A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
JOſh. the Fifth, gives an account of the conſequences that immediately followed Iſrael's paſſing over Jordan, which were theſe five: (1.) Gods Dread and Terror upon the Inhabitants of the Land, verſ. 1. (2.) the renewing of Circumciſion, verſ. 2, to 9. (3.) The Celebration of the Paſſover, verſ. 10, 11. (4.) Ceſſation of Manna, verſ. 12. (5.) the Meſſiah's appearing to Joſhua in the Plains of Jordan, in many circumſtances, verſ. 13, 14, 15.
The Firſt Remark is, The Lord of Hoſts, ſmote both the Amorites on this ſide Jordan (thoſe on the otherſide having been ſubdued by Moſes, Numb. 21.24, 34.) and the Canaanites, all along the Mid-land Sea, with ſuch a fearfulneſs and faint-heartedneſs at the news of this miraculous paſſage over Jordan, that as through ſtupefaction theſe two (the principal of the Nations) had neglected to guard their Frontiers at me Invaſion, ſo much leſs had they any Courage to drive them out, when once got into their Land; 'tis ſaid, verſ. 1. That their Hearts mel…ed, as Deut. 28.7. Thus mettals melted loſe their Hardneſs, ſo thoſe Men loſt all their Hardineſs; and it may be doubted whether the Snow (that had ſwoln up Jordan) or their Hearts melted faſter, the former by the heat of the Sun, and the latter by a cowardly fear from God.
The Second Remark is, The renewing that great Sacrament of Circumciſion, (from verſ. 2, to 10.) which was given to Abraham as a Seal of Gods Covenant, wherein Canaan was promis'd to him and to his Seed, who muſt bear the Sign of Gods Covenant in their Pleſh, Gen. 17.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, &c. This Ordinance had been long neglected by Abraham's Seed during their Bondage in Egypt, where they could not Adminiſter it according to Gods Inſtitution, becauſe of their intolerable oppreſſion there. Hereupon God ſent Moſes to reſtore it in the Plague of three days Darkneſs, Exod. 10.22. and 12.44, 48. Joſh. 5.5, 7. wherein God bound Pharaoh's and his Peoples Hands to the Peace, while Iſrael was ſore with their Circumciſion: Moſes might the better be a reſtorer of this Sacrament to Iſrael, becauſe he had lately been awakened by the remembrance of his own neglect of it, and his danger thereupon; Exod. 4.24, 25. Again, this Ordinance was (if not neglected) at leaſt omitted or intermitted, while Iſrael remain'd in the Wilderneſs, where God was pleaſed to Diſpenſe with his own Inſtitution, becauſe of their frequent and ſudden Removes, when ever the Lord took up the Cloud; for had this Omiſſion (about 40. years, verſ. 5, 6. here) been a wilful neglect, Iſrael had not met with Divine indulgence but utter ſeverity, ſeeing God threatned to cut off all neglectors of it from his People, Gen. 17.14. then muſt Joſhua reſtore this Sacrament the ſecond time, verſ. 2. Here, (as Moſes had done before him the firſt time) for theſe reaſons; (1.) To roll away (as Gilgal ſignifies) the reproach which they had contracted in Egypt, by the ſinful neglect of it upon worldly Accounts, verſ. 9. (2.) That they might be prepared to partake of the Paſſover, whereof none might eat before they were Circumciſed, Exod. 12.44, 48. (3) To ſtrengthen their Faith in the Covenant God made with Abraham, Wherein, with other things, Canaan was promis'd to Abraham's Seed. This Seal now applied, muſt needs confirm them in their preſent difficulties and future danger. (4.) To teſtify that God was reconciled to them by renewing his Covenant herein with them, their Parents Rebellions being no longer to be charged upon them (5.) To diſtinguiſh them from the Ʋncircumciſed Canaanites, &c. (6.) To oblige them in performing all God enjoyned them to do in Canaan Exod. 12.25. Levit. 23.10 Numb. 15.2. &c.
