Joshua 5

Circumcision, covenant token

At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. Joshua 5:2–9

Before Israel can inherit the land, the new generation receives the covenant token and the Lord rolls away their reproach. Paul calls the reality behind it 'the circumcision of Christ' — the cutting away of the sins of the flesh that only He can do.

How we know: another scripture interprets it of Him · a footnote points to Him · a traditional type, cited

• a type of what is in Colossians 2:11 — 'ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.'

Passover lamb

And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. Joshua 5:10

Israel's first Passover in the promised land remembers the lamb whose blood saved them in Egypt. Paul says plainly what that lamb was: 'Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.'

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it · another scripture interprets it of Him

• alludes to Exodus 12:3-13 — The original Passover lamb and the blood that turned away the destroyer.
• a type of what is in 1 Corinthians 5:7 — 'For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.'

Manna

And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. Joshua 5:12

The bread from heaven that fed Israel for forty years stops the moment they eat the fruit of the promised land. Jesus taught that the manna was pointing to Him all along: 'I am the bread of life.'

How we know: another scripture interprets it of Him · a footnote points to Him

• the same event in Exodus 16:35 — 'they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan' — the same ending, told from the other side.
• a type of what is in John 6:31-35 — 'my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven... I am the bread of life.'

Captain of the LORD's host

Captain of the host of the LORD — commander of the armies of Jehovah

And it came to pass, 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: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? Joshua 5:13–15

A heavenly commander appears to Joshua, receives his worship without refusing it, and tells him to take off his shoe because the ground is holy — the very words Jehovah spoke to Moses at the burning bush. Latter-day Saints and Christians generally read this as the premortal Christ taking command of Israel's battles, though the text does not name Him.

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a traditional type, cited

• alludes to Exodus 3:5 — Jehovah to Moses at the bush: 'put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.'
• alluded to by D&C 115:7 — The Lord to the Saints at Far West: 'for the ground upon which thou standest is holy' — the same words in Christ's own voice.