Entering the Promised Land of Canaan required the Israelites to undergo spiritual preparation at Gilgal, symbolized by circumcision. This act, commanded by God after they crossed the Jordan River, signified a cutting off from their past and a commitment to a new life in obedience. Historically, it was a reminder of God's covenant and His grace in bringing them into the land despite their neglect of the covenant sign. Practically, it represents a spiritual circumcision of the heart, a cutting away of self-reliance and fleshly desires, enabling believers to live victoriously by feeding on Christ in His resurrection and glory, rather than on the fading provisions of the world.
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I want to bring to you another message tonight on the conquest of Canaan, the subject that we were looking at on Sunday morning. We're going to read just two verses in the fourth chapter. Then we'll move into the fifth chapter. Joshua chapter 4, verse 19. And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal in the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones which they took out of Jordan did Joshua Chapter 5, verse 2.
At that time, the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp nigh, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. And Joshua made them sharp nigh, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskin. And this was the cause why Joshua did circumcise. All the people that came out of Egypt, that were male, even all the men of war died in the wilderness, by the way, after they came out of Egypt. Now all the people that came out were circumcised, but all the people that were born in the wilderness, by the way, as they came forth out of Egypt, then they had not circumcised.
Now we'll go down and read in verse 9, and the Lord said unto Joshua, this day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt, from Matthew, wherefore the name of a place is called Gilgal unto this day. And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the 14th day of the month, that even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cake, and parched corn in the south same day, and the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land.
Neither had the children of Israel manna anymore, but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. They came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up his eyes and looked. And behold, there stood a man over against him, with his sword drawn in his hand. And Joshua went under him, and said unto him, Aren't thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord, am I now come? And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship him, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?
the Lord's host sat under Joshua, loose by shoe from off by foot, for the place were on those standest as holy, and Joshua did so. Then we come into chapter 6, of course, that we were looking at on Sunday morning, where we have the capture of this first great stronghold in the land of Canaan. Now, what we have been reading was the preparation for that great victory. And I thought we should go back and look at that preparation. We are thrilled as we see God working on behalf of his people and overcoming this initial obstacle to their conquest and possession of the land of Canaan.
at it from the human standpoint, and according to human reason, would seem to be an almost impregnable fortress. But we saw how God, without the children of Israel doing anything except walking in faith and obedience around the walls, God brought down all of those walls, So they were able to mark right in and overcome the city. I mentioned on Sunday morning that Jericho is undoubtedly a little picture to us of this world.
And victory over this world is to be won just as the children of Israel won victory over Jericho by a walk. of faith. They did not fire a shot, as it were. They did not draw a sword until after the walls had fallen down, but they walked in faith and obedience. Now, John, in his first epistle, tells us this is the victory that overcometh the world, faith.
And it's walking in faith and obedience that gives us the victory over this world. But there was preparation for this victory. God, as we have seen, brought them through the River Jordan. That was their entrance into the land of Canaan. And in one of our studies pointed out there was not only a work that was done there by God in opening up the river, there was not only a way through which they could enter into the land, there was not only a walk through that open way, but there was a witness raised on the Canaan side of the river Jordan.
That's what we were reading. in verse 19 and again in verse 20. Those twelve stones brought up out of the midst of Jordan, raised up there as a monument on the Canaan shore of the river Jordan. Those would be a constant reminder to the children of Israel of people who had passed through the place of death and were now on resurrection ground.
As they looked at those twelve stones, they thought of where they had come from, and they remembered that down there underneath those waters were twelve other stones that had been put there right where the ark had been on the shoulders of a priest. And so there was a constant reminder that they were a people who had been through death into resurrection. Now I can't impress that too much on us tonight or at any time. We must remember, brethren and sisters We are a people who in the reckoning of God have died and been raised again.
We died with Christ. If we were to come to our New Testament, the verses there could be multiplied that remind us that we have died with Christ. Now this is so far as our position is concerned. Let's be quite clear. Positionally, God sees you and me as having died with Christ and been raised with him. Paul said, for instance, in Galatians 2.20, I have been crucified with Christ.
