006-Joshua 5

The children of Israel have come alive as they went through the river Jordan. They were birthed into a new experience with God, a new land, a whole new set of problems.

And here we are Lord, your servants, gather together. We've come from different occupations today, different activities, different family situations. But we have a common goal and that is to hear as you speak to your servants. So we ask you to do that. In Jesus' name, amen.

So turn in your Bibles to Joshua chapter 5. We began tonight by singing a song, "I Come Alive in the River," I love the words to that. I come alive in the river. The children of Israel have come alive as they went through the river Jordan. They were birthed into a new experience with God, a new land, a whole new set of problems.

As well as the Promised Land, it was also the problem land. There are enemies in that land that are going to conquer. And we see them facing them tonight in the city of Jericho. The leader is Joshua or Yeshua, his Hebrew name. The English equivalent from the Greek word, his name was Jesus.

So it's just interesting to make a note that the book is named after our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Joshua, Yeshua, God is salvation. Now this Joshua had been a minister of Moses, it says in chapter 1, "a servant of Moses." He was like a personal envoy. Whatever Moses needed, Joshua was there to make sure that Moses got it-- whatever the need was. So he would attend to Moses' tent.

He was also the leader of the IDF, the Israeli Defense Forces. In those days, when they were marching through the wilderness and there were some attacks by different groups, like Amalekites, it was Joshua who was General Joshua. And he may have even been in the army while in Egypt as a young man. He was born in Egypt, that we know.

He went through the wilderness and he was one of the only two survivors from the previous generation. Joshua was one. Caleb, we'll read about him later in this book, was the other. Joshua leads them across the Jordan River. And now they're in the Promised Land.

However, the fact that he was a general in that army was a little bit different than what he's facing. You see, up to this point he has never led an armed attack on a fortified city.

However, the fact that he was a general in that army was a little bit different than what he's facing. You see, up to this point he has never led an armed attack on a fortified city. And you do remember that when the spies went to look at the land? One of the things they noted is that there's some walls. There's some cities with huge walls. And there's giants in this land. This place is fortified.

And you do remember that when the spies went to look at the land? One of the things they noted is that there's some walls. There's some cities with huge walls. And there's giants in this land. This place is fortified.

Joshua has never led an assault on a fortified city-state, like he found in Canaan. Moreover, the army was not a well-equipped army, right? They're traveling in tents with their families, a couple of million people, animals, a bunch of ex slaves. So they don't have implements of war, so to speak.

Moreover, the army was not a well-equipped army, right? They're traveling in tents with their families, a couple of million people, animals, a bunch of ex slaves. So they don't have implements of war, so to speak.

I mean, they don't have catapults. They don't have battering rams. They don't have the moving towers like they used in ancient times to assault cities. It is a ragtag group of people against well fortified cities.

However, having said that, they had one huge advantage, the fear factor. And I'm not talking about the TV show. Israel had the fear factor. They had, on their side, the fear of God that the people of Canaan had in hearing what God had done for them.

What they had in their favor was the fact that the morale of the Canaanites was at an all time low. It was Rahab who told the spies, hey, the people of my city-- man, our hearts melted when we heard what happened with the Red Sea incident. And our hearts further melted and were terrified when we heard about the two kings that you guys wiped out. So we are in absolute terror of you guys.

So the morale was at an all time low among the Canaanites. Now was the time to move.

So the morale was at an all time low among the Canaanites. Now was the time to move. If ever there is a time to attack, it's now. They just crossed over the Jordan River, which means the morale is even lower in the Canaanite side because that was not expected.

Now's the perfect time to attack, right now. But that's not God's plan. God's plan is a little bit strange until you examine it biblically.

So miracle after miracle after miracle-- they were already afraid. Now they're further afraid. Now's the perfect time to attack, right now. But that's not God's plan. God's plan is a little bit strange until you examine it biblically.

God believes that before a conquest there must be consecration. You don't just attack immediately. You have to wait to do some things first. And once you do those things first-- spiritual things first-- this would be counterintuitive for any military officer to operate under today.

First of all, there has to be a circumcision. Get an army to sign off on that one. Number two, there has to be the celebration of the Passover. There must be consecration before there is conquest.

First of all, there has to be a circumcision. Get an army to sign off on that one. Number two, there has to be the celebration of the Passover. There must be consecration before there is conquest. So counterintuitive to modern or ancient military strategy. They're going to wait a few days before they actually go in and take Jericho.

Now let me bring your minds back to an important principle. In chapter 1, the Lord promised that Joshua would have, do you remember the term, good success. "Joshua, you will be successful. I will be with you. Be courageous that you might do, perform, obey everything I tell you to do."

So God promised him success conditioned upon, contingent upon, Joshua's obedience to God.

So God promised him success conditioned upon, contingent upon, Joshua's obedience to God. Well, if you're going to obey God, you've got to begin with what God said in his word. And so God does that with Joshua. God had told the children of Israel that there was a sign of the covenant, which was circumcision, and they must keep the Passover, which they have not done for a long time.

Well, if you're going to obey God, you've got to begin with what God said in his word.

Well, if you're going to obey God, you've got to begin with what God said in his word. And so God does that with Joshua. God had told the children of Israel that there was a sign of the covenant, which was circumcision, and they must keep the Passover, which they have not done for a long time.

