If God has ever placed a calling on your heart to serve Him, then He is inviting you to enter a spiritual Promised Land. He’s calling you to possess the land, just as He called the Israelites to possess Canaan; but before you can begin possessing the land you need to make sure your heart is right before God. Maybe you have been pursuing for quite some time, and you haven’t yet experienced a fulfillment of that calling. This could be the result of sin getting you off track. Perhaps, much of your journey has been difficult and filled with spiritual heartache and pain, and you may be wounded. If so, then you need to receive spiritual healing from the Lord.
In Exodus 19:4, the Lord told His people, “I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.” The wings of God represented the Lord’s shelter and healing for the people of Israel as they made their journey to the Promised Land. David said, “The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings . . . for with You is the fountain of life” (Psalm 36:7b, 9a); and the Lord declared in Malachi, “To you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (4:2). It’s important to take some time to dwell under the shelter of God’s wings, for within His wings is healing for your weary heart and soul.
Restoration of the Covenant (vv. 2-7)
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.
Here we read how Joshua instructed the Israelites to be circumcised a “second time” (v. 2). The Scripture explains what is meant by a second circumcision. The people who were now standing in Canaan were the offspring of the Israelites who had departed from Egypt.
In Numbers chapter 13, the Lord commanded Moses to send twelve spies to scope out the land of Canaan, and they were to report back on its bounty and inhabitants. The land was everything God had promised and more; however, the people felt inadequate to battle the inhabitants and they turned back in fear. As punishment for refusing to possess Canaan, the Lord made them wander in the wilderness for forty years. In Numbers chapter 14 the Lord admonished them, “The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness . . . But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised” (Numbers 14:29a, 31).
Here, in Joshua chapter 5, we see that the Lord had fulfilled His promise, for the little ones had been brought in, and were now standing in the exact same place as their parents, overlooking the land and preparing for conquest. Verses 5 and 7 explain how all the children who were born in the wilderness had not yet been circumcised; so, they were instructed at this moment to undergo circumcision. This re-circumcision was not an individual matter, but a communal affair. The entire group needed to be circumcised, representing a second circumcision as a nation.
In Genesis chapter 17, the Lord instituted circumcision for Abraham as a sign of His covenant, or promise. God said that He would make of Abraham a great and blessed nation, and give his people the land of Canaan (Genesis 17:6-8). The Lord sought to keep His promise, until that moment in which Israel refused to possess Canaan, and fled in fear and disobedience. The New Bible Dictionary says, “While the nation walked in the wilderness under God’s displeasure, the covenant was, as it were, in suspended animation, and circumcision lapsed.”(1) In the wilderness the covenant was on hold, and the people temporarily lost the promise of blessing, as they had chosen to forfeit their calling.
This reinstitution of circumcision represented the Lord’s promise returning to His people, and the promise of blessing and inheritance being restored. While you were journeying toward God’s calling, perhaps you experienced a setback and felt like you had messed up and forfeited your calling. However, you stuck it out and pressed ahead to the point that you are now ready to possess what God has promised, as you gaze out over the land. You must realize that the Lord is forgiving and gracious, and ready to restore His covenant with you.
If you wish to receive the restoration of God’s promise, then you must be prepared to recommit yourself entirely unto God and His purposes. Circumcision represents commitment and obedience. The New Bible Dictionary says that the blood which is shed in circumcision expresses “the costly demand which God makes of those whom He calls to Himself and marks with the sign of His covenant.”(2)
This recommitment that you must make before God will take place on a heart level, as you realize the goodness and grace of God in restoring His promise, and you repent of any former waywardness and sin. Paul speaks of this recommitment in Romans chapter 2, emphasizing the Lord’s “goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering” and how the “goodness of God leads you to repentance” (2:4). He refers to this recommitment as a circumcision of the heart. In Romans 2:28-29a, Paul said,
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 of the heart, [and] in the Spirit.
If you have ever walked in disobedience to the Lord, then you must repent of your sins, ask for God’s forgiveness, receive His restoration, and begin walking anew in the confidence of His covenant. Colossians 2:11-12 says, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” When you repent and recommit yourself and your plans unto the Lord, then your purpose in the Lord will begin anew, just as the life of Christ was renewed by His resurrection from the dead.
