7-5-12. Joshua 5a. CIRCUMCISE THE ISRAELITES AGAIN

Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF  Thursday, July 5, 2012

Joshua 5:1-15
Key Verse: 5:2

“At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.”

Dear Lord, thank you granting us freedom, freedom from sin and freedom to worship you and express our faith. Please help us to use our freedom to reveal Jesus Christ and the Gospel to the whole world. I pray for those who are suffering due to the heat wave. Help them to find cool places. Re-instate the power grids and lesson the economic impact. Through this event may people come to place all of their hope in the Kingdom of God and not in any place in this earth. Lord, grant me your living word in my heart. I pray in Jesus’ holy name. Amen!

Part l: God’s Strategy is the Best (1-12).

Verse 1-12, “Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. 2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. 4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age —died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. 5 All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. 6 The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the LORD. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. 9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day. 10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.”

The Canaanites were strong, but they were defeated by their own fear. There was a great temptation for the Israelites to seize the moment without waiting on God. But God had a better plan. Before embarking on the conquest, God wanted the new generation among them to be circumcised. They needed to prepare their hearts for the battle through repentance. It required faith. They also resumed celebrating the Passover. To repent, have faith, and be thankful is always God’s strategy.

This day is always the day of a new beginnings. We embark on new missions to preach the gospel and raise disciples of Jesus. But we can not be hasty. We need to make sure that our hearts are prepared through repentance and dedication to God. We need to consecrate our lives.

We need a new beginning here at NIU UBF. We need to redefine ourselves and apply ourselves. But it will all be in vain if we do not dedicate our hearts to Jesus and dedicate our purposes to Jesus and his cause. There is temptation to think that applying rededicating ourselves to Jesus is to rededicate ourselves to continue on for another five to ten years doing the same weekly church program. This is not true. We need to dedicate and devote our hearts and lives to Jesus and decide to preach the gospel and find out how to love one another newly. I pray that Jennifer may dedicate her life and her heart to Jesus and the Gospel before she leaves to University in Canada. I pray that our family may rededicate our lives to Jesus and the gospel cause this summer.

Part ll: Having Awe and Respect for God (13-15).

Verses 13-15, “Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” 15 The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.”

There was an angel of the Lord, the commander of the Lord’s army, present. As a sign of respect, Joshua fell facedown and took off his sandals. He humbled himself before this angel. Awe and respect is the only reaction we should have before the Holy God. Being in awe and having respect is recognizing God’s power, authority, and great love for his people.

I need to be in awe and respect of God. But I repent that so often, I just take God for granted, acknowledging his presence, but not being in awe of Him. I want to rededicate my heart to be in awe of God and worship him sincerely from my heart.

I like what the angel said, that he is not on anyone’s side, except on the side of God. How often do armies claim that they have God on their side. God is on everyone’s side that loves and obeys him. God will uphold just and truthful and right causes, yes…but he loves equally. He is just and righteous.
Prayer: Lord, grant me faith, repentance, and thanksgiving to win the spiritual battle in every new, fresh application of the Gospel.

One Word: Have a sense of awe and respect for God