Day 129..."Who are you for? Victory is in the Air. Jesus' Authority questioned and He silences critics"

A dramatic story today comes at the end of chapter five...."Joshua asks a man with a sword...Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” This event in Joshua's life is similar to Moses' call at the burning bush. The climax of 40 years of wandering in the wilderness is at hand...victory is in the air! The Psalmist, though temporarily in affliction also sees victory. Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—let Israel now say— “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,yet they have not prevailed against me. Jesus is challenged by the scribes and cheif priests on "whose" authority He teaches. He responds with the Parable of the Wicked Tenants. This stirs more anger in realizing they are in the story. Jesus' victory will come on the cross but we see a growing tension with the religious people. In reponse to the question about taxes, Jesus answers to turn away wrath with a profound truth.