Joshua 5:1-15
Q.1. What impact did the miraculous Jordan crossing of Israel have on the surrounding nations? Why did God command Joshua to circumcise the men? – (Josh.5:1-5)
It is well known that confidence is a major factor in warfare. Rahab had already told the Israeli spies that terror had fallen on the inhabitants of her land. This was because of Israel’s Red Sea crossing forty years earlier, and the subsequent triumph over the kings east of the Jordan River (Josh.2:9-11). This latest miracle of the Jordan crossing completely shattered the confidence of the kings both west and east of the river – … their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel (Josh.5:1). However, this new generation of the people of Israel had not applied the sign of the covenant – 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 (Josh.5:5 c.f. Gen.17:9-13). Moses had become slack about circumcision (c.f. Exo.4:24-26). Circumcision of all the males expressed the nation’s allegiance to God. It was also a preventative to inter-marrying with the other peoples of the land.
Q.2. Why did the previous generation perish in the wilderness? What had the nation forfeited? What does the name Gilgal signify? – (Josh.5:6-9)
The previous generation had failed to circumcise their children. God reminded Joshua’s generation that they had all 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 (Josh.5:6). In their unbelief, those people had forfeited the Promised Land. God now instructed Joshua to stop and have all the males circumcised before they went any further. They were immobilized until they had healed (Josh.5:8). God named this place near Jericho Gilgal, saying – … Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you (Josh.5:9). Israel’s previous failure to declare by circumcision their covenant relationship with God, had angered God (Gen.17:9-11).
Q.3. What feast did Israel celebrate? From where did the emblems for the feast come? How did God sustain them in the land? – (Josh.5:10-12)
Providentially, the crossing happened in the first month of Israel’s year and coincided with the Passover Feast on the fourteenth day of the month (Josh.5:10 c.f. Ex.12:1-2). To their delight, the emblems for the feast were produce from the Promised Land (Josh.5:11). In fact, the manna that had sustained a nation of two million people, stopped when they crossed into their new homeland – 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 (Josh.5:12).
Q.4. What incident reinforced Joshua’s rightful place over Israel? Was God for Israel? Did Joshua understand the significance of the visitation? – (Josh.5:13-15)
Just three verses record one of the most significant encounters in Joshua’s life, when he had his own ‘burning bush’ experience (c.f. Ex.3:2). Joshua was checking out Jericho, that impregnable city. He was wondering how they were going to break through. In the cool of the evening, he looked up to see a scary sight. A man had appeared out of nowhere and stood opposite him with a drawn sword. Joshua was not short on courage, and addressed his adversary – Are you for us or for our adversaries? Joshua was amazed to discover that this was not just a man, but the Captain of the Lord of Heaven’s hosts. His response was not clearly translated. The Lord actually declared – NEITHER. What this meant was – I am neither for you, nor for your enemies. I AM FORME! Are you for Me? If you are, then I am yours and Israel’s Commander-in-Chief. Mighty Jericho is no problem, and neither is any other opponent, as long as you follow and obey Me as your Captain. (Josh.5:14). Joshua did not hesitate, but – … fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to Him, “What has my Lord to say to His servant?” (Josh.5:14). God had met with Moses in the burning bush. Here God met with Joshua – The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so (Josh.5:15 c.f. Ex.3:5). God was at the helm as Supreme Leader. As long as they followed Him in obedience, they could not lose.