Nevertheless, I live, yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in Christ. me. And I repeat, there are many, many scriptures in the epistles that remind us of that basic fact, and we need to be reminded of it. It is only as we recognize the fact that we have died with Christ and been raised with him that we can overcome our Jericho's. It's only as we begin this basic truth that we can live a life of true victory and enjoyment of our Canaan in Christ.
Now, this is true of all of them. However they acted, it was true of them all. Every Israelites had been through the Jordan, they had passed by the ark, they had come up onto Canaan ground, and every believer, the most carnal, worldly Christian, has been through death in Christ and is on resurrection ground in Christ. If that's not true of anyone, then that person is not a true Christian.
Now that's our position. But having recognized that and having raised that memorial to the fact that they had come through death onto resurrection ground, now you notice that we read in verse 2, at that time the Lord said, to Joshua. And he goes ahead and commands that these children of Israel be circumcised at this time. Now, I want to go rather slowly, even if we don't get all through the chapter, although it's very, very important.
What took place at Gilgal here was the very basis for all that follow. If we took time to go to the book of Joshua, possibly as we move along, we'll point out to you again and again, they went back to Gilgal. It was an important place for them. And to us, it's the truths connected with Gilgal that we have to go back to again and again. So we'll hasten slowly as we go through this chapter. But now, here are the children of Israel.
They've just come into enemy territory. They've passed through the River Jordan. It has again filled its bed and overflowed its banks, so it's not possible for them to go back. There's only one way they can go, and that is forward. Now, I want us to take time to think about this act of circumcision here in a threefold way. First of all, I want us to think of it historically. If we were to go back in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 17, we would find there God entering into covenant relationship with Abraham and through him with Israel, the seed of Abraham.
I'm not going to take time to review the previous chapters. But in chapter 17, for the first time, this is called a covenant, and God enters into covenant relationship with his people, Israel. And it's to be an everlasting covenant. And included in the covenant is the promise of the land of Canaan. There were other promises, but we'll not get sidetracked. Included in the covenant was the promise of this land that we're studying.
Now says God, I'm going to give you a seal of this covenant. Every male amongst you must be circumcised, and that's going to be the seal of this covenant, male that isn't circumcised is going to be cut off from the nation of Israel. You get the picture? God says, now you and I are going to be in covenant relationships, and the seal of that, the outward seal in your flesh, is going to be circumcision. And if you don't submit to that, then you're going to be cut off from amongst this favored circumcision.
nation. Now we were reading here that all who came out of Egypt had been circumcised, but during the 38 years of wandering, and you'll remember that from our study on the chart, they had neglected this. Now what does that mean? It simply means this, that they were actually in covenant relationship with God. You see, if God had acted in judgment, he'd have cut off the whole nation.
Now, you know that the first generation did die, but they were all circumcised. But these ones who have now entered into Canaan, not one of them were circumcised. That means that they should have been cut off. What's the lesson? It was the grace of God that brought them into Canaan. They had no claim on it. God could have said, No, you're not going to get the land. But wait on the Lord, you promised Abraham we could have this land. Yes, and I told him that you had to be circumcised.
that you'd broken my covenant, and you're to be cut off. And so what we learned from the historical record is that it was all of grace that they got into the land of Canaan. And let us ever remember, brethren and sisters, the fact that you and I are in Christ tonight, blessed with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly, in crisis, it's all of grace. We have no claim on God whatsoever. They relinquished any claim they might have had on the God of Abraham by failing to be circumcised.
But now, says God, now that I've brought you in by grace, I want you to be circumcised. circumcised. You see, grace, although it brings us into the place of blessing, does not remove from us the responsibility of obedience. Let us learn that, how necessary it is. The grace of God is never an excuse for disobeying God. It should be the reason for obeying him. I should obey him because of what he's done.
