Was Jesus the One Commanding the Israelite Army?

In Joshua 5, a mysterious figure appears to Joshua identified as the “Commander of the army of the LORD.” Joshua falls on his face and worships Him, and the figure does not correct him. Instead, he tells Joshua to remove his sandals because the place is holy place that echoes God’s appearance to Moses in Exodus 3. Immediately after this encounter, Joshua 6 begins with, “Now the LORD said to Joshua…” giving detailed instructions for the battle of Jericho. The Israelites then follow those commands, and the walls of Jericho fall as the LORD brings victory. This raises an important question: was the Commander Joshua encountered simply an angel, or something more? Many Christians believe this is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus, meaning Jesus Himself was the one giving the orders that led Israel into battle. If that is the case, then the battle of Jericho is not just a story of Israel’s obedience—but a moment where God Himself led and secured the victory. Did Jesus command the Israelite army at Jericho? Original Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/live/0_3sAZjb...