Joshua Series #7
The Amazing Race to Rest & Reward
“Declaration of Connection”
Review / Introduction
After the people crossed the barrier to possessing their inheritance, they took the time to prepare themselves to purge the occupiers of their promised inheritance.
Chapter five records two particular ceremonies intended to solidify the people’s identification as special people of God. These two symbolic practices have parallels for Christians in our day.
I. Purge the Land 1-12
A. God Prepared Joshua for leadership 1
B. Joshua prepared the people to possess the land 2
1. Joshua commissioned spies and God saved Rahab 2
2. Joshua led the people through the Jordan 3-4
3. Joshua reinforced the people’s connection to Yahweh 5
INTRODUCTION
Why should anyone pay attention to today’s message? Is there anything from this portion of the Bible that can help me in my everyday life? Before we can engage the enemy there is one thing that must be absolutely clear. We need to be certain of our connection to the Captain of the Lord’s army. Unless we are certain as to our identity by reason of our connection to Jesus we will be devastated by the enemy. Most belief systems, including Christianity, adopt particular rituals or ceremonies that symbolize commitment to certain spiritual truths or realities. It helps keep those truths in the forefront of our thinking. The problem is when we begin to engage in the ritual without really contemplating the reality.
Later in Israel’s history, the prophets communicated God’s displeasure in ritual without reality.
"What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats.
"Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Isaiah 1:11, 13-15
"I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. Amos 5:21-23
Why would God react so vehemently to their worship practices? They had become mere ritual; hype without heart. Those celebrations were to symbolize intimate connection with and dedication to God and yet their practice did not correspond with their proclamation.
A couple in the early church tried to symbolize absolute surrender when the reality was they were only looking for public recognition and it turned out badly. Rituals are not evil. Evil hearts and motives nullify the meaning of the ritual. People may practice certain things like attending church services, listen to Christian radio, read their Bibles once in a while and pray before meals but the true indicators of their devotion to God may be missing.
Jesus scolded the Ephesian church because they had lost their first love. They were only going through the motions without the meaning. He called them to repent and do the deeds they did when their first trusted Jesus.
God prescribed many rituals practiced by Israel to keep them focused on Him. Two such symbols were circumcision and Passover. This morning I want to briefly explore the intended reality of these two rituals and then see if there is any New Testament practice that corresponds.
After Crossing the Jordan, the people set up camp at Gilgal.
Now it came about when 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 how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.
God had already been demoralizing the enemy as we heard from Rahab. They were aware of their defeat.
If Egypt couldn’t withstand them…
If the kings on the east couldn’t stop them…
If the Jordan River couldn’t stop them…
Then what chance do we have against their God (Yahweh).
Their hearts melted and diminished their spirit to resist. They had the fight drained out of them.
CIRCUMCISION
At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time."
So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way after they came out of Egypt. For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD, to whom the LORD had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. Their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way. Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. Joshua 5:1-9
Notice that when God spoke, Joshua obeyed. He continued to stick to his charge given by God to listen, trust and obey. He still retained some massive clout to order a whole nation grown men to submit to this painful procedure. Especial when it would have made the nation extremely vulnerable to attack. Perhaps this explains the intensified demoralization of the Amorites. God kept them at bay until all the necessary preparations were completed. They weren’t going to make the first move. We are told the reason why this procedure had to be done. Before the people left Egypt, all the males were circumcised. (We will see why later). No one had been circumcised the entire journey to the Promised Land. Since all the previously circumcised males died in the wilderness because of disobedience and none had been circumcised since, none of the survivors were circumcised except Joshua and Caleb. There were only two men walking around freely for a few days. God reiterated the reason they died in the desert was because they did not listen to the voice of Yahweh who promised them the land.
The obvious questions here are…
What is the significance of circumcision?
Why was it so important to put the nation at risk to carry it out?
Why hadn’t they continued the practice in the wilderness?
As in most established rituals, they are an external sign of an inward reality. God instituted the ritual way back in Abraham’s time. It is there that God revealed the spiritual significance associated with circumcision.