Now let's think of us practically. I think there's a lesson there for us. Here are all these men of war. They are in enemy territory. Did you notice that it gives us the location of Gilgal in the 19th verse of chapter 4. It says it was on the east border of Jericho. Now, that simply means they must have been encamped at Gilgal between Jericho and the Jordan. What a beautiful place for them to be caught in.
Here they are. They've gone through the Jordan. The Jordan has returned in all its strength, they can't get back, and ahead of them is this great fortress of Jericho, a place, you see, where you'd say they were really trapped. I have learned, my brothers and sisters, from experience, when God is going to teach us some great lesson as to what he can do, he brings us into the place where where we are helpless. Wasn't that the same at the Red Sea?
You remember he led them around there, and he brought them to a place where there was the Red Sea in front of them, and the mountains on either side? And Pharaoh said, well, they're trapped, and he came charging after them with his chariot. And then God showed what he could do. Someone has called Whipsend Corner. And I think all of us know what it is to get to the place where I don't know what to do. I'm just at Whipsend. And there you are, the Jordan behind you and Jericho ahead of you, and both seem to be insuperable obstacles.
Now that is where they're encamped at Gildom. Now, if you were the captain of a Nautilus. army that was in such a place, what would you do? Well, you would order a 24-hour alert. Now, we can't retreat, and ahead of us says this big fortress, let every man be fully armed and ready for the battle 24 hours a day. Now, that's what human reason would say. What did God do?
God said, you go ahead and operate on every one of your soldiers. Oh, is that Lord? You go ahead and operate on every one of their soldiers. Well, Lord, they'll be incapacitated for several days. They won't be in shape to fight. You go ahead and operate on them. What is God teaching them? God was teaching them, I believe, this practical lesson that Canaan was not going to be won through their military strength and power. Now they had to fight, because God doesn't give anything to any of his children who just fold their arms and get into a rocking chair and say the will of the Lord will be done no matter what I do or don't do.
God's got nothing for one's like it. You've got to get out and fight. You've got to get out and work. But before you do, you've got to learn that all you're fighting and all you're working is of no value unless you're in the will of God. So here they are, for several days, but they might learn that the victory that lies ahead is not going to be through their strength. Now, spiritually, and how I would like to take a good half hour on this, but spiritually, here's the lesson, just in a nutshell.
As to our position, brethren, We are dead and buried and risen with Christ. But now in a practical way, we've got to learn that and practice it. That is what we professed in baptism, that we are dead and buried and risen. And why do we profess that in baptism? That we might go out and live like that every day. Now, are we? Are we? They took those sharp, flint knives, and they applied them to the flesh of their body.
That is called in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 11 as the circumcision made with hand. You see, it was a physical operation on the body. But now in Colossians chapter 2 and verse 11, and it won't be difficult for you to remember those verses, one's Ephesians 2.11, there's Colossians 2.11. In Colossians 2.11, you read of a circumcision without hands. So it's not a physical thing on the body, but it's what you read of in Romans chapter 2 and verse 29 as of the heart.
You see? And so there is a spiritual circumcision. I think we should take time to turn to Colossian chapter 2, because this comes to me as a portion that will just sum up the whole thing, and I want to get through it as quickly and as possibly as possible. Look at verse 11 of Colossians 2. In whom also that is in Christ, the previous verse, you're talking about Christ. With the circumcision, that's not physical operation on the body. In putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.
Now that's the cross work of Christ. And you and I who are linked to Christ, the cross of Christ is the spiritual circumcision of the believer. That is a cutoff from all confidence in the flesh. You don't need to turn to it, but if you look in chapter 3 and verse 3 you read, we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit, now listen, and have no confidence in the flesh.
That is spiritual circumcision, all confidence taken from ourselves and put in Christ You see, now that is our position, and positionally that is true of all of us who belong to Christ. But now look at verse 12, here is the practical side of it, buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him to the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him. him from the dead.
