Preparing for Spiritual Warfare

Circumcision

-a symbol of Jehovah’s covenant

-a symbol of protection (Genesis 34)

-a symbol of power and blessing

it was only after Abraham’s circumcision that he could have children (Genesis 17)

it was only after the circumcision of Moses’ son that he was allowed to go and minister to Pharaoh

now, it is only after the circumcision of the men of Israel that they are allowed to fight the Lord’s battles. Obviously, the LORD is serious about His covenant and He wants to make a mark in our lives!

Before you fight the Lord’s battles— wouldn’t you sit down and count the cost before you went into battle? Wouldn’t you want to guarantee the success of your mission?

The Principle of the Covenant

these are God’s people

this is their inheritance (land)

this is their memorial

So, this is the second circumcising of the Hebrews.

First, with Abraham. Genesis 17

Exodus 4:21-25: “And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. 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.”

A physical marking/cut with a spiritual principle.

Romans 2:25-29: “For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 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.”

Deuteronomy 10:16: “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.”

NOTICE CAREFULLY!!!!! Every Hebrew in the world could have taken that physical mark as a sign of God’s covenant and yet all of them could have missed the blessing! Why? Because it is not about the external mark. For, it is not about the mark of the covenant; it is about the God of the covenant which makes a mark in your life— your inner life. He wants to cut away that which is excessive in our lives.

Deuteronomy 30:6: “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.”

Jeremiah 4:4: “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 9:25-26: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, And all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: For all these nations are uncircumcised, And all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Circumcision)

In the Hebrew Scriptures the metaphorical use is consistent. Circumcision suggests that the Hebrews were prepared for participation in what God was doing. It follows that physical, literal circumcision also carried this meaning. Circumcision made Israel fit to participate in God’s activity as God’s people. This meaning for literal circumcision lies behind the requirement that only the circumcised may eat Passover (Exod 12:43–49).

Uncircumcised lips (Exodus 6:12: “And Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?” the metaphor concerns ability for participation in what God is doing; since the problem cannot be with God’s word, it must be with Moses’ lips. In the subsequent narrative God responds by giving Moses heightened ability for the task: God will make Moses like God to Pharaoh

uncircumcised heart; Jeremiah 9:26: “Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, And all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: For all these nations are uncircumcised, And all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.” The heart is the thinking, willing part of a human being; hence the passages hold up the ideal of a circumcised mind, one which delights in the obedient love of God (Deut 10:16; 30:6). An Israelite with an uncircumcised heart differs not at all from a Gentile whose nation practices circumcision (Jer 9:25–26). Only those with a circumcised heart can experience the blessings of the covenant of Abraham (Jer 4:4; cf. 4:2) or return from exile (Lev 26:41; Deut 30:6) or enter the rebuilt temple (Ezek 44:7, 9). A circumcised heart is a mind of the right kind, one able to participate in a covenant with God.

uncircumcised ears; Jeremiah 6:10: “To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.” These are ears unable to participate in what God is doing; they cannot hear God’s message.

Wiersbe: “No amount of external surgery can change the inner person. 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.”

ILL. pants, movies, use of alcohol; I don’t drink and I don’t chew and I don’t run with those that do! Fine! But where is the LORD in all of that cutting? Has Jesus made a mark in your soul?!

So, why is the LORD doing this to them? Why now?

to take away the reproach of Egypt

The reproach of Egypt. What is that?

is it that they were slaves for many generations and that they feigned to bear that identity?

is it that they worshipped and served idols in Egypt?Ezekiel 20:7-8: “Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.” Amos 5:25-26: “Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, The star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.”

or is it that this was a second run at the promises of God? Is is that 38 years before at Kadesh Barnea, the LORD sent spies into Canaan and that they came back with an “evil” report which led to disheartening the people. Then, Aaron made a molten calf at Mount Sinai and the people broke the covenant God was making with them? At this point, God threatened to cast off this people and to choose a new family. Yet, we must note Moses’ argument to the LORD: Exodus 32:1-12 As Warren Wiersbe writes, “Moses didn’t want the Egyptians to spread the word that the God of Israel couldn’t finish what He had started...”

2. to prove them

Of all times to do this, now???? We have a standing army. We have an impregnable city before us. We are vulnerable. In 16 days the city of Jericho will be no more. 7 of those 16 days involve marching. Why circumcise now?

The Power of Commemorating

Getting back to the basics!

Joshua 5:10-12: “And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.”

There was a regular way for God to remind His people of the power of His salvation: Passover & Unleavened Bread

passover- I Corinthians 5:7 “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:”

a week of unleavened bread

Matthew 16:11: “How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?”

Mark 8:15: “And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.”

Luke 12:1: “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

Old things are passed away— and all things are new. Don’t desire the old life! There is nothing there for you!!!

The Presence of our Covenant-Keeping God

before your greatest battles, be assured of the Lord’s presence

holiness was the outgrowth of circumcision and passover; holy ground only found 2x in the Bible; here and in Exodus 3:5: “And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

we must be on God’s side.