A Moment for Healing (vv. 8-9)
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.
The Lord had just restored His covenant to Israel, and the promise of Canaan through circumcision. In verse 8, we read that the people “stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed.” They had just recommitted themselves to the Lord, and they were mentally and spiritually eager to take on Canaan; however, they couldn’t do anything until they had time to heal. They were not only recovering from the physical wounds of circumcision, but also from the “reproach of Egypt” (v. 9).
The reproach of Egypt is suggested to have possibly been “the condition of slavery” and the “taunts of the Egyptians,” or perhaps “the uncleanness of a foreign country,” or even “the suspension of the Abrahamic covenant.”(3) Each of these reproaches would have resulted in feelings of hopeless and despair, and great spiritual anguish, and the people had to wait in the camp until they had received healing from both their physical and spiritual pain. Eventually the Lord “rolled away the reproach of Egypt” (v. 9), and the pain departed.
You have likely had a long and arduous journey in your quest; in your pursuit of God’s calling. You likely had times where you walked in disobedience and attempted to retreat in fear. There were probably some other ways in which you resisted God’s direction. Even though you had moments of doubt and fear, you have made it to the place where you are ready to claim your inheritance and possess God’s promise. However, the Lord may want you to be still, and to rest for a short period and heal before your take on greater responsibility. As long as you are still weak from the journey, and spiritually wounded, you will not be on top of your game.
You will still have a strong sense in your heart of what God has called you to do; however, you may be set aside for a short while. The Lord could have you temporarily serve in a different area of ministry than to what you are accustomed, having you lay low and rest, and exposing you to some healing relationships with grace-filled believers. He may be giving you time to readjust your priorities, making sure that He is first in your life, above your calling. Whatever delay you seem to be experiencing, just remember that God is your healer. In Jeremiah 33:6 the Lord said, “I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.” The Lord wants to heal you and give you peace, and firmly establish His purposes in your heart.
A Moment for Remembrance (vv. 10-11)
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.
Here we find the reestablishment of the Passover, which was a day for remembering one’s deliverance from slavery. In recalling the account, Egypt suffered one last eventful blow with the destroying angel (Ex 12:23), and on that night the Hebrew people observed their last meal while in bondage, which was the Passover. It was eaten with great haste (Ex 12:11), for they would begin their journey the very next day! Exodus chapter 12, verses 36 and 41 tell us,
And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested . . . And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years . . . that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt (36a, 41).
In Exodus 12:14, the Lord instructed Israel concerning the Passover, “So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.” The Israelites were to remember the day of their freedom for all time; thus, when the Passover was reestablished, the people were taking time to reflect on where they had just been, and where they were now.
So, this time of being set aside for healing also provides you with time to remember and reflect. It is important to take time to recall your journey. Why? Because you need to think about your mistakes and learn from them, and you need to consider the Lord’s faithfulness in providing successive breakthroughs that led you to where you are right now. Taking time to remember will lead you to thanksgiving, and restore your faith to continue pressing ahead, claiming new territory for the Lord.
We read here, “And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover” (v. 11). The time of healing and remembrance had been completed, and they finally ate from the bounty of the Promised Land. When you are have recommitted yourself to the Lord, and have had time for healing and reflection, then the Lord will see to it that you finally partake of His promise. When the Israelites ate of the produce of the land, this symbolized the completion and victory of their long journey from bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land.
The Lord’s Manna Ceases (v. 12)
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.
Manna was God’s “bread from heaven” (Exodus 16:4) that He provided as sustenance for His people. It was a frostlike substance that appeared on the ground every morning; and since the people had never seen anything like it before they called it “manna,” meaning, “What is it?” (Exodus 16:14-15). Manna is survival food only, which kept the Israelites alive in the wilderness; and as long as the people ate the manna, it meant they were still in the wasteland, going around in circles.
