Joshua 5:13-15 - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

I bring the whole of these verses into one view because they are connected. And I desire the Reader to attend to the very precious things contained in them. A more interesting portion, perhaps, in reference to the Lord Jesus, cannot be found in the Old Testament. Joshua, we are told, was by Jericho. Perhaps at prayer, or in meditation, seeking suitable grace from the Lord in the critical season now opening before him. He had, at the Lord's command, observed the feast of the Passover, and of unleavened bread; and was now following up those services in humbly waiting on the Lord. See Habakkuk 2:1-2. The sweetest seasons for expecting divine manifestations are, when we have waited upon our God, in his appointed way of ordinances. Who was this person to whom Joshua paid such reverence? Was it not the same whom Moses saw at the bush, though there appearing in a different form? Compare. Exodus 3:2-6. If the Reader will look further on to the next chapter (for the close of this is only preparatory to the opening of the next) he will there discover, that this person who appeared to him as a man, is spoken of as Jehovah, see Joshua 6:2. And if the Reader will connect with this appearance to Joshua the several appearances made to the patriarchs and other followers of the Lord, in the first ages of the church, he will not be at a loss to discover, that it must have been one and the same person which appeared to these holy men of old, according to the different accounts given of him: Genesis 32:24; Genesis 32:24, etc. And who then could it be, that appeared thus to Joshua, but he who is indeed captain of the Lord's, hosts, and is elsewhere called the Captain of our salvation. Hebrews 2:10. Who but thee, thou blessed Jesus! hath ever so manifested thy concern and love for thy people, as to come down to deliver them from all their foes? How sweetly do we behold in this, and all the other instances we meet with in thy word, thy gracious longings, for tabernacling in substance of our flesh, when by becoming man for us and for our salvation, thou hast made us sons of God! Oh! thou dear Redeemer! even now as then, do I not know, that all the gracious words which believers hear from God, and all his gracious manifestations, are delivered through thy person, and by thy mouth? John 1:18. I beg the Reader to remark with me, that as Joshua so readily and so cheerfully surrendered his authority to this person, and fell before him with sacred worship, certainly his faith in Jesus, was strikingly shown by those acts, and his views of salvation by him, was evidently declared. Hebrews 11:32, etc.