The Third Remark is, The marvelous Divine Protection and Preſervation of Iſrael during their ſoreneſs under preſent circumciſion, when Jordan ſhut them up behind, a mighty and malicious Adverſary was before them, who ſurely conſulted to ruin them upon all Advantages, and who never could meet with a fairer and fitter opportunity than they hadat this time; for had they come forth in Arms upon them now, while they were ſore of their Wounds in Circumciſion (as Sime…n and Levi did upon the Shechemites, Gen. 34.25, 26, &c. They might eaſily have ſlaughter'd them, while they were utterly diſabled to ſave themſelves, either by Flight or reſiſtance in Fight. As this demonſtrates the ſtrength of their Faith, thus tried, in expoſing themſelves to ſuch deſperate danger. When God commanded it to be done, they muſt obey, relying wholly upon God's Power and providence for their preſervation, ſo on the other hand, it moſt highly commends the excellency of God's Protection over all thoſe that keep within Gods precincts: The ſame Almighty Power that had cloſely ſhut up the Egyptians with the three days Darkneſs, So that none of them could ſtir out of his place, Exod. 10.22.23. while Moſes had (as ſome ſay) circumciſed Iſrael to prepare them then for the following paſſover, Exod. 12 44.48. Accordingly when Joſhua doth the like to Iſrael here, the great God doth the like to the Canaanites (as he had done to the Egyptians) ſmiting them with ſuch a confounding Conſternation, that they durſt not move out of their lurking holes to improve an opportunity ſo fair for them, verſe 1. Here otherwiſe they might with eaſe have cut off thoſe diſabled Invaders.
The Fourth Remark is, The Parity or Congruity betwixt Joſhua and Jeſus; the Type and the Antitype, over and above what is mentioned before: As (1.) Joſhua was magnified in his Authority over, and Reputation among the People as a fit ſucceſſour of Moſes, by dividing the Waters of Jordan at the preſence of the Ark of God. Joſh. 3.3.7. and 4.14. &c. So our Jeſus was magnified in the ſame Jordan by the dividing of the Heavens, and the preſence of the Spirit of God deſcending like a Dove and reſting upon him, Math. 3.16, 17. (2.) As Joſhua led Iſrael through the Waters of Jordan unto Canaan, ſo our Jeſus leads the Iſrael of God (his Redeemed) through many Waters of affliction and of Death it ſelf into the Heavenly Canaan, Pſal. 23.4, (3.) as Joſhua brought into Canaan both thoſe who were circumciſed in Egypt (being then under 20. years of age, and now ſurvived) and thoſe who were uncircumciſed in the Wilderneſs; ſo our Jeſus brings all Believers, both the Circumciſed Jews, and the Ʋncircumciſed Gentiles into Heaven, Col. 3.11. Epheſ. 2.14. Gal. 5.6. and 6.15. (4.) as Joſhua brought even the Uncircumciſed over Jordan, that they might not aſcribe it to their Circumciſion and Merits; ſo our Jeſus does all for us out of free grace, &c. (5.) it was not Moſes but Joſhua that Circumciſed Iſrael, ſo the Law ſanctifies not, but Grace by Chriſt, Rom. 8.3. Heb. 7.19.
The Fifth Remark is, The Celebration of the Paſſover a few days after their Circumciſion, verſ. 10. So great was the priviledge of Iſraels taking Poſſeſſion of the Earthly Canaan (a Type of the Heavenly) the Land of promiſe, that they muſt paſs under a double Preparation before they can poſſeſs it. Thoſe two ſtanding Sacraments of the Old Teſtament muſt ſanctify Iſrael for this priviledge; how much more do we need the two Goſpel-Sacraments to ſanctify and prepare us for Heaven, &c. This was Iſrael's Third Paſſover, the firſt being at their departure from Egypt, Ezod. 12.25. The ſecond was at Mount Sinai, where the Law was given. Numb. 9.1.2. Which was their ſecond Year in the Wilderneſs; then was both this and Circumciſion omitted for above 38 Years till they came into Canaan, and there both were received, as above, and then was their Third Paſſover as here; for in their Wilderneſs Travels becauſe of their frequent and uncertain removes both theſe and all other Sacrifices were neglected, Amos 5.25. As was the Feaſt of Tabernacles for many ages, at leaſt, not in due manner obſerved Nehem. 8.16, 17, 18. Which we may juſtly wonder at; but Vexatio dat Intellectum, their Captivity in Babylon did rub up their memories at their return from it. To which, may be added as an Apology, for their omitting the Paſſover, that the Law of it ſeems peculiarly to appertain to the Land of promiſe [when ye come into the Land, Exod. 12.25. And their ſecond Paſſover, Numb. 9, was not kept by the General Law of God concerning it, but by a particular New Command (whereof there was no need, had they been bound by a Law) and a Priviledge which diſpenſed with ſome to keep it upon the 14th Day of the Second Month, Numb. 9.6.10. &c. as was done likewiſe in reſpect of time in that of Hezekiahs 2 Chron 30.3. &c.