For forty years, a generation had lived on God’s good, and not His best; and as you have been pressing toward your calling, perhaps you too have only lived by survival, not yet partaking of God’s best. This could be the result of sin or even fear. But, once you have recommitted yourself to the Lord, and become determined to possess the land, then that is the day you break the manna mentality and start eating from the fruit of the Land. When you do then you will see giants fall, cities conquered, and land claimed for God that has never before been taken.(4)
You have to stop eating manna in order to become a “Promised Land believer.” The characteristics of a Promised Land believer is that he or she 1.) leaves the manna behind, 2.) starts eating the produce of the land, 3.) is prepared to pay the price of obedience, 4.) has the courage to do it, 5.) steps out of his or her comfort zone, and 6.) begins to eat the food of faith instead.(5)
Manna is God’s provision when life is going tough and things look bleak. It’s His encouragement to strengthen your faith to press on; but once you arrive at the border of the Promised Land, there the manna will cease. For example, you may have witnessed God provide numerous financial miracles while in the wilderness, but now the Lord appears silent. Don’t let that get you down. It could just be that you are beginning to carry your own weight and assume some responsibility as you are on the verge of entering into His promise.
A Moment for Worship (vv. 13-15)
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.
To stop eating manna means to start fighting in order to take possession of the promises of God. We see here that Joshua was prepared and ready to fight, for when he lifted his eyes and saw a man with a sword drawn in his hand, Joshua confronted him saying, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” (v. 13). Joshua was ready to take him on, and get busy possessing the land. In verse 14 this man proclaimed himself to be the “Commander of the army of the Lord.” This was the archangel Michael (Daniel 10:13; Revelation 12:7), and his presence meant that God’s army was ready and at his disposal in assisting Joshua with the conquest of Canaan. Truly it was time to begin fighting!
Michael had arrived to assist with the fighting; however, he had also come to remind Joshua of one last stage of preparation necessary in order to claim the land. As Commander and archangel, Michael represented the very presence of God among the Israelites, and in the presence of the Lord Joshua “fell on his face to the earth and worshipped” (v. 14). Joshua asked Him what he must do, probably inquiring about a battle strategy; however, the Commander was not concerned about fighting at that moment. He told Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy” (v. 15). Before initiating the conquest of Canaan, the Israelites needed to take time to worship the Lord.
In 2 Chronicles chapter 20 is found the account of how King Jehoshaphat came under attack by Moab and Ammon. Before going into battle, he acknowledged that the battle belonged entirely to God (2 Chronicles 20:12, 15). Instead of worrying about his attackers, he directed all the people to worship the Lord (20:18); and then when they went out to battle, he placed the worshippers in the front of the army, and the Lord defeated their enemies (20:21-22).
As you are standing on the border overlooking God’s calling, and as you are preparing for conquest, be sure to take time to spend with the Lord worshipping Him, for He is your strength and shield. Psalm 28:7 says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore, my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.” You must worship the Lord, for without Him you can do nothing (John 15:5).
Time of Reflection
We have seen that before laying claim to your calling you need to 1.) recommit yourself unto the Lord, reestablishing your covenant relationship with Him; 2.) take some time to heal from your past hurts or the shame of your disobedience; 3.) take a moment to reflect on God’s faithfulness, allowing this to renew and strengthen your faith, 4.) wean yourself off of the manna, and begin standing on your own two feet in faith ready to fight; and you must 5.) take time to worship the Lord. Once you have been through these steps, then the Commander of the Lord’s army will be there waiting to step in to assist you in conquering of the land.
The greatest Promised Land of all is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. But there are countless people who fail to lay hold of God’s promise for many of the same reasons that people have trouble pursuing a calling. You could be held back by sin, as you cling to your sin and fail to repent. You could be held back by pain and heartache, as someone has hurt you through words of condemnation; or maybe because you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one and you blame God.
Jesus declared, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel . . . He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18). The gospel shares the message about repenting of our sins, and the message of forgiveness that leads to spiritual healing and eternal life. (Mark 1:4; Acts 19:4). Remember, God declared in the book of Malachi, “To you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (4:2). If you are broken by sin and this life, the Lord is longing to offer you His forgiveness; and once received, it leads to the Promised Land of eternal life.
NOTES
(1) J. A. Motyer, “Circumcision,” New Bible Dictionary (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1982), p. 210.
(2) Ibid., p. 210.
(3) William H. Morton, “Joshua,” The Broadman Bible Commentary, ed. Clifton J. Allen (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1970), p. 319.
(4) Church of God Luxembourg, “Break the Manna Mentality,” (2003), http://www.oasis.lu/attachments/File/bible_series/joshua_5.pdf.
(5) Ibid.
