Joshua 5:1-9 (KJV)
2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
NOW IF I CAN GET A BAPTIST AMEN A METHODIST NOD AND A SANTIFIED CHURCH HALLEJUIAH
I WANT TO REASON WITH YOU ON THE THOUGHT ( CUT IT OFF)
IN THE TEXT BEFORE US
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAVE JUST CROSSED OVER THE JORDAN TO ENTER CANAAN
AND WHEN YOU REFLECT BACK OVER ISRAEL HISTORY OF WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS
THE LORD HAD BEEN MIGHTY GOOD TO THEM
FOR THE LORD
• HAD FED THEM MANNA AND GAVE THEM QUAIL TO EAT
• HE EVEN PROVIDED THEM WATER FROM A ROCK
• AS WELL PROTECTED THEM FROM THERE ENEMIES
• HE GAVE THEM SHADE BY DAY AND LIGHT BY NIGHT
• GOD EVEN ALLOWED THERE CLOTHE TO LAST WHILE THEY WANDERED IN THE WILDERNESS
• BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY HE GAVE THEM HIS LAW TO INSTRUCT THEM IN THE WAY AND TO GOVEREN THERE LIVES
AND THE REASON WHY IS
ISRAEL WAS THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD
THE PEOPLE OF THE MOSIAC LAW
AND IN THE TEXT THEY ARE ABOUT TO BECOME PEOPLE OF THE LAND
BECAUSE OF THE GREAT PROMISES THAT GOD MADE TO ABRAHAM ,ISAAC AND JACOB
IN OTHER WORDS
THERE DAYS OF WANDERING ARE OVER
AND THE DAY OF POSSESSING THE LAND HAS ARRIVED
BUT BEFORE THEY POSSESS THE LAND
THERE ARE SOME PREPARATIONS THEY MUST MAKE
AND JUST AS GOD CHALLENGED ISRAEL TO PREPARE TO MOVE DEEPER INTO THE PROMISE LAND
THERE ARE SOME STEPS WE TO HAVE TO TAKE AS WE PRESS ON IN 2022
BECAUSE IF WE WANT TO GROW DEEPER IN THE LORD
IF WE REALLY WANT TO ENJOY A VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE
IF WE REALLY WANT ALL THE LORD HAS FOR US
THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE PREPARATIONS LIKE ISRAEL DID
BECAUSE THE FABRIC OF THIS TEXT IS TAILORED TO TEACH US
I. WE MUST CONSECRATE OVERSELVES
NOTICE--NOTICE--NOTICE
BECAUSE THE FIRST COMMAND THE LORD GIVES TO ISRAEL
IS THAT ALL THE MEN IN THE CAMP ARE TO BE CIRCUMCISED
BECAUSE CIRCUMCISION WAS FIRST HANDED DOWN TO ABRAHAM
IN OTHER WORDS
IT WAS A PHYSICAL SIGN USED TO IDENTIFY ALL THE MALE DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM
BECAUSE ALL THE MEN WHO HAD BEEN BORN IN EGYPT HAD BEEN CIRCUMCISED ACCORDING TO THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
BUT THOSE WHO WAS BORN DURING THE 40 YEARS OF WILDERNESS WANDERING HAD NOT BEEN CIRCUMCISED
AND BEFORE THESE MEN COULD CLAIM THERE CANAAN
AND ENJOY THE COVENANT PROMISES OF GOD AND PROTECTION
THEY HAD TO BE CIRCUMCISED
IN OTHER WORDS
THEY HAD TO ESTABLISH A COVENANT WITH THE LORD IF THEY WANTED HIS BLESSING
AND JUST AS ISRAEL WAS REQUIRED TO REMOVE FROM THERE BODIES A PIECE OF FLESH AS A SIGN THAT THEY WERE PART OF THE COVENANT
WE TO MUST REMOVE FROM OUR LIVES
ANYTHING THAT STANDS BETWEEN US
TOTALLY SURRENDERING OURSELVES TO THE LORD
IN OTHER WORDS
WE HAVE TO PUT SOME SKIN IN THE GAME
AND ENGAGE IN A SPIRITUAL SURGERY EACH AND EVERYDAY OF OUR LIVES
AND CUT SOMETHING OFF
AND THE REASON WHY IS
CIRCUMCISION WAS A REMINDER
THAT THEY WAS MARK FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
AS WELL THEY WERE SERVANTS OF THE LIVING GOD
AND WERE UNDER OBLIGATION TO OBEY HIM IN ALL THINGS
BECAUSE CIRCUMCISION WAS A OUTWARD REMINDER OF A INWARD WORK OF FAITH
EVEN WHEN YOU GO TO THE 5TH BOOK OF THE MOSAIC LAW
Deut. 10:16, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.”
