The Lord required of all the Jews (the men) a certain physical operation called “circumcision.”
It was a “sign” that those dear people belonged to God, were of the seed of Abraham, were in “covenant” with the Almighty. See Genesis 17:10 for proof.
But for all the years of wandering, apparently not a single child had been circumcised! Astounding!
“Now all the people that came out (of Egypt many years ago) 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.” Joshua 5:5
It even seems that Moses, leader supreme, had NOT circumcised his sons … until God’s wrath insisted he did! Here’s the account, written as Moses returns to Egypt to confront Pharaoh: “And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.” Exodus 4:24-26, clearly God takes circumcision very seriously. Looks like the Lord was about “to kill” Moses … for his negligence in NOT circumcising the boy!
Wow!
So … “At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.” Joshua 5:2
If Israel “neglected” putting this special “mark” on her sons for those thirty-eight years of wandering (Deuteronomy 2:14) … I wonder what else she neglected to do during that time?
Observing the Passover … that’s another glaring omission!
By the way, a Jewish male could not take part in the Passover unless he has been circumcised! (Exodus 12:48-49 … “And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the PASSOVER to the LORD, let all his males be CIRCUMCISED, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for NO UNCIRCUMCISED PERSON SHALL EAT THEREOF. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.” Again, this is called a “proof text” here.)
Spiritual neglect!
So … a whole generation of men must now submit to this (painful) procedure, debilitating the whole army … just as they pass into enemy territory! (Yet … obedience to God is better than a trained fighting force being “combat ready!” Apparently so!)
Spiritual neglect!
If they omitted Passover all those years, what about the additional Feasts of Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Tabernacles?
No record whatsoever!
Spiritual neglect!
Like today … not going to Church faithfully.
Laxity in Bible reading/study.
Loose living, under the “guise” of Christian liberty!
Hebrews 2:1 might be a good verse to reference now. “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, LEST AT ANY TIME WE SHOULD LET THEM SLIP.” Which would be called “spiritual neglect!”
Amen!
Folks, be careful of spiritual neglect!
It can only hinder you … once you are growing again!
It prohibits one’s true worship too.
But more about that next week, the Lord willing, from Joshua chapter 5.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell