had only been given with special reference to the time when the people should be dwelling in Canaan. The first duty which devolved upon him in this respect, was to perform the rite of circumcision upon the generation that had been born in the wilderness, and had grown up without circumcision, so that the whole congregation might be included in the covenant of the Lord, and be able to keep the passover, which was to be celebrated in a few days in the manner prescribed by the law.