Take Time To Be Holy
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Joshua chapter 5 is one of the most unusual chapters in the Bible. It is truly representative of Isa. 55:8
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
Tonight we are going to look at Take Time to be Holy!
1 So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.
2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.”
3 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt.
5 For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord—to whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
7 Then Joshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
8 So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed.
9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.
10 Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho.
11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day.
12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.
1. Attack, Attack; 1
1. Attack, Attack; 1
Now if there ever was a time to take out your enemy it is now. Their spirit is broken and they are defeated.
The kings from Jericho [west side] to the Mediterranean Sea were done in. Their heart was melted because they realized the power of the God of Israel.
Now is the time to attack! But Israel wasn’t ready spiritually. Remember Sunday night, put on the armor of God for spiritual battles, not fleshly fights!
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
2. Take Time to be Holy; 2-9
2. Take Time to be Holy; 2-9
Circumcision- the removing of the foreskin from males. This would leave the army of Israel vulnerable for at least a week. Most male babies are circumcised after birth for hygiene reasons but this circumcision is for a different reason.
Circumcision was the sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham.
10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;
11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
Circumcision of the flesh was symbolic of a circumcision of the heart. Israel was a chosen people but also a marked people and servants of the living God. Circumcision was symbolic of spiritual surrender to God, set apart, holy.
16 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.
6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
For 40 years now Israel had not been in a covenant relationship with God while wandering in the wilderness.
14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
Now they needed to “Take Time to be Holy”
We are only holy because of God. And if we don’t take time to nurture our relationship with Him, repent of sin and refresh that relationship, we will not be able to enter the spiritual battles as a victor in Christ.
Disabling these men by circumcision in enemy territory was a great test of faith. In their weakness they were made strong (Hebrews 6:12). They were totally at God’s mercy and entrusted into His care. God’s Word may seem illogical and dangerous, but remember that obedience brings His blessing and protection. It may seem illogical to love your enemies, tithe, honor your parents especially when they may be harsh or wicked, submit to an unloving husband, or serve a tough employer, but God’s way does work and brings blessing. God was teaching His people to wait on Him and prepare themselves before battle. [Rod Mattoon]
3. Renewing the Covenant; 10-12
3. Renewing the Covenant; 10-12
Only when Israel was circumcised could they then partake of the Passover celebration.
Passover reminded the Jews of their redemption from bondage in Egypt. Passover is a type of our redemption from the bondage of sin. They were to forget the past and move forward in the Lord. Something they did not do 40 years earlier at Kadesh Barnea.
Manna was a type of the old ways of Egypt. It stopped when they partook of the Passover feast. The grain from the land is a type of the new life in the Lord.
[Joshua and his people are applying the truth of Psalm 23 of a table being prepared in the presence of enemies.]
Too often christians live in the past and fail to realize the joy in Jesus in the present!
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
4. Commander of the Lord’s Army; 13-15
4. Commander of the Lord’s Army; 13-15
Because this is the Lord’s battle, a spiritual battle to fulfill the Lord’s promise to Abraham, Jesus shows up to fight for and lead His people.
Only after we have consecrated ourselves to the Lord will we realize He has been there all the time ready to fight for us!
47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
The Lord told Joshua the same thing he told Moses, “take off your sandals, you are on holy ground”. A holy God will not make a covenant with people only to break it. This was conformation to Joshua that God would keep His promise to him just like He did to Moses.
The path to spiritual victory is learning to let God lead!
Close;
Take Time To Be Holy, pg. 587, The Worship Hymnal
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.