The Sixth Remark is, The Ceſſation of Manna on the Morrow after the Paſſover, verſe 11, 12. when the People met with both Old Corn (which they found in the Barns of thoſe Canaanites, who for fear were fled to their ſtrong Cities or remoter places) and with New Corn alſo which they found ſtanding upon the ground, it being now their Harveſt-time Mark Gods method here, Iſrael muſt firſt renew their Covenant (in partaking the two Seals of it) with God, and muſt bring a Shake-ſheaf unto the Prieſt as an Offering to the Lord, Levit. 23.10.14. &c. 'Twas fit, that God, the giver of thoſe precious fruits, Jam. 5.7. ſhould be ſerved firſt before they ſerved themſelves) after their obſervation of thoſe Holy Ordinances, theſe outward bleſſings were ſanctified to them, and then was there no farther need of Manna, wherewith God had fed them forty years. The reaſons why Manna then ceaſed, are theſe: (1.) When God gives ſtore of ordinary Means, then Extraordinary Miracles are not to be expected. He that now calleth for a Miracle, is a Miracle himſelf, ſaith Auſtin: There was now plenty of other Proviſion (2.) That all might underſtand this Manna was not an ordinary Product of Nature, as Hail, &c. be but a free and liberal Gift of God, Iſrael might think it natural becauſe it continued ſo long this thought was confuted by its ceaſing. (3.) That this Heavenly gift might no more come into contempt, for if they wantonly loathed it in the time of their neceſſity of it (when they had no other food) Numb. 11.6. lightly came by, was lightly ſet by, citò parta vileſcunt, how much more would they have loathed it in a Land flowing with Milk and Honey: God will not be too prodigal of his favours in too laviſhingly expending them and thereby expoſing them to be ſcorn'd as ſuperfluous things.
The Seventh Remark is, The appearance of the Son of God to his Servant, General Joſhua, verſe 13. To the end, where we have a whole Bundle of very Remarkable Marks. As (1.) This Apparition was no created Angel (for then he had not admitted of Adoration, Revel. 19.10. and 22.9.) but is called Jehova, Joſh. 6.2. The Son of God, who oft appeared to the Sons of men as Preludes to his Incarnation. He was oft in carne, before he was ex carne, ſaith Tertullian, from his foreign or love to Men, Tit. 3.4. Luke 2.14. His delight being among the Sons of Men, Prov. 8.31. as after his Reſurrection he appeared to Mary Magdalen in the the form of a Gardner, Joh. 20. and to the two Diſciples Travelling to Emmaus in the form of a Traveller, Luk. 24. ſo here before his incarnation, in the form of a Captain, as the matter did require. And that at with a drawn Sword in his Hand, verſ. 13. Oh pray that Chriſt may never lay down or Sheath this Sword (which he firſt drew at the firſt enmity, Gen. 3.16. (for there begins the Book of the Wars of the Lord for the defence of his Church) until all the Enemies thereof, yea, the laſt of them, namely, Death, be deſtroyed.
Secondly; Mark here Joſhua's Courage in daring to approach an… Armed Man, and no doubt of a moſt Majeſtick countenance, not knowing whether he might not be a Foe, and that ſome Ambuſcade might be laid to entrap him, and to cut him off, while alone; this ſhews how bravely God had qualify'd Joſhua, for a General of his Army.
Thirdly; Such as be found doing their Duty, and keeping within Chriſt's Precincts, they ſhall not only have Chriſt's Protection, but his Preſence alſo; that Joſhua was doing his Duty in the Fields of Jericho, may not be doubted; ſome ſay, he was Praying there; others, that he was Meditating there; aſſuredly he was (like a good General) viewing the ground, and where was the fitteſt place to attempt Jericho. Sure I am, he was not aſleep there, for 'tis ſaid [He lift up his Eyes &c.] to ſhew that his Vigilancy was equal to his Valour.
Fourthly The Eternal Son of God (when daringly asked by Joſhua, who he was? and whom he was for?) Anſwered, verſe 14. That he was neither Iſraelite, nor Canaanite, but Chief General both of the Hoſt of Angels, (which fight for the Church, Dan. 10.13, 21. Revel. 12.7. and 19.11, 14.) and of the Hoſt of Iſrael, whom I am come to aſſiſt againſt all their Enemies, and to give thee directions by what means Jericho ſhall be conquered.
Fifthly; Chriſt's diſcovery of himſelf ſuddenly changeth Joſhua's daring confidence (while he thought him a mere Man) into a moſt humble and Awful Reverence of God's glorious preſence, inſomuch that he falls down flat upon his Face to the Ground before him, and declaring withal, how ready he was to obey his Divine commands.
Sixthly; Chriſt's 1ſt. command to him was [looſe of thy Shoes] verſe 15. which was uſed to expreſs the higheſt Degree of Humiliation, under Gods ſevereſt Diſpenſations, 2 Sam. 15.30. Iſa. 20.2, 4. Ezek. 24.17, 23. Thus Moſes, Exod. 3.4. and Joſhua here to expreſs their own nothingneſs before the Lord; (not for any inherent Holineſs in the place for it was but common ground, when Chriſt was gone) and to make Joſhua more attentive to his commands, Joſh. 6.2.3. &c.