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The Story of Redemption
of Jericho. “And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled
away the reproach of Egypt from off you.”
Heathen nations had reproached the Lord and His people because
the Hebrews had not possessed the land of Canaan, which they
expected to inherit soon after leaving Egypt. Their enemies had
triumphed because they had so long wandered in the wilderness, and
they proudly lifted themselves up against God, declaring that He
was not able to lead them into the land of Canaan. They had now
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passed over Jordan on dry land, and their enemies could no longer
reproach them.
The manna had continued up to this time, but now as the Israelites
were about to possess Canaan and eat of the fruit of the land, they
had no more need of it, and it ceased.
The Captain of the Lord’s Host
As Joshua withdrew from the armies of Israel, to meditate and
pray for God’s special presence to attend him, he saw a man of lofty
stature, clad in warlike garments, with his sword drawn in his hand.
Joshua did not recognize him as one of the armies of Israel, and yet
he had no appearance of being an enemy. In his zeal he accosted
him, and said, “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And He said,
Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And
Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto
Him, What saith my Lord unto His servant? And the Captain of the
Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for
the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.”
This was no common angel. It was the Lord Jesus Christ, He
who had conducted the Hebrews through the wilderness, enshrouded
in the pillar of fire by night and the pillar of cloud by day. The place
was made sacred by His presence; therefore Joshua was commanded
to put off his shoes.
The Lord then instructed Joshua what course to pursue in order to
take Jericho. All the men of war should be commanded to compass
the city once each day for six days, and on the seventh day they
should go around Jericho seven times.
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