Joshua Recommitted
When Abraham committed completely to the Lord, he was told to circumcise every male in his household. Israel is recommitted in the same fashion.
Before we get into the story, I want to point out a couple of things. First, Israel is at the time of the Passover. They crossed over the Jordan on the 10th of Nissan. The 14th of Nissan is Passover. Second, the people of the land were terrified of Israel. If they weren’t, we could have had another episode of Levi and Simeon at Hebron. Finally, can we say “perfect timing” on God’s part? God knew the healing time of the procedure He required His people to undergo. The third day was the worst. God gave them four days before Passover. They would be able to participate. Let’s join the people as they recommit themselves to the Lord.
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Yesterday was a very LONG day! The whole company crossed the Jordan river on dry land. Then the Lord had Joshua set up a memorial for the future generations. And, finally, everyone had to pick their lamb for the Passover meal. By the time the last fire died in the camp for the night, it wasn’t even the second watch of the night. Everyone was tired.
Morning broke beautiful and bright. Not a cloud in the sky. The only cloud anywhere was the one that stood over the Tabernacle, signaling God’s presence. Joshua was up with the sun. He continued Moses’ custom of watching the sacrifices each day. They weren’t able to make a sacrifice yesterday because the Tabernacle was being moved during the time of both sacrifices. Joshua is glad that today has returned to normal so he can spend time with the Lord.
As Joshua watches the Levite prepare the sacrifice, he hears the voice of the Lord.
“Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” (Joshua 5:2b)
Joshua reflexively cringed at the thought and covered his male parts before responding to the Lord.
“Yes, Lord. It will be done as You command.”
Joshua waited until the morning sacrifice was burning on the altar before setting about his task. He knew he would need help in completing this task. Father Abrahan was able to complete his task on his own, but he didn’t have near the numbers that were in the camp today. He thought about enlisting the help of the Levites, as this was a sacred connection to the Lord. But most of them would also be undergoing the procedure themselves. Instead, Joshua decided to call upon the remaining members of the congregation who were circumcised; those who were born in Egypt but under the age of 20 when they left.
Joshua also wrestled with the idea of making all the flint knives himself, or having those performing the task make their own. He was certain that there were flint knives among the shepherds at least in the camp. He would call on those who had such knives to bring them forward.
Just before calling an assembly of the people, a terrifying thought popped into Joshua’s mind. “We will be completely helpless as we heal!”
Before that thought could take root, Joshua remembered what the spies had said regarding the people. “The inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.” (Joshua 2:24b) This was music to Joshua’s ears. He KNEW it because of the hand of the Lord. If not for His intervention, Joshua could see the whole nation being wiped out during this time.
With all his questions settled, Joshua calls for the Levites to summon the congregation. The silver trumpets both sound out the call. It wasn’t a minute before people started pouring into the area of the front of the Tabernacle. Once everyone was present, Joshua broke the news to the people. He knew this would be a HARD thing to do, but it MUST be done.
The people wait expectantly for Joshua to speak. Joshua takes a deep breath to steel himself for what he has to say. It is not an easy thing that God is asking them to do, but Joshua has every confidence that the people will comply with the Lord’s command.
“The Lord has called us to renew the outward sign of commitment to Him. As he called Abraham to circumcise every make in his household, whether born or bought with money, He has called us to do the same, using fling knives.” Joshua hears the intake of breath echo through the whole congregation. It’s a reflex; nothing more. Joshua pushes on.
“Those of the people who were born in Egypt and circumcised on the eighth day will assist me in completing this task. Each tribe will be responsible for ensuring that EVERY man is circumcised. From the infant who is 8 days old to the oldest among us. NO man is exempt from this outward symbol. Without the cutting away of the flesh, the Lord will not accept us. As the Lord God told Abraham, ‘So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’ (Genesis 17:13b-14) We WILL keep his commandment.”
As soon as Joshua finished speaking men began bustling about the camp. Special tents were set up in each tribe where the men of that tribe would receive their mark. Those who had flint knives were sharpening them to a razor’s edge. Men were assigned to the tasks of keeping the water buckets filled, the refuse buckets emptied, and the knives sharp. This endeavor would take all the camp working together.
Within an hour of Joshua’s command to the people, the first man took his place on the table to commit himself fully to the Lord. And, even though none of the men who were performing the procedure had ever done it before, the Lord guided their hands. They moved swiftly through the procedure with each man. From the time that he lay down on the table and exposed his member until he rose after being washed and his foreskin discarded, only lasted a minute.
