Ⅳ
Although the Israelites had been disciplined, trained, and qualified, after crossing the Jordan they still needed further preparation before the attack—Josh. 5:1-10:
A
The crossing of the river Jordan was for war against the seven tribes in Canaan—4:12-13.
B
As Joshua was participating in the miracle of crossing the Jordan, he was strengthened to take the lead to war against the demonic Canaanites—3:6-7, 10; 4:14.
C
Jehovah charged Joshua to “circumcise again the children of Israel a second time”—5:2:
１
The purpose of circumcision was to make God’s chosen people a new people for the inheriting of God’s promised land—cf. Gen. 17:7-12.
２
The circumcising of the new Israel typifies the circumcision of Christ, by His death, applied to the believers in the putting off of the body of the flesh that they may inherit Christ in resurrection as the portion allotted to them by God—Col. 2:11-12; 1:12.
３
Spiritual circumcision is a continuation of the burial in the death of Christ—Rom. 6:3-4:
ａ
Through the crossing of the river Jordan, the old Israel was buried and a new Israel came forth; this was an objective work done by God.
ｂ
The children of Israel’s being circumcised was their practical application of what God had done in the crossing of the river Jordan—Josh. 5:2-9.
４
In the New Testament spiritual circumcision is the constant application of Christ’s death to our flesh—Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11:
ａ
Although in fact we have been baptized into the death of Christ and have been buried and raised with Him, in practicality we still must apply the circumcision of the cross to our flesh by the Spirit day by day—Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:24.
ｂ
This is the reality and practicality of remaining in the death and burial of Christ.
D
The children of Israel camped in Gilgal and held the Passover on the plains of Jericho—Josh. 5:10:
１
The Feast of the Passover was held to remember Jehovah’s redeeming of Israel from the death-judgment on their firstborn sons and also Jehovah’s saving of Israel from Egypt and from the tyranny of Pharaoh—Exo. 12:3-7, 11-14; 14:13-30.
２
The keeping of the Passover indicated that just as Jehovah had saved Israel from Pharaoh and Egypt, so He would destroy the tribes of Canaan and deliver Israel from them—Josh. 5:10.
３
Israel’s keeping of the Passover typifies the believers’ keeping of the Lord’s table to remember the Lord as their Redeemer and Savior—Matt. 26:26-28.
Morning Nourishment
Josh. 5:3 And Joshua made knives of flint and circumcised the children of Israel…Col. 2:11 In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ.
Rom. 8:13 …If by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live.
Although the Israelites had been disciplined, trained, and qualified, after crossing the Jordan they still needed further preparation before [they attacked the Canaanites]. Joshua 5 covers four matters of intrinsic significance. The first item is circumcision. Circumcision is a continuation of the burial in the death of Christ. By crossing the river Jordan, Israel’s old man was buried, and they came out to become the new man. This was an objective work done by God. Israel still needed to apply it to their flesh. Therefore, they prepared knives of flint to cut off their foreskins. This cutting was their application of what God had done in the crossing of the river Jordan. By cutting off their flesh to roll away the reproach of Egypt, they were buried and resurrected, both actually and practically. (Life-study of Joshua, p. 25)
Today’s Reading
In the New Testament circumcision means the constant application of the Lord’s death to our flesh. Romans 6:3-4 says that we have been baptized into the death of Christ and buried with Him, but Romans 8:13 and Galatians 5:24 tell us that we should apply the circumcision of the cross to our flesh by the Spirit. In fact our flesh has already been crucified, but in practicality we need to crucify the flesh day by day. This is the reality and practicality of remaining in the death and burial of Christ, and this is the significance of circumcision.The second item of intrinsic significance in Joshua 5 is the Passover. The Feast of the Passover was held to remember Israel’s redemption from the death-judgment on the firstborn sons and their salvation from Egypt and from the tyranny of Pharaoh. This is a type of the Lord’s table….Our portion today is not death but the partaking and enjoying of Christ at His table. Israel’s keeping of the Passover typifies the believers’ keeping of the Lord’s table to remember the Lord’s redemption and salvation (Matt. 26:26-28). The Lord Jesus established His table with the bread and the cup to replace the Feast of the Passover. He has fulfilled the type, and now He is the real Passover to us (1 Cor. 5:7).
The third item of intrinsic significance is the eating of the produce of the good land…. Both the manna and the produce of the good land typify Christ.
The fourth item of intrinsic significance concerns the Captain of Jehovah’s army. The children of Israel were ready. They had been circumcised, they had enjoyed the Passover, and they had enjoyed the produce of the good land. However, they still needed a Captain. Then Joshua saw a vision in which Christ was unveiled as the Captain of Jehovah’s army. Joshua was the visible commander, but Christ was the invisible One. Before the children of Israel attacked the Canaanites, they were fully prepared and qualified with Christ, the embodiment of God, as their Captain. When they attacked Jericho, they did this under the commanding of the Captain typified by the Ark. The Ark, a type of Christ, who was their Commander in chief, took the lead to attack the enemies.
To prepare to possess the good land, we need to enter into these four items. We need to deal with the flesh, enjoy the Lord’s table, enjoy the all-inclusive Christ as the produce of the good land, and see a vision of Christ, the embodiment of God, as our Captain. (Life-study of Joshua, pp. 25-26, 28, 26-27)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1961-1962, vol. 4, “The All-inclusive Christ,” ch. 14