Joshua

Joshua Chapter 5

Joshua 5:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

We see now the they had their own way of carrying news in the days before modern technology where one can see something on television or by way of computer and know what is going on around the world. They had word of mouth.

It was forty years previous that the Red Sea crossing was heard about, and according to chapter 2 we read that Rabab and others in Jericho had heard and remembered how the Lord was with Israel and caused them to cross over the Red Sea through parting the waters and allowing them to walk on dry land. God somehow arranged to have witnesses to this and they told this to others that it was remembered after 40 years. So now we see a repeat of that with the crossing of the Jordan which also was witnessed. The hearts of surrounding nations melted with fear.

For some reason I believe God arranges this to make a way for those who would believe and seek Him. What an awesome merciful God we have. Rabab and her family were the ones to benefit from this. Instead of cringing in fear and trying to figure out a way to stop Israel, Rabab figured out a way to save herself and her family. She had faith in the God of Israel and wanted to be part of them.

Joshua 5:2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

The original Israelites who came out of Egypt were already circumcised but except for Joshua and Caleb, they all died. So God commanded them to circumcise the children born since they dwelled in the wilderness that had not previously been circumcised. This was a sign of the covenant God made with Abraham and it was to continue. Also they now were under the law given by God to Moses. The perfect way of salvation through Jesus Christ was not yet given but is shows us how much we needed a greater way of salvation since no one was capable to keep the law in all points except Jesus the Son of God.

We see also that they knew how to make knives and how to sharpen them. God did not create defenseless and ignorant people when He created human life.

Our knowledge of the Lord and His ways need to be taught from generation to generation so that God is not forgotten. All we have to do is read history to see what becomes of a nation full of people that do not remember the Lord and His word. They become reprobate in their minds. What was once appalling and gross sin becomes acceptable. Evil becomes good and good becomes evil in the minds of those who do not know God. This simple act of obedience and obeying the covenant Abraham made with God would be a reminder that God was with them everywhere they went.

Joshua 5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

God promised them a land that would produce plenty of food and provide for everything they needed. Yet, they rebelled, got anxious and fearful. They lost their faith that the presence of God was still among them. Unbelief caused the first generation to lose out on entering the Promised land. Yet God had mercy. He could have wiped them all out. Instead he had them dwell in the wilderness until their children had grown. After that generation died, God was ready to send in the new generation to receive the promise.

Nothing hinders us with God more than unbelief. Without faith it is impossible to please or receive anything from God. This is why it is so important to build up one another in the faith using God’s word to and edify fellow believers.

There are times when negative preaching is necessary when correction or repentance is needed but too much of that without building people up in the word by teaching, exhorting and edifying can tear down someone’s faith rather than build it up.

I’m not talking of ear tickling and a failure to warn against sin, I’m talking about building people up in the word of God applying it correctly, not false hope given to people who need to repent of sin first. There is no need to constantly tear down people who are trying to live for God and are not purposely committing sin though. I’ve seen this so much. A balance is always needed. We can go too far either way.

Unbelief is what leads to sin. When someone no longer believes God wants anything to do with them, and they forget God is with them, it will lead to sin. Murmuring and complaining is a result of forgetting the presence of God in our midst.

In the book of Hebrews we see the story of the first generation's unbelief referred to:

Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

I love how the New Testament passages refer to the older scriptures to explain and verify the truth. It is plain to see the work of God in using faithful men to put together the bible for us to read today.

Joshua 5:7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.

It takes a few days to heal before one can move about and do their regular activities.

Joshua 5:9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

Egypt represented bondage, oppression and sin. They were free from that. Circumcision was an outward sign remembering their covenant with God. Of course it means nothing if the heart is full of sin. This however was a new beginning and circumcision was a sign that they were on the right path that God set before them.

Joshua 5:10 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.

This is a good example to us. They had just crossed Jordan. They are ready to do battle and take the land God promised them, yet they take time to circumcise the uncircumcised and then remember the Passover as God instructed them to do every year at this time of year.

The Passover was the feast remembering the time when they were in Egypt just before God delivered them out of Egypt. God’s judgment fell on Egypt for the 400 years of slavery they oppressed the nation of Israel. God sent Moses to Pharaoh to warn them to allow the Israelites to leave but they refused. He sent plague after plague but at last God send the death angel to take the life of the firstborn of every household. Perhaps this was payback from the time Pharaoh ordered the death of all male children years before. Moses escaped that death sentence but others didn’t. God had plans to use Moses in later years to deliver Israel from the bondage of Egypt.

God in His mercy made a way for those who believed in His word to escape the judgment He sent upon the Egyptians. He instructed them slay a lamb and place blood on the door posts. This blood represents the blood that Jesus shed to pay for the sins of all those that believe in Him. All those that believed the warning of God and stayed inside the houses where blood was on the doors, escaped death in their households

There is a way to escape the judgment of God for our sins by simple faith in Jesus who God sent to save us from sin. Unbelief in any of God’s promises will keep us out and hinder us from receive salvation and eternal life with the Lord. People that do not believe will not be saved. It is that simple.

Even those who believe the gifts of the spirit are not for people today, have a form of unbelief. They will not receive what they do not believe. The only time the gifts of the spirit are not needed is when all are perfected in the faith and the Lord comes back. If every soul was saved, every person living full of faith and no one was lost, sick or in trouble, then we would probably not need the gifts but we can look around us and see clearly that nothing is perfect yet.

Using 1 Corinthians 13 to say the gifts have ceased is a little crazy. They call that which is perfect, the completion of the written word or bible but not everyone believes in the bible or has been taught the bible yet. Guess who is the greatest teacher….the Holy Spirit. We still need all the gifts of the spirit. In fact we need the Holy Spirit to properly understand the bible.

Joshua 5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.
12 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.

God gave them manna until it was no longer needed. Then only did it stop. Now they could survive by the fruit of the land before them. They still needed God, they needed hope, they needed faith, love, joy and peace but the natural manna from heaven was no longer needed.

God supplies our need just when we need it. As long as the spiritual gifts are needed, they will not cease unless we stop believing in them. We must guard against unbelief.

Joshua 5:13 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?
14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

This is the same thing that happened to Moses when he saw the burning bush in the wilderness just before God sent him to deliver the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt. Now, God is reminding Joshua that its time to go to war, God is with Him just as He was with Moses. I personally believe this captain is none other that the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ the Son of God, because the bible forbids the worship of angels. The worship of Christ is never forbidden. This is just like our God to strengthen and encourage Joshua right before he leads the soldiers into battle. God is good in all His ways. DC

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