Each man waited his turn and watched as others emerged from the tent, walking a bit more slowly than before. Young children were brought by their Abbas and held firmly in place, to prevent injury. Most men didn’t cry out with the pain, but younger children certainly did. The children in between ‘young’ and ‘adulthood’ practiced their stoicism so they could boast to their fellows. Not all of them made it through the procedure without crying out, but the adults performing the procedure promised not to tell.
Joshua helped perform the task for those of his tribe; the tribe of Ephraim. His heart both broke and sored as he completed each task. His knew the pain each of these men would suffer, and it pained him to have to inflict it on them. Yet, he couldn’t help rejoicing with each discarded foreskin at the commitment being made and the past being tossed away with it into the bucket for disposal.
With the final circumcision complete, Joshua lays the flint knife down. His hand had held it so long that his fingers were locked in place. He had to carefully pry it from his grasp. He was not the only one who had to pry the knife from their hands.
By evening, every male in the camp had undergone the procedure. Even those who had chosen to accompany Israel, of their own free will, received the mark of the covenant. If they refused, they had to leave the camp. There were NO exceptions.
The next morning, those who had undergone circumcision while in Egypt and the women took care of the camp. The men would need time to heal. Few ventured from their beds. Abba’s consoled their sons as they endured the healing process together.
The third day was the worst! Moans and groans flowed throughout the camp. Joshua was MORE than grateful that God had them camped far enough away from the people in the land that their weakened condition wasn’t visible. If the people of the land had known of their frailty, they would have tried to capitalize on it.
The morning before Passover supper was to be served saw many of the men in the camp rising from their beds. They were still feeling the effects of their recommitment to the Lord, but the worst had passed.
It was a joyous Passover celebration! Not only did they have the Passover lamb but the women had gathered grain for unleavened bread and many fruits for the meal. Everyone was excited to be enjoying their first Passover in the Promised Land. There would be many more to come, but this one was special. It was a day to commemorate coming out of the wilderness. No. They hadn’t taken even a footstep of territory to claim as their own, but they KNEW they were ‘home’.
The next morning brought another surprise. When the women rose to gather the mana, as they had done nearly every morning since they left Egypt, there was none. The ground showed no traces of the food that had sustained Israel for more than 40 years.
“Where is the mana” asks one woman as she frantically searches. “How am I supposed to feed my family today without it?”
Another woman who had accompanied her to gather mana thought about the situation. She raised her eyes to look at the area around them. “It appears to me that there is enough standing wheat that we don’t really need the mana. And remember how many things we brought to last night’s feast? Maybe the Lord is telling us that we will be alright without it now.”
The first stops her frantic search and raises her eyes too. Together, they go into the fields and harvested the standing wheat to use in making their bread. And it would be unleavened bread for the next seven days.
“Remember how our parents once complained about the mana. If they could have seen us this morning, walking around in a wheat field looking for mana, they would probably have laughed at us!”
“True. But you remember what that complaint got them.”
“NEVER again did they voice that ‘woe’.”
As the women were adjusting to the changes, Joshua was standing outside the camp looking towards Jericho, he saw a man with his sword drawn. Without fear, he approached the man.
“Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” (Joshua 5:13b)
The man answered him immediately. “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” (Joshua 5:14a)
Hearing this, Joshua fell on his face on the ground in worship. From his position on the ground, Joshua spoke. “What does my lord say to his servant?” (Joshua 5:14c)
“Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” (Joshua 5:15b)
Joshua reached down and untied the laces of his sandals and quickly slipped them off his feet. Joshua remained where he was, waiting for what the Lord would say to him from this holy place.
After a moment, the commander of the army of the Lord spoke in the name of the Lord. “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” (Joshua 6:2-5)
Joshua was MORE than happy to have a battle plan, as the city of Jericho had been shut tight as a drum. NO ONE came in or went out. And it was an impressive wall that surrounded the city. Without the help of the Lord, Israel didn’t stand a chance of getting in that city. But NOTHING is impossible when the Lord is on your side.
After delivering his message to Joshua, the man vanished and Joshua rose from the ground. It was time to share the battle plan with the people!
(to be continued)
God’s timing is ALWAYS perfect. Even when He is taking us through the hard parts of life, He keeps us safe in the constraints of what is going on around us. He plans in advance, and is NEVER caught off guard. Just like He led me down paths of learning, that I barely use in the past, so that I could have the skills available now, when I need them most.
Father God, thank You for ALWAYS knowing what I need. Thank You for knowing my future needs too, and planning for them in advance. And thank You for never ‘shaking me up’ beyond what I can handle WITH YOU. KNOWING You have my hand is enough to keep me walking in the scary parts of life; and in the lessons I need to go through to be where You want me to be. You have perfect timing!
