23rd.: Captain of the Lord’s host
The next stop for Joshua and the Israelites was a town called Jericho.
Their job was to capture it.
While Joshua was out and about, a stranger accosted Joshua,
“when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand.
Joshua spake,
‘Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?’
The stranger replied,
‘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 says 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 stands is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” (Josh. 5:13-15).
Joshua did not recognize the captain by sight.
Nevertheless, the Lord had
spoken to Joshua several times, such as in Josh 1:1, Josh. 3:7, Josh. 4:15, Josh 5:2, & Josh 5:9.
Joshua recognized the voice, as of God's.
Joshua may have also remembered God’s instruction to Moses,
“Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way,
and to bring thee into the place, which I have prepared.
Beware of him, and obey his voice …” (Ex. 23:20-21b).
Joshua quickly bowed down, ready to listen.
Likewise, we must learn to recognize His voice.