Joshua 5.1-12

Joshua 5:1 ESV

As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.

Joshua 5:2 ESV

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.”

To be clear, no one was circumcised twice. The practice of circumcision (covenant) had been neglected during the wandering 40 yeears… God is reinstituting the covenant that Israel had neglected.

Joshua 5:3 ESV

So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.

Joshua 5:4 ESV

And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt.

Joshua 5:5 ESV

Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised.

Why was circumcision neglected in vs.4-5? a whole generation rejected the covenant in disobedience and unbelief.

Joshua 5:6 ESV

For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

The land of milk and honey… see Deut. 11.9-12

Deuteronomy 11:9–12 ESV

and that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give to them and to their offspring, a land flowing with milk and honey. For the land that you are entering to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it, like a garden of vegetables. But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven, a land that the Lord your God cares for. The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

When Israel came to this land 38 years earlier, they disobeyed.… they were discouraged by the report of their spies, they would not believe God, and they would not obey his command to invade the land… see Numbers 13-14.

Joshua 5:7 ESV

So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

God was fulfilling his promise in Numbers 14:31: “As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.” This was a new beginning for the nation: The crossing of the Jordan symbolizes death and rebirth, and the renewal of circumcision constituted Israel anew as the people of God.

Joshua 5:8 ESV

When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.

conquest delayed until men recovered.

That circumcision was called for by God at this particular crucial moment shows hos imortant the covenant relationship was between God and Israel… will you be in covenant, Israel?

Joshua 5:9 ESV

And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

Joshua 5:10 ESV

While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho.

It was the official day for observing Passover.

passover had been neglected during the years of wandering, just as circumcision had been...stop… Let’s take a side street.… in reading this passage, it would be important to remember that many years later another “Joshua” ate the Passover with his disciples and constituted them as the new people of God under the new covenant.… see Matthew 26.26-28

Matthew 26:26–28 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Back to Joshua 5.10

Joshua 5:10 ESV

While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho.

Joshua 5:11 ESV

And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.

Another sign of a new beginning was that “they ate some of the produce of the land.” “Unleavened bread” was prescribed for the entire week following the Passover (Exod 12:14–20); and, of course, they had no leaven at this time. For nearly forty years they had been living on manna and quail.

Joshua 5:12 ESV

And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

When it was no longer needed, the manna stopped.

In the providence of God, estraordinary means are only temporary. Now, the Israelites owuld experience regular harvests ( just as much a miracle as the manna) in the land of milk and honey.…

Renewing the Covenant- Why Now?

Why circumcision? Why now?

To Restore Their Relationship with God

Read Joshua 5.2-7

Joshua 5:2–7 ESV

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

Israel is a covenant nation, a privelege God has givne to no other nation on earth. The covenant started with Abrahsm (GEn.12.1-3)

He sealed the covenant with a sacrifice (Gen 15).

God gave circumcision as a sign of the covenant. It was a spiritual act and meaning.

The Jews were a “marked people” belonging to the living and true God… they were under obligation to obey him. they were special, separate, and holy.… they were God’s people .… important to maintain purity in marriage, society, and worship.

38 years before, at Kadesh Barnea, they had refused to believe God and enter the promised land.… see Deut 2.14

Deuteronomy 2:14 ESV

And the time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation, that is, the men of war, had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them.

God disciplined the people by making them wander in the wilderness until the entire older generation had died off, except caleb and joshua. He performed wonders for Israel and provided for them during this time , yet they were temporarily not his people.

Circumcision. This physical operation on the body was meant to be a symbol of a spiriutal operation on th eheart.

Notice: No amount of external surgery can change the inner person… (Botox) It’s when we repent and turn to God for help that He can change our hearts and make us love and obey Him more. see Romans 2.25-29

Romans 2:25–29 ESV

For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Over time, the Jews had come to trust in the external mark of the covenant and not in the God of the covenant who wanted to make them a holy people.

This happened and went on in Israel for centuries.… John the baptist called for repentance, and the answer from the Jewish spiritual leaders was “We have Abraham as our father.’(Matt 3.9).…

instead of trusting God, they were trusting their genealogy.

Renewing the Covenant- Why Now?

Why circumcision? Why now?

To Restore Their Relationship with God

To Test Their Faith

Joshua 5:8 ESV

When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.

Israel was camped in enemy territory, just a few miles from Jericho. Now they were going to temporarily disable every male in the nation, including every soldier in the army! What a golden opportunity for the enemy to attack and wipe them out. (See Gen. 34.) It took faith for Joshua and the people to obey the Lord, but their obedience to the Law was the secret of their success (Josh. 1:7–8). In their weakness they were made strong; and through faith and patience they inherited the promises (Heb. 6:12).

Shortly after Israel left Egypt, God tested them at Meribah, and they failed the test.… they quarreled with God and Moses about water. Here, in the Promised Land, they were tested again,,,, circumcision, and they passed.

After we’ve experienced an exciting victory of faith, God often permits us to be tested. Abraham arrived in the land of promise and was confronted with a famine (Gen. 12). Elijah triumphed over Baal and was threatened with death (1 Kings 18–19). After His baptism in the Jordan, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan (Matt. 3:13–4:11). Since great victories can lead to great pride, God allows us to be tested in order to remind us to depend on Him.

Renewing the Covenant- Why Now?

Why circumcision? Why now?

To Restore Their Relationship with God

To Test Their Faith

To Remove their Reproach

Remember Joshua 5.9

Joshua 5:9 ESV

And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

What reproach?

Being slaves in Egypt? It wasn’t their fault the new pharoah put them into slavery… see Exodus 1.8

Exodus 1:8 ESV

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

Worshipping idols in Egypt, and in the wilderness? (they did). No, because the older generation that had done that had now died off.

What Was The Reproach ?

Their failure to trust God at Kadesh Barnea and enter the Promised Land. Let’s look at this...

See Numbers 14.11-14

Numbers 14:11–14 ESV

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.

Note: bottom line- God will strike the people and start over making a greater nation through Moses… moses says no. Egypt will hear, your name will be discredited.… etc.,

Renewing the Covenant- Why Now?

Why now?

To Restore Their Relationship with God

To Test Their Faith

To Remove their Reproach

Moses didn’t want the egyptians to spread the word that the God of Israel had failed...when they failed to go into the promised land earlier, they had no faith in God. God said, let’s just forget it, Moses- i’ll give them what they deserve and start over with you… a new people from Moses.

but instead, God

restores the relationship

renews their fiath

removes their reproach.

God Doesn’t Bring Us To Where We Are To Remind Us Of Where We’ve Been. God Brings Us To Where We Are To Remind Us Of Who He Is.