God said further to Abraham, "Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants”. Genesis 17:9-12
The key is that this sign was to remind them that a special relationship existed between these people and Yahweh. Every time a new baby boy was circumcised by the father, they were again reminded that God chose them as His special covenant people and they were committed to serving Him alone. Many cultures practiced some sort of body marking to illustrate devotion. Circumcision symbolized that they were no longer to be driven by the dictates of the flesh but to be forever directed by the encouragement of the Spirit of God. It symbolized full surrender of their hearts to God. (Deut 10:16)
"So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer. Deuteronomy 10:16
"Moreover 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, so that you may live. Deuteronomy 30:6
It symbolized purity.
'If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, I will remember my Covenant… Leviticus 26:40-41
It symbolized a spiritual focus rather than a fleshly one.
It was a symbolic declaration of an internal special relationship with God.
"Circumcise yourselves to the LORD and remove the foreskins of your heart, men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or else My wrath will go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds." Jeremiah 4:4
This became the means by which Jews were differentiated from all other peoples. They would be forever known as the circumcised and Gentiles as the uncircumcised. Interesting that such a powerful reminder was so easily neglected. Moses didn’t do it to his son and almost lost his life because of it. (Ex 4:24-26). They needed to reestablish it before the Exodus. They still did not practice it in the desert. Maybe that is why there was so much fussing in the desert. They lost their sense of connection with Yahweh and the ritual no longer carried any meaning.
God required this of the new nation of people to again reinforce their connection as His special people and the need to live differently than the nations around them. It is clear that God was not so much interested in the external but the internal.
Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised— Egypt and Judah, and Edom and the sons of Ammon, and Moab and all those inhabiting the desert who clip the hair on their temples; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart." Jeremiah 9:23-26
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. Romans 2:28-29
The New Testament expands on the Old Testament concept with a focus on the internal significance as those who connect to God through the death and resurrection of Christ.
Spiritually, the flesh is the self-centered longings ingrained in our body and soul left over from the unrestrained reign of the old nature. The Bible speaks of the subjugation of these longings when we walk by the direction and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25
Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Romans 13:13-14
Baptism best symbolized all the things that circumcision symbolizes.
It pictures our connection with Christ through identification with His death and resurrection.
It symbolized surrender. It symbolizes purity. It symbolizes a change from living in the flesh to living as a new creature in Jesus.
It is an external symbol of an inward work.
Baptism is to our commit to Christ as the wedding ceremony is to our commitment to our spouse. The private declaration of devotion and commitment comes long before the actual ceremony. The ceremony follows as a public declaration of that private commitment and devotion.
The New Testament connects the two.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Col 2:9-14
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:21
It is possible as with circumcision to have participated in the ritual without the reality.
It is possible to neglect the ritual all together. It is possible to lose the personal significance of the ritual. Many have been baptized that possessed no reality to symbolize. Some were baptized who somewhere along the line lost the connection. If baptism symbolized that the flesh is no longer the driving force in our life but we are new creatures through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then we need to live like it.
Paul declares it is possible.
For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be rendered powerless, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:5-14
Our connection with Christ and its declaration through baptism happened once and need not be repeated just as we need not remarry our spouse. However there are rededications and continual declarations of our connection to our spouse and to Jesus. Some of us need to once again surrender our hearts. We need to let the LORD your God circumcise our heart and the heart of our families, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. Deuteronomy 30:6
We need to deal with the influence of our own fallen flesh before we try to engage the enemy.
PASSOVER
While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year. Joshua 5:10-12
Passover was supposed to be an annual remembrance of their salvation from Egypt. As far as we know they failed to celebrate this most important remembrance all through the wilderness journey. No wonder they lost the significance of the great deliverance. Moses told them never to forget. It was to be the basis of their faith that the same God who defeated Egypt and its gods and parted the Red Sea and dammed up the Jordan would certainly defeat those occupying their inheritance. There were specific prescribed elements that remain in the Jewish Passover to this day. It was a remembrance of deliverance. It again highlighted their privileged position as God’s chosen people. Jesus infused brand new significance when He celebrated the Passover and connected it to His work on the cross.
This is my body and blood. Remember Me and My sacrifice. Remember your connection to me through communion. Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in yourselves. Unless you have intimate connection to me there is no real life. Jesus is our life.