And so, because we have died with Christ, and that is the end of our confidence in the flesh, therefore we're buried. And as we expect that baptism shortly, there once again is those who will publicly profess, but they are dead and buried and risen with Christ. That is the beautiful picture of baptism. Now let's go down to verse 20. Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ, now the if in Colossians is not the if of doubt, but it's the if of certainty you will be perfectly correct in translating it since ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why is the living in the world are ye subject to ordinances I'm particularly interested in that expression since ye be dead
with Christ now quote the first verse of the next chapter if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, seek ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, for Christ shouldeth on the right hand of God set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. There is the practical living out of our spiritual circumcision. By the cross of Christ, I have been at all, from all connection with the flesh.
I was once in the flesh, but now, thank God, I'm in Christ for the work of the cross. Now I profess that my baptism, now I'm to live that out in my daily life. Are we, brethren, sir? Are we living as those who are dead to the flesh and alive unto heavenly things? Please say, what's the flesh? Well, the simplest way for you to remember what the flesh is in this connection is just take the last word and then spell it.
And what does it spell? Self. That's what the flesh is. It's self. Every time I'm pleasing myself, I'm living to the flesh. Every time I'm showing off myself, I'm living to the flesh. Anything that you can put self in front of is the flesh. And, oh, how much there is in our Christian life today of self. I, me, my, and mine.
Isn't that just a keynote of so much today in Christian life, both privately and publicly? Brethren, we've got to get to Gilgal if we're going to live a life of victory in him. And that was a painful operation, taking those sharp, limp knives and applying them to the flesh of the body. And it's a painful thing to take the sharp edge of the word of God and apply it to my flesh. I've got a flesh that likes to be pleased.
I've got a flesh it likes to be pampered. I've got a flesh it likes to be praised. My, just tell me how good I do you know I'll purr away astonish. And I've got a flesh it likes to notice. No, sir, I want to have a good home as you've got. And as good a car as you've got. Good a job as you've got. Get down, flesh. dead. You see, brethren, the things that the world admires God hates, and the sooner you and I learn it, the better Christians will be.
And the things that many Christians are going in for today is just ruining their Christian life. They're not living victorious lives. Why? They're all occupied with the flesh. I, me, and my, and it hurts to get to Gilgal, it hurts to take the word of God and apply it ruthlessly to the flesh, and wherever the flesh raises its head, my brethren, get out the knife of the word of God and put it to us, because if you don't, you can't go on in chapter 5 after they had circumcised the flesh where did they go they went to the Passover and God had said don't anyone that's not circumcised keep my feast of the Passover and you and I are not in any shape to keep the Lord's suffer unless we've been to God and that's a trouble with me of our remembrance feast, Saturday
night, the flesh has put its way. And Sunday morning you come to the remembrance feast, how can you expect to be in a spiritual condition on Sunday morning if you've been in the flesh Saturday night? So in this fifth chapter, It must have been a wonderful time, mustn't it? Now, just think they'd be remembering Egypt. I know they hadn't been there. I know it was their forefathers that had been there. But they'd be remembering the dark cloud that hung over the nation in Israel, in Egypt, the nation of Israel in Egypt.
And then God's wonderful deliverance. in verse 10 of our chapter, and they keep a feast at the appointed time. Ah, you know, when you and I are willing to get to Gilgoe and really put the knife of the flesh to the, or the knife of the Word of God to the flesh, then we can really keep the feast of remembrance, our Passover feast. But just as we go, and there's so much The way Michael learned from here, and the next day, what are these?
The old corn of lamb. Yes. One day they're eating the roast lamb. Next day they're eating the pork corn and the manna season. And there was no more manna because from then on, They were going to feed on the fruits of Canaan, that which their inheritance produced for them. Oh, how God would have us to enjoy the full diet that he has for. Now, I'm not going to try and go through this because of so much that I think will be a practical importance and blessing to us that will leave us a further study.
