RENEWING COMMITMENT

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

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 we had crossed over, their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again." So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.

Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt - all the men of military age - died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt. All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not. The Israelites had moved about in the desert 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 that He had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 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. And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.

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.

On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 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 of the produce of Canaan.

Joshua 5:1-12

This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As Joshua, chapter 5, opens we see where the word of Israel’s arrival in Canaan had moved quickly. Earlier in this chapter, we learned from the story of Rahab and the Israelite spies she harbored that people within the Promised Land were already aware of Israel and how the almighty presence of their God was with them. Indeed, Canaan knew Israel was coming and now that they had crossed the Jordan River in miraculous fashion (“…the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites…had crossed over”), the scriptures tell us that “all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast” felt their hearts melt and “no longer had the courage to face the Israelites”. They knew the worst was yet to come.

Before that happened, we see in today’s passage where the Israelites had to do a few things while encamped at Gilgal, things that would serve to renew their commitment to the Lord and help them move forward united for one holy cause.

So what needed done?

Well, we see where the Lord issues this command to Joshua:

Now, you will recall that circumcision was important in Old Testament days. It had been put in place by God when He directed Abraham to circumcise all Israelite males, the circumcision serving as a sign of one’s covenant with Him (Genesis 17). This requirement would apply to all the descendants that would follow with male babies circumcised on the eighth day after birth (Leviticus 12:3).

Given these standards established by the Lord, Joshua did as he was asked and of interest, this mass circumcision involved adults and children.

Why?

We find the answer in our text:

“All those who came out of Egypt — all the men of military age — died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt. All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not. The Israelites had moved about in the desert 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 that He had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So He raised up their sons in their place…”

It was these sons, the sons of those who died in the wilderness as a part of God’s judgment on them, that were raised up to fight like their ancestors. They would be the ones who would invade and conquer Canaan but not before they were circumcised, bearing the special sign of God’s covenant before heading into battle. This showed the depth of their devotion and commitment to God which resulted in the “reproach of Egypt” being “rolled away” from them.

We need to know that circumcision wasn’t the only act of renewal that occurred before the Israelites entered into their first conflict at Jericho. For we read where “on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover”. This was a critical event, not just because God had ordered His people to do it but also because the people of Israel needed a reminder of God’s awesome power of deliverance. Because of Israel’s past obedience in following God’s guidance to spread the blood of the sacrificed, unblemished lamb on their doorposts, they were passed over when death fell upon all the firstborn of Egypt. Fast forwarding to Gilgal, remembering God’s faithful act of protection for their ancestors in Egypt could only serve to further strengthen the confidence and strength of the Israelites as they headed toward war with Canaan’s current inhabitants.

So Gilgal was certainly a place of renewal…but it also was a place of new beginnings.

You see, the prior generation of Israelites had been blessed with manna, the special bread from Heaven, from the beginning of their exodus from Egypt until present. You’ll recall that God sent it to them when they were hungry and in need, in essence providing them with what literally became their daily bread to sustain them through their difficulties (Exodus 16). But now, the Israelites were finally in the Promised Land, the land that was indeed flowing with milk and honey just as God had promised. With this, there was now plenty of food for the people of Israel to partake in and this is why we read that on the “day after the Passover…they (the Israelites) ate some of the produce of the land” which included “unleavened bread and roasted grain”. And with food now readily available, the people of Israel no longer needed manna so we see in the scriptures where God stopped sending it. From this point forward, God’s people would eat from what they found in Canaan.

In sum, now recommitted to God’s covenant promise, reminded of His deliverance and protection, and nourished for the struggles ahead, the Israelites were now ready to move forward and take what the Lord had set aside for them.

As you read this today, how do you feel about how the Lord is moving in your life?

Do you feel prepared to handle the challenges before you?

Are you energized by knowing the Lord is with and for you, ready to move forward feeling able to handle whatever might come your way?

Have you kept in mind how God has delivered countless people from hardship throughout the history of mankind, showing Himself as a Lord who brings protection as we walk the path He sets before us with confidence and hope and faith?

Perhaps, you are even in a place where you need to renew and refresh your commitment to the Lord in your life and that’s okay because we all need it. In fact, I think it’s of critical importance that we renew our dedication and devotion to God each and every day so to move forward into each day centered on Him. Here’s a prayer we might lift up to that end:

“Thank you Lord for the blessing of this day and for Your mercy and grace and love. I give thanks for this gift of life and as I awake and rise, I commit myself to You just as fully as You have committed Yourself to me. Through this day, I ask that you use me as an instrument of Your will, I pray, so to bring you honor and glory. I offer myself to You as Your willing servant as I pray in Your holy name. Amen.”

Friends, I believe that if we say this and truly mean what we say with all our heart, then we can expect to see the Lord use us for amazing, incredible purposes. For our God has shown over and over and over again how He and He alone can take ordinary people like you and me and make us extraordinary…just as He is about to do with His beloved people of Israel when we continue our study of Joshua.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com