“Cut it Off”
By
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Joshua 5:2-9 & Matthew 5:29-30
BACKGROUND:- The Children of Israel have been wondering in the wilderness now for forty years, Moses is dead, all the original ones that came up out of Egypt are dead except Joshua and Caleb. This is now a new generation of Israelites all 21 years old and younger, except Joshua and Caleb. Joshua, Moses’ minister is now the leader and he has lead the children of Israel miraculously across the Jordan River. God had caused the Jordan River to split just like He had caused the Red Sea to do 40 years earlier when they came up out of Egypt and they crossed the Jordan on dry ground just like they had done back then. God was showing them He was the same God now as He was back then He changes not. If he did it before He can do it again, same God right now same God back then.
They were camped now at Gilgal. The name Gilgal comes from the Hebrew verb (galal), meaning to roll some object on, upon, away (even whirl or dazzle). In a figurative sense it is used in ideas like to roll oneself onto the Lord, meaning to put one's trust in Him (Psalm 22:8) or to commit oneself to Him (Psalm 37:5, Proverbs 16:3). When this verb is used for physically rolling something away or somewhere else, the object is usually stones (Genesis 29:3, Joshua 10:18). God said Joshua 5:9 “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you”.
However, before God said this there was something that Joshua had to do. Vs 2 says “At that time the Lord said unto Joshua. Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time”. There’s some stuff Joshua that needs to be cut off. There’s some old ways that need to be cut. There are some hindrances that are stopping you from going forth. So I need you to make some sharp knives and circumcise the children of Israel again.
UNDERSTAND THIS:- vs#4-5 says “And this is the reason why Joshua did circumcise all the people who came out of Egypt, who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came up out of Egypt. Now all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised”. A whole generation had grown up in the wilderness and before they could proceed and inherit the Promised Land God had for them they had to learn how to totally lean and depend upon God. They had some stuff they had to get rid of, like a caterpillar there was a transformation that needed to take place, before they could spread their wings and fly. CUT IT OFF!!!!!
WATCH THIS:- Circumcision is bloody, circumcision personal, circumcision exposes all that you are, circumcision incapacitates you for a time.
God was saying that before the children of Israel, this new generation could go forth, be an army to conquer the land and possess the promise He had for them, there had to be a cutting off. They had to realize that they were no longer a slave to the ways of Egypt. Before they could go into battle they had to realize that it’s not by power nor by might, because when they were circumcised they became incapacitated and had to totally depend on God, that’s why they had to stay in Gilgal until they were healed – vs#8. In the very next chapter, chapter 6 they conquer Jericho, but before that could happen they had to cut some stuff off.
IN THE NATURAL:- Circumcision is bloody, it’s painful, and it incapacitates you for a while, but it beneficial because there is a decreased risk of a urinary tract infection once it is done. There is not inflammation of the glands once circumcision is done. STD’s are less likely to transfer back and forth (the ping pong effect) between husband and wife because circumcision allows for better cleanliness.
Let me talk about this for a minute. The urinary tract is also the same path that spermatozoa’s travel in the process of reproduction. If the urinary tract is infected the probability of the offspring will be defected as well. Inflammation is Inflammation is the body's attempt at self-protection; the aim being to remove harmful stimuli, including damaged cells, irritants, or pathogens, caused by something that doesn’t belong there.
Our job is to make disciples – how can we make disciple when we have a spiritual urinary tract infection. When we so-called witness and a person desires to be changed and live for God yet they see us still back-biting, still gossiping, still living in mediocrity, still holding on to the things of the world, still being lazy in the things of the Lord, still fulfilling the lust of the flesh, still operating in the pride of life. The seed that is produced will think that it’s o.k. to still do these things and think they are on their way to heaven still with Egypt covering them.
This new generation, of the Children of Israel, were not going to conquer Jericho, were not going to be able to inherit the Promise Land until they cut it off, until they were circumcised of their old ways and became totally dependent on God.
WATCH THIS:- Egypt (SPIRITUALLY) = sin, bondage, idolatry, captivity, old creature, old nature, etc. Sin in our midst testifies against us. It keeps us bound and never allows us to enter the Promised Land. Sure you may have a form of godliness, you may come to church and say Thank You Jesus but you don’t have the power to stand as soon as a trial comes your way you want to throw up your hands and say it’s too hard, I quit, instead of buckling down, digging in your spiritual heals and seek God’s face for your answer. You are like the 10 spies that went into Canaan that came back with a negative report because you still have the covering of Egypt on you and you need to cut it off, you need to be circumcised.
WATCH THIS:- After this, after they were circumcised the next day the manna ceased vs#12. The daily provision from God that they had enjoyed for the past 40 years was over and they began to for the first time begin to taste the fruit of the Promised Land.
It is a time to put aside the old way of life. It’s time to cut some stuff off in your life.
WATCH THIS:- Matthew 5:29-30 says “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell”.
What is this saying: Well if thy eye offend thee WATCH THIS:- If I call myself saved and I still have a wondering eye. I’m married, but I still keep looking at another woman with lust in my eye, that’s Egypt that needs to be circumcised, I need to cut it off, not pluck out my natural eye prese’, but cut off the behavior that I am doing because I can’t inherit the promise God has for me as long as I still am operating in that old nature. Vs#28 says “But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”. CUT IT OFF!!!!!!
If thy right hand offend thee cut it off. WATCH THIS:- The right hand symbolizes power and authority. If sin still has control in my life, If sin still has authority in my life, If I still go places I have no business going, If I still do the things I ought not to be doing, then that is what has power and authority in my life and I need to “CUT IT OFF”.
God has rolled the reproach of sin away from your and my life. For when he died on Calvary’s cross all my sins were forgiven, but now it’s up to each of us to make sure some things are cut off.
Lord if there is anything in me that is not like you CUT IT OFF.
Idolatry – cut it off.
Laziness – cut it off
Lust – cut it off
Mediocrity – Cut it off
You don’t pray like you should – cut it off
Envy – cut it off
Jealousy – cut it off
Pride – Cut it off
Back Biting – Cut it off
Excuses – Cut it off
Arrogance – cut it off
Disobedience – cut it off
In my closing:- There’s and old song that said “I told Jesus it would be alright if he changed my name. He told me the world would hate me, but I said it’s alright just change my name” (paraphrased)
Today Lord I am saying CUT IT OFF.
It’s gonna be bloody - but cut it off.
It’s gonna be painful - but cut it off.
It’s gonna incapacitate you - but cut it off.
It’s gonna make you depend on me YES LORD CUT IT OFF.
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