AND IN OUR CASE
IT`S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME
BECAUSE THE DEVIL WILL TRY TO HINDER YOU
FROM REMEMBERING WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE FOR YOU ALREADY IN 2022
BECAUSE YOU DO KNOW
THE DEVIL WILL TRY TO HINDER YOU FROM REMEMBERING
WHEN YOU WAS DOWN AND HOW LORD PICK YOU UP
HOW HE PAID YOUR BILLS AND PUT FOOD ON YOUR TABLE
WHEN YOU WAS SICK AND HE HEAL YOUR BODY
(LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND )TELL THEM YOU BETTER PUT SOME SKIN IN THE GAME
IN OTHER WORDS
ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT GLORIFY GOD
EDIFY THE CHURCH
OR HELP YOU GROW IN THE LORD
( YOU NEED TO CUT IT OFF)
*************************
WELL NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO CONSECRATE OURSELVES
BUT THE TEXT ALSO REVEALS WE NEED TO CONFIRM OUR FAITH BY TRUSTING IN GOD
NOTICE IN VERSE 8 OF THE TEXT
ISRAEL IS CAMPED IN THE VERY HEART OF ENEMY TERRITORY
AND EVERY MALE IN THE NATION OF ISRAEL IS TEMPORARILY DISABLED DUE TO BEING CIRCUMCISED
AND IS UNABLE TO FIGHT
BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD`S COMMAND TO BE CIRCUMCISED WAS A SUPREME ACT OF FAITH
BECAUSE THEY HAD TO TRUST GOD TO PROTECT THEM UNTIL THEY HEALED
AND THERE FAITH WAS THE SECRET TO THERE SUCCESS AND SAFETY
BECAUSE IN THERE WILDERNESS WANDERING
THEY HAD LEARNED THAT BATTLES THEY HAD FOUGHT WAS NOT WON BY MILITARY BATTLES OR BATTLE FIELD TACTICS
BUT IT WAS BECAUSE GOD GAVE THEM THE VICTORY
SO THEY PLACE THERE LIVES
THERE FAMILIES
THERE FUTURE
IN THE HANDS OF GOD
AND MY QUESTION TO YOU THIS MORNING/EVENING
WHAT HAVE YOU PLACE IN GOD`S HAND
BECAUSE AS WE CONTINUE TO PRESS ON IN 2022
WE ALL WILL FACE A TIME OF TESTING
BUT IF WE WANT TO EXPERIENCE VICTORY
WE HAVE TO PUT OUR TRUST IN THE LORD
BECAUSE IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD
NOTHING THAT HAPPENS ON THIS JOURNEY OF LIFE IS ABOUT US
BUT IS ALL ABOUT HIM
BECAUSE GOD CANNOT USE YOU UNTIL HE PROVES YOU
AND A FAITH THAT HAS NOT BEEN TESTED
IS A FAITH THAT CANNOT BE TRUSTED
THAT`S WHY WE HAVE TO CONFIRM OURSELVES BY PUTTING OUR FAITH IN GOD
************************
WELL NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO CONSECRATE OURSELVES AND CONFIRM OUR FAITH IN GOD
BUT THE TEXT BEFORE US IS ALSO TAILORED TO TEACH US
THAT WHEN WE CONSECRATE OURSELVES AND CONFIRM OUR FAITH IN GOD
THEN GOD WILL SHOWER US WITH CONTEMPLATION
NOTICE WHAT GOD SAYS IN VERSE
9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
THE REPROACH OF EGYPT WAS THERE PAST SINS AND MISTAKES
IN OTHER WORDS GOD TELLS JOUSHA
I ROLL AWAY ALL THERE COMPLAINING AND MURMURING AND UNBELIEF
I ROLL AWAY WHEN THEY TOOK THE GOLD AND MADE A CALF
AND JUST LIKE GOD ROLL THERES AWAY
JESUS DIED ON A MOUNTIAN CALL CALVARY
WAS BURIED IN A BORROWED TOMB
BUT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING STEP OUT ON RESSURECTION GROUND AND DECLARED THAT ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS IN HIS HANDS
IN OTHER WORDS GOD GAVE THEM A- USED TO BE- TESTIMONY
AND I WONDER IS THERE ANYBODY HERE GOT- A USED TO BE- TESTIMONY
AND ROLLED OUR SINS AWAY
I WAS BOUND BUT THE LORD SET ME
FREE
IN THE WORDS OF THE SONG WRITER WHO PUT PEN TO TO PAPER AND WROTE
I WAS SINKING DEEP IN SIN FAR FROM A PEACEFUL SHORE
VERY DEEPLY SINKING WITHIN SINKING TO RISE NO MORE
BUT THE MASTER OF THE SEA HEARD MY DESPARING CRY
FROM THE WATER HE LIFTED ME --NOW SAVED AM I
IT WAS LOVE LIFTED ME WHEN NOTHING ELSE COULD HE L-O-V-E LIFTED ME
DID`NT HE DO IT
I SAY DID`NT HE DO
AND IF YOU KNOW HE DID IT
YOU OUGHT TO TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR
YOU DON`T KNOW ---
LIKE I KNOW ----
WHAT THE LORD --
OH WHAT THE LORD ---
HAS DONE FOR ME
