Joshua 5

Scripture Joshua 5:7So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way.ObservationAs a result of God’s miraculous parting of the Jordan River, fear grips the hearts of the nations that occupy Canaan. All of the men of military age from the previous generation who had come out of Egypt died in the wilderness because of their unbelief (Numbers 14:26-30), so an entire generation does not bear the sign of the covenant. At Gilgal, God instructs Joshua to circumcise this new generation of sons. Following the circumcision, the Israelites celebrate the Passover at its appointed time. The day after the celebration, when the Israelites ate the first produce from the Promised Land, God’s miraculous provision of manna ceases. The chapter ends with Joshua meeting the “commander of the army of the Lord” in preparation for the battle of Jericho in chapter 6.UnderstandingThe world, our nation, our families and even the church suffer from the same dilemma that faced the Israelites – a generation has grown up not knowing that they are children of God. Because of sin, rebellion, apathy and compromise, parents (paternal and spiritual) have allowed their sons and daughters to not fully understand, embrace and fulfill their identity as being “In Christ”. We have neglected to pass on our faith to the next generations; forgetting God’s command to remember and recite the Law; to impress them on our children when we sit at home and when we walk along the road (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). Void of this sense of self they have fallen prey to the voices of the enemy, society, the media and the fallen culture of the day and are being formed into an image other than that as children of the King (Romans 12:1-2). Just as was needed after the wilderness crossing in order to impart a sense of identity, legacy and election, our sons and daughters need to receive a sign of consecration. At the coming of age, we do well to invite our sons and daughters, through some significant rite and symbolism, into covenant relationship with God. We need to usher them into their own personal experience with the Living God, as God has no grand-children. God has to be their God and not just the God of their forefathers. Annie and I took advantage of the opportunity to bless Tim and Leah before the church where we offered each a token possession that would act as a symbol of remembrance and identity. We chose and spoke over each one a verse that communicated destiny and promise and then we invited the church to pray for them and to covenant with us in raising our children in “…the way that they should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Just last week, at my son’s wedding, with tears in my eyes I was able to echo the sentiment of the Apostle John, who said, “it gives me no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth” and I praised God that the inheritance that He has given me live in light of New Covenant identity.Life Application

May I be aware and purposeful in identifying and exploiting opportunities to be a spiritual father to the next generation and impart God’s wisdom, truth, love and a sense of identity to those whom God would raise up to be the next generation to possess the promises of God.

 

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Gary Parker