“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. 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.” Joshua 5:8-9

The rite (actually, a surgical procedure) of circumcision (performed on all the males) was somehow VERY IMPORTANT to the Lord. He had commanded it since the days of Abraham!

God to Abraham: “And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.” Genesis 17:11, a personal requirement. Then immediately, in the very next verse, a national requirement. “And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.” Every little baby boy!

But WHY is this so significant?

Our Text today supplies a “hint,” if not a “reason!”

Here it is once more, with some word emphasized, capitalized. “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. 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.”

God took something away (here called a “reproach”) from the Israelites that day. As if that excess skin being cut off each man’s body was a “symbol,” a “picture” of the PUTTING OFF of something!

And it is!

The putting off of the “flesh!”

I suppose God could have asked them to cut off a finger, a toe, etc. … BUT HE DID NOT. The message would have been essentially the same, either way. As followers of God … people must always be wary of the flesh, the body, which does not always cooperate with the things of God!

We owe a lot to the Prophets, and to Paul … for an understanding (spiritually) of what circumcision represents, even yet today in our Christian lives.

Deuteronomy 30:6 gets us started. “And the LORD thy God will CIRCUMCISE THINE HEART, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” Hearts having been clipped of fleshly longings … so it is not just a physical thing.

Jeremiah is (typically) more blunt. “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and TAKE AWAY THE FORESKINS OF YOUR HEART, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.” Jeremiah 4:4, hearts wrongly craving the sensual things of the flesh! See it, “hearts” circumcised again, a spiritual truth taught by a prior physical act!

Then Paul also shows us the metaphorical, typological, symbolic purpose of circumcision. “For he is not a Jew, which is one OUTWARDLY; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, which is one INWARDLY; and circumcision is that of the HEART, in the SPIRIT, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28-29

So … today’s lesson … every Believer in Jesus Christ … man or woman … can live a life of “excision” (“separation”) from the fleshly desires of our old sinful natures!

We can “put off” (parallel to “circumcise”) these things!

Paul again: “Now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.” Colossians 3:8, now THAT’S the principle of circumcision for us today!

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

By the way, in keeping with this central theme, the circumcision of Israel occurred at a place named “Gilgal.” Which means in Hebrew … “a rolling away!” Putting off the sins of the flesh!

Wow!

 

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

 

I think it might be called “the Fear of the Lord.”

When in the case of today’s Bible Text it is perhaps “the fear of the people of the Lord” as well!

A “cause and effect” sequence: “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.” Joshua 5:1, “giving up” nearly before the battles started!

Cause and effect?

The cause: God’s Power in drying the raging waters of the Jordan River, so the Jews could enter the (promised) land of Canaan.

The effect: paralyzing fear falling on the (grossly wicked) inhabitants of that land!

God had clearly promised this phenomenon years ago, in Exodus 23:27. “I WILL SEND MY FEAR BEFORE THEE, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I WILL MAKE ALL THINE ENEMIES TURN THEIR BACKS UNTO THEE.”

Wow!

Moses sure believed God could so this! He prayed, perhaps even daily: “And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and LET THINE ENEMIES BE SCATTERED; and let them that hate thee FLEE BEFORE THEE.” Numbers 10:35

Back in Joshua chapter 2, if you remember, Rahab also had that “fear” in her heart! “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, OUR HEARTS DID MELT, neither did there remain ANY MORE COURAGE in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.” Joshua 2:10-11

God … being so “in” His people, or being so “on” His people … that the enemies who surrounded them fell into debilitating fear! Maybe I could even say, God being so “for” His people!

Even to be fulfilled in the coming days of the tribulation … Jesus taught: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; MEN’S HEARTS FAILING THEM FOR FEAR, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:25-27

Oh, to be that close to God, to have His Hand so powerfully upon us … to the point others know and recognize His Awesome Presence in our lives!

Maybe we can pray yet today a form of Moses’ ancient prayer. Interceding for our children or grandchildren or other loved ones … “Lord, let the enemies be scattered!”

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The last paragraph of  Joshua 4 is our “Text” today …

“¹⁹And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. ²⁰ And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. ²¹ And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? ²² Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. ²³ For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: ²⁴ That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.” Joshua 4:19-24

Several facts are notable here …

First … They crossed the Jordan (at flood stage), coming up our of the riverbed “on the tenth day of the fist month,” which was linked to PASSOVER DAY! (See Exodus 12:3. “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house.” And this would be the Passover lamb for each Jewish home.)