Communion remembers and celebrates that union. Again, many can participate in this ritual without the corresponding reality. Paul warns about participating in the celebration without the connection. Communion communicates and celebrates oneness with Christ and His body.
Before you engage the enemy and claim the promised blessing you need to be sure of your connection to Christ. You need to be confident as to your new identity because of that connection. It is interesting that that is the focus of Satan’s attacks. He does not want you to know who you are. All of the armor has to do with truth related to our connection to Jesus.
Only when we understand our connection with Christ will we be able to effectively confront the enemy. Submit to God, resist the devil and draw near to God. There is no resisting the devil without first submitting to God. Communion reminds us of our need to continually connect and submit to Him. Our Identity in Christ allows us to rise up out of a dark night of the soul.
These things are true no matter how we feel at the moment. They are an established fact for everyone who truly puts their trust in Christ.
Do the blessings of that chosen people apply to us today?
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:26-29
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. 1 Peter 2:9-10
Our Identity in Christ at Salvation
1. Regenerated (alive, born again, renewed) John 3; Eph 2 Col 2:13; Col 3:10
2. Raised up with Christ in the heavenlies Eph 2
3. Seated with Christ in the heavenlies Eph 2
4. Adopted into God’s family Gal 4:5-7; Rom 8
5. Forgiven all our sins Eph 1
6. Circumcised through His sacrifice Col 2:11
7. Reconciled through His sacrifice Rom 5; Col 2
8. Redeemed by His sacrifice Rom 3
9. Sanctified (set apart as holy) Heb 10:10
10. Placed in the body of Christ1 Cor 12:13
11. Permanently indwelt by the Spirit 1 Cor 3:16
12. Justified, made righteous Rom 3; 2 Cor 5:20
13. Sins Propitiated by Christ’s blood Rom 3
14. Sealed until the day of redemption Eph 1
15. Made a new creation 2 Cor 5.17
16. Gifted for effective ministry 1 Cor 12
17. Lavished with Grace Eph 2:7,8; Rom 5:1-2
18. Blessed with Every spiritual blessing Eph 1:3
19. Presented holy and blameless before God Eph 2; Col 1:22
20. Enlightened to spiritual mysteries Eph 2:8-10
21. Given an inheritance Eph 2:11; 1 Peter 1
22. Empowered by the Holy Spirit Eph 3
23. Saved by belief in Jesus Eph 2:9-10
24. Created masterpiece in Christ Jesus Eph 2:10
25. Brought near to God Eph 2:13
26. Made citizens of God’s household Eph 2:19; Phil 3:20-21
27. Incorporated into God’s temple Eph 2:21-22
28. Temple of the Holy Spirit 1 Cor 6:19
29. Transferred from kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His son Col 1:13
30. Partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet 1
31. Given His divine seed 1 John 3:9
32. Predestined to be like Jesus Rom 8
33. Rooted and grounded in love Eph 3:18
34. Put on the new self Eph 4:22; Col 3:9
35. Become children of God John 1:12
36. Become children of light Eph 5:8
37. Enlisted and empowered in God’s army Eph 6
38. Made complete in Christ Col 2:10
39. Debts forever cancelled Col 2:13-14
40. Life hidden with Christ in God Col 3:3
41. Granted peace with God thru Christ Rom 5:1
42. Flesh rendered powerless Rom 6:6
43. Freed from slavery to sin Rom 6:6
44. Dead to sin’s influence Rom 6:11
45. Given eternal life Ro 6:23
46. Freed from the law of sin and death Rom 8:2
47. Freed from condemnation Rom 8:1
48. Glorified Rom 8:30
49. Given the mind of Christ 1 Cor 2:16
50. Belong to Christ 1 Cor 3:23
51. Filled with the joy of Christ Jn 15:11; 17:13
52. Crucified with Christ Gal 2:20
53. Washed by His Holy Spirit Titus 2:4
54. Renewed by His Holy Spirit Titus 2:5-6
55. Delivered from fear of death Heb 2:14-15
56. Access to the throne of Grace Heb 4:16
57. Cleansed conscience Heb 9:13-14
58. Called out of darkness into His marvelous light 1 Peter 2:9
59. Love poured out in our hearts Rom 5
60. Grafted into the Vine (Christ) John 15
61. Become one with the Trinity John 17
