Preparing for Victory Joshua 5

Now on the other side of Jordan River the countries were afraid People of Israel were united while the people of Canaan were paralyzed by fear Two weeks of preparation before their first victory God’s people must be prepared before they can be trusted with victory Three Steps of Preparation –Renewing the Lord’s covenant (5:1-9) Pause at Gilgal To renew their covenant relationship (2-7)

–Israel, a covenant nation –Israek, a marked people belonging to God »Their bodies belong to God »They were special people, separate people, & holy nation –Not practiced circumcision during the years of wandering »Older generation died off »New generation now in inheritance »Circumcision: symbol of spiritual operation on the heart »“Therefore, circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer” (Deut 10:16) »God of covenant, not of external mark To test their faith (5:8) –Camping in an enemy territory

–Testing »Abraham (Gen 12) »Elijah (I Kings 18-19) »Jesus (Matt 3:13- 4:11) »Circumcision unlike Meribah –God allows us to be tested in order to remind ud to depend on Him To remove their reproach (9) –Gilgal: Hebrew word means “to roll” –Reproach of Egypt: ridicule of the enemy when Israel (Num 14:11-14)failed to trust God »Kadesh Barnea & Mt Sinai when golden calf was created (Ex 31:1-12) To qualify them to eat the Passover (Ex 12:43-44, 48) –No male could participate unless circumcised

To picture some important spiritual truths –Old Testament events lead to illustrations in New Testament (Rom 15:4, I Cor 10:11) –Identification with Christ in His circumcision (Col 2:11-12) »Physical surgery vs spiritual surgery »Jews: only part of the body while “whole body of the sins of the flesh for Christians (Col 2:11) »False teaching on circumcision to be saved (Act15 & Gal) »Names: “dogs”, concision, »True circumcision: believers (Phil 3:1-3) –Men at Gilgal submitted to God’s will while the believers yield to the Spirit –Remembering the Lord’s Goodness (5:10-12) Passover –No circumcision, no participation

The death of Jesus Christ is typified in slaying of the Passover lamb (I Cor 5:7) Wave offering: resurrection –On a day after Sabbath (Lev 23: 10-14, I Cor 15: 23) On the day of Passover manna stopped (40 years) God took people out of Egypt, but it was difficult to take Egypt out of people –Same with Christians »Col 3: 1-2 –Harvest: death and ressurection –Jesus: the manna (John 6: 26-29) & harvest (John 12: 20-28) –Reaffirming the Lord’s Presence (5: 13-15) Pre-incarnation appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ in Old Testament

–Abraham (Gen 18: 1-8) –Jacob (Gen 32: 24-32) –Three Hebrew men (Daniel 3:5) –Joshua – the Captain of the Lord’s armies Loneliness in leadership –“The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is His name” (Ex 15:3) Joshua worshipped and waited for His orders –“Not until we take the place of a servant can He take the place as Lord” Watchman Nee –Second in command »“Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5) Lord’s first order: stand on the holy ground –We behave accordingly –“Do all things to the glory of God” (I Cor 10:31)

Sequence: humble worship, holy walk, then heavenly warfare –Joshua bowed (Eph 3:14); then he submitted to the holy walk (Eph 4: 1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15); then he battled the enemy in the power of God (Eph 6:1 ff) When Joshua met the Lord, he realized the battle was the Lord’s & He already overcome the enemy Listen & obey; God will do the rest –Step by faith & claim the victory by obeying the Lord Hudson Taylor: Three ways to do God’s work –Make the best plan we can & carry them out to the best of our ability –We may aske God to help and prosper us as we lay down the plan & carry through

–Begin with God; to ask His plans & offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purpose The main lesson: we must be spiritually prepared if we are going to do the Lord’s work successfully & glorify His name Take time to be holy