Spiritually speaking, that suggests we can only inhabit the “Promised land” (victorious Christian living, spiritual life on the highest plane, a much ‘deeper’ walk with God) because of a prior event, the “Passover” (the Death of Jesus God’s Lamb on the old rugged cross of Calvary)!

Jordan is related to that great Event long ago (a whole generation earlier to these Israelites) where each Jewish family killed an innocent little animal, a lamb, and painted its blood across the doors of their homes!

VICTORY … because of CALVARY!!!

Second today … the “children” are part of the reason for those twelve stones! The “stones” being a “teaching tool” for them! “When your CHILDREN shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over.”

Tangible, visible objects ARE a great means of illustrating truth to many, including the young. God caring for the boys and girls! (Herein we also see the parents’ or even grandparents’ responsibilities in so guiding those little ones!) THEY will ask! YOU Must answer! (Remember 1 Peter 3:15? “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.” Right!) Also note, Daddy, it’s your PRIMARY job to see that this teaching is done, “fathers,” King James Version!

Third … not just the children! Others through the years will see those “stones!” They too will be curious! Particularly gentiles (the lost) are meant here, no doubt.  “that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.” All the people of earth!

God has a burden for ALL the unreached, unsaved!

Oh, the POWER of a question!

When rightly answered!

“What does _____(some spiritual issue)_____ mean?”

Never neglect such a query, Christian friend, from an interested inquirer!

At least these are my thoughts on a hurried Thursday morning in September.

The Bible, an amazing Book!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Twelve stones … magnifying God!

Luke 19:40-41 … And he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these (disciples praising the Lord) should hold their peace, THE STONES would immediately cry out, Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.”

Wow!

 

This fourth chapter of Joshua is about 12 stones!

Actually 24 stones!

Count them: “And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. AND JOSHUA SET UP TWELVE (MORE) STONES IN THE MIDST OF JORDAN, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.” Joshua 4:8-9

The first of the stones will be placed on land, where Israel rested that first night. The other 12 stones are to be left in the riverbed! To soon be inundated by the flood waters of the Jordan River! Once all the Jews had (miraculously) passed from one side of the River to the other, from the desert side to the Canaan side.

What do they mean (the 12 stones in the river), or what does this command mean … clearly from the Lord?

Often in Scripture anything plunged under water is an emblem or picture of death or dying. (Think of the waters of the Flood in the days of Noah.)

The number of the stones is significant, too. Twelve (12) stones, one for every tribe of Israel! The whole Nation, all its people, identified with “death?”

Yes … in “type” … the people “died” that day … but only “in type” to be “raised again” out of the potentially deadly riverbed of the Jordan! (Hence tomorrow we look at the other 12 stones placed on dry ground … an obvious  picture of resurrection from the dead!)

So, it looks like, we have a pretty good symbol here of death and burial and resurrection … as Israel enters Canaan! Canaan which is a picture of the victorious Christian life, indeed the “Promised Land!”

Now, I kept thinking, if this is right … maybe I can find another Bible example likening some “under water” experience to “death!”

And I did! (Actually the Lord brought it to mind. Thank God for concordances, to help locate those hard-to-find verses we remember reading!)

In Exodus 15, as Israel sang and rejoiced over God’s bringing them through the Red Sea (another body of water) part of the lyrics God gave them go like this: “The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are DROWNED (DEAD) IN THE RED SEA. The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom AS A STONE.” Exodus 15:3-5

There it is!

Twelve (12) stones in the bottom of the soon-to-be-raging-again Jordan River, representing God’s people, the Jews! Death, dying with Christ our Lord! It is often called “identification with Christ.”

But not permanent death!

Soon (nearly immediately) lifted out of death and rejoicing in Gilgal, the first place they encamped in their new Homeland!

Yes … death followed by resurrection!

It is, folks, a picture of what we call Christian Baptism!

Buried with Christ … only to be immediately raised with Him “to walk in newness of life,” as the Pastors say when baptizing someone!

Israel … victorious Christian living?

Then death and burial and resurrection is certainly the “key” to such a “high plane” of existence!!!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell