Joshua 5

The act of being circumcised makes most men cringe; it does me, what about you? Then a military man waiting to go to war for his country must really be anxious over this. But as stated in the 2nd paragraph it was the most power act of dying to self and living to God.

Joshua 5: 2-8
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 wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. 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. 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.

Now imagine being told in our society today to go and make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time (to the sons, not each man again). Apparently, all during the forty years of waiting in the wilderness, none of the sons born during that time had been circumcised. Now God commanded that this be done. Then Joshua circumcised their sons. Circumcision was always a powerful act of consecration to God. In it, an Israelite said “I’m not like the other nations. I listen to God and do what He says I should do.” It was stepping out in faithful obedience and identifying yourself as one of the LORD’s people. It was renouncing the flesh and the world. It was dying to self and living to God. They stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed: Obviously, this was suicidal from a military standpoint. All the men of fighting age were made completely vulnerable and unable to fight. So, not only did Israel cross over the Jordan at a militarily undesirable place (right in front of Jericho, the strongest military outpost of the Canaanites), they also incapacitated their army for several days. They did this because they trusted God, and His directions, instead of their own wisdom.



I love verses thirteen through fifteen. So can we be a leader like Joshua in our daily walks for the Lord? Lead yet be lead and have a servant’s heart?


Joshua 5; 13-18
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?” “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?” 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.

Here Joshua met Jesus, Jesus the Captain of the Lord's nation army, having submitted to the Father, a man under authority, yet having authority himself. A man who recognized what true authority is. Oh, that we would realize that we don't have any right to rule unless we ourselves are ruled. So Joshua, the leader over the people and yet being led. "What do you want me to do Lord?" The real heart of a servant. So the Lord didn't have much for him to do, "Just take your shoes off. The ground where you're standing is holy." So much as the Lord spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, the command to remove his sandals, so also to Joshua.