But you may remember that I told you as we studied the earth that there was a sense in which we're still in Egypt. That is, we're still under the blood. There's another sense in which we're still wilderness. Because we are pilgrims and strangers, or we're supposed to be. But we as Christians are losing our pilgrim character. You know, you read of Abram, a great pilgrim. It says he built his altar and pitched his tent.
The altar was a permanent thing. The tent was temporary. I think most of us are pitching our altar and building our tent. We're settling down in this old world as we're going, though we're going to be here long time. They tell me, and I don't know, when it comes to an area like this, I take the word of those that claim they know, they tell me that as corn ripens at the top, it loosens in its roots, so that it's comparatively easy to pull up a stock of corn that has ripe ears on it.
I know this, as you and I rightfully are God, brethren, will lose our hold on this world. And as you get nearer glory, the way some of us are, I'll tell you we're losing our hold on this poor old world. Very, very little of interest to me, I can assure you, of the why. My interests are over there. They're over there on the other side. And so there's a sense in which we're still in the wilderness, not wandering, but traveling toward our heavenly home.
And thank God it's true of all of us who are in Canaan. So we ought to all be feeding on the roast lamb And the manna, and the old corn of the lamb. Now you know immediately that the roast lamb speaks of Christ in his death, his suffering. And we ought to be feeding on that every day. You know that the manna, as he studies, speaks of Christ in his humiliation coming down. That was the wilderness of Christ. on earth in humiliation and obedience to God, but the old corner of the land is Christ in resurrection, and it's as we feed on that that we are strengthened to go out and meet our Jericho, walk around them in faith, and overthrow them, oh, that we might learn to feed on a risen Christ.
You know, it's grand to go back to Calvary. We'll never, never get past keeping the pest open in that sense. It's grand to feed on Christ who came down here to work. But, friend, let's learn to feed on Christ in glory. I've known a few of my dear friends in Christ. Most of them home in glory now, and it seems as though it gripped their hearts. The thought of Christ in glory. As a young Christian, I used to wonder at that, but many a time I've seen and heard our dear brother, T.B.
Gilbert, now home in the globe, who was one who seemed to grasp and live in the power of a glorified Christ, many a time I've seen my dear brother at the Lord's supper, with the tears running down his face as he worshipped the Lord in glory. a time I've heard his voice break as he gave thanks for the man in the glory of hell and if we do that brethren says the captain of the Lord will reveal himself to us that's the end of the chapter I mustn't get into that or we'll be here for quite a while but there's a thank God there's one with a drawn sword in his hand and you and I follow him it'll be victory now God wants us not only out of Egypt through the wilderness he wants us when they came brethren look there's let's enjoy our inheritance at this poor world go brother and sister are you saying you're old and you're just getting you
can't enjoy things yes I can I'm ignoring Christ more than ever did before. And I would trade places with anyone who's got all this world they can get. They can have it. I've seen it. And I've lived with people as I traveled around the country preaching Christ. I've lived in hopes that would take your breath away. And I would rather understand my Bible than live in the finest home in a mernet. I'd rather have a little of the treasures of Christ in that than have one million dollars in the bank.
So the first thing I do, if I had a million dollars in a bank, would be drawed enough to pay off what's going on in Italy. And then I'd write a check for Mountain Cop and clear everything off there. And I'd write a check for Pittsburgh Home and everything that's needed down there. I'd have a hilarious time. don't you believe it don't you believe that's what I think because I haven't got a million and if I had a million I'd likely be a sting as those who have I say why didn't the Lord give me two million then I would have done something that's it you see I've learned a little of my heart is deceitful of all things are desperately wicked and I think that if I had a lot of money I'd be doing this and not I wouldn't be doing this, doing this.
But, brethren and sisters, we've got all we need in Christ. Let's go home enjoying that and rejoicing in it. In sickness and health and poverty and in whatever it may be, when the sun is shining or there are clouds in the sky, Christ is enough. Tell the Lord, Father, blessed by precious words, leave this service tonight rejoicing in the fact that we're