March 9, 2025
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Reading along with us in Joshua and Timothy? Here’s today’s reading:
Joshua 5 (NIV)
1 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.
Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal……Continue Reading
Joshua 5
After Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground the enemies of Israel were afraid. The two mentioned here are the Amorites and the Canaanites. God was demonstration His mighty power to not only Israel but to all the other nations. God then tells Joshua to have all the males circumcised. All the time Israel wandered in the wilderness none of them were circumcised. Here the nation of Israel is having a new and fresh start. They were showing their dedication to the Lord. In the New Testament we are told that circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not the letter of the law. Also, that a real Jew is one inwardly. Romans 3:29. So, when a person comes to Christ that person is circumcised in the heart and spirit. Then Joshua encounters a mighty being. This being says that He is the captain of the hosts of the Lord. Joshua falls down and worships this being. This person is the Lord in physical form before being born as a baby. You could think that it was Michael the Arc Angel but he never tells Joshua to not worship but instead tells him to take his sandals off of his feet for where he is standing is Holy ground. Just like when Moses spoke to the Lord in the flaming bush. Acts 7:30,33. {And when 40 years were expired there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. Then the Lord said to him, put off thy shoes from thy feet, for the place where thou standest is holy ground.} We know from scripture where angels appeared to Mary and others they were told not to worship them. Anyways this is what I think. We also see other scripture that says that Michael leads the Lord`s hosts. But Michael would never want to be worshipped. So that is why I believe it is the Lord. God bless you all.
To witness the waters stop flowing and the ground to be dry must have been amazing but to also witness all of God’s people literally step out in faith and cross. At any moment the waters could have been restored to flood levels but the Israelites trusted God’s provision and walked across. No wonder that combination struck fear into the hearts of their advesaries!
Circumcission is done as a sign as a reminder of God’s covenant to His people. Relationship restored and the fulfilment of God’s promises to an obedient people!
Then Joshua sees God Himself! He falls immediately knowing this is no ordinary man that has walked into camp! He recognizes God’s power and authority.
”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.“
Joshua 5:12 NKJV
God provided for the Israelites up until the day after they were able to eat from the land. It’s amazing to think that they had been provided Manna for all those years.
Oh that God would do mighty works in our day that would lead people to revere Him, but His eternal nature and power are so evident in creation that mankind is without excuse. And the Israelites not circumcising their sons while traveling in the desert reminds us not to forsake different expressions of our faith in God just because it is hard or inconvenient. But God leads Joshua to set it right and the reproach that came from that former generation is broken and the Jews have a new start represented in the circumcision here. And another way for there to be a clear break from the past was the mana ended and they were now to provide for themselves in the promised land. It is amazing to think that God fed so many for 40 years of wandering. Such a clear sign of His power and care for His people. And as Joshua prepares to lead the people to fight against Jericho, God makes it clear that he needs to be led. And it is not unique that Joshua bows down in awe of this heavenly being, but it is unique that this being accepts the worship and does not stop Joshua from doing so. So I and others believe that this is none other than the second member of the trinity engaging with humankind in the Old Testament.
Joshua 5
Joshua 5