And so God does that with Joshua. God had told the children of Israel that there was a sign of the covenant, which was circumcision, and they must keep the Passover, which they have not done for a long time.

So the Lord brings Joshua back to what is already revealed in his word. He's not going to tell him any new Revelation. He's not going to give him a dream at night or a vision. He's just going to say, do what is written.

I find there a vital principle for spiritual growth. How many times do we go, oh, Lord, speak to me. Speak to me something new and fresh. And I can almost hear the Holy Spirit saying, why should I? You haven't obeyed. You haven't applied.

You haven't gone to, and looked at, and made applicable for yourself what I have already written down in my work. Begin there. Start with the old and do that. And then I'll open up new revelation. So God takes them back to that.

Joshua 5:1 NKJV

So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.

Joshua 5:1, "so it was." "When all the kings of the Amorites, who were on the west side of the Jordan--" that's the Jericho side. They've come from Moab, the eastern side, crossed over to the western side.

Previously, their hearts melted. Presently, their hearts are melting. Previously, it was because of what happened at the Red Sea. Presently, it's because what happened at the Jordan River.

"When all the kings west of the Jordan-- all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel. Until we had crossed over, that their heart melted. And there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel."

So as we've already made a note of, Rahab, the harlot, told the two spies that came to Jericho what was the condition of the Canaanites, previously, in hearing about the Red Sea. Now we are told in verse 1, what is the condition presently. Previously, their hearts melted. Presently, their hearts are melting. Previously, it was because of what happened at the Red Sea. Presently, it's because what happened at the Jordan River.

So again, the morale of the Canaanites is at an all time low. This was the last thing the Canaanites expected to happen. Oh, they knew the children of Israel were camped on the east side of the Jordan.

So again, the morale of the Canaanites is at an all time low. This was the last thing the Canaanites expected to happen. Oh, they knew the children of Israel were camped on the east side of the Jordan. They knew the two spies had snuck into their territory. And they were looking to find them and kill them.

They knew the children of Israel were closing in, but they thought we've got weeks, maybe months, because the Jordan River, do you remember, was at flood stage. It was high. It was uncrossable. It was impassable, unless, God does a miracle, which he did. So now instead of being confident, we can plan our strategy, now there are All Shook Up."

They knew the children of Israel were closing in, but they thought we've got weeks, maybe months, because the Jordan River, do you remember, was at flood stage. It was high. It was uncrossable. It was impassable, unless, God does a miracle, which he did. So now instead of being confident, we can plan our strategy, now there are like the Elvis song, "All Shook Up."

Joshua 5:2–5 NKJV

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.” So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.

Now I'm taking you back all the way to the book of Genesis 17.

[SINGING] All shook up, mmmm. Thank you very much.

But notice the strategy as we go on. "And at that time the Lord said to Joshua, make flint knives for yourself. And circumcise the sons of Israel, again, the second time. So Joshua made flint knives for himself and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins." I don't even know what to do with that verse.

"And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them. All the people who came out of Egypt, who were males-- all the men of war had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness, on the way, as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised."

In the 17th chapter of Genesis, God said he was making a covenant with Abram, who his name was then changed there to Abraham, that God was going to do a mighty work through him. And he's going to give them the land. It's the covenant of the land that they have just entered into, the Promised Land.

Now there is a lot of things I want to say about these verses. Number one, ouch. I don't even like the fact that something is called the hill of the foreskins. It's just awfully embarrassing to sit up here and even talk about that, but it's a verse in the Bible. And I did promise it would be verse by verse. So there it is.

Second thing I want to say about this is that this was part of the covenant that God made with Abraham. Now I'm taking you back all the way to the book of Genesis. You don't have to turn there. You know the story. You'll remember it as I tell you.

But then God thought and God said to Abram, this is the covenant, but there's going to be a token-- a sign, an outward sign of the covenant.

In the 17th chapter of Genesis, God said he was making a covenant with Abram, who his name was then changed there to Abraham, that God was going to do a mighty work through him. And he's going to give them the land. It's the covenant of the land that they have just entered into, the Promised Land.

But then God thought and God said to Abram, this is the covenant, but there's going to be a token-- a sign, an outward sign of the covenant. So there's going to be some kind of symbol, some kind of sign, some kind of token, some kind of certificate that marks that you are in a covenant relationship with God.

Now Abram was all ears at that time. First of all, what's wrong with the covenant? Second, the Lord said he wants to give a token of the covenant, great. Covenants are cool. And maybe he thought back to Noah.

What's this stuff about circumcision? But on the eighth day, every male child was circumcised in the foreskin of the flesh.

And God made a covenant with Noah that he would not destroy the earth by a flood any longer. And the token of the covenant, the outward sign-- the symbol was a what? A rainbow. Now that's visible, man. That's colorful. That's beautiful.

In the law of Moses, later on after Abraham, God made a covenant of the Sabbath day. Keep the Sabbath day. And that was part of the covenant of the law of Moses is that every seventh day they rest. That's a great token. That's peaceful. That's restful.

You think of the New Testament token for our relationship with God. It's baptism. That's refreshing. That's cleansing. So there's Abraham-- God saying, I'm going to give you a token. And he's all ears until God says the token is that every male child is going to be circumcised on the eighth day.

The question is often asked, what is this circumcision all about? What does it mean exactly? Well, I'm glad you asked. More than just an outward sign of an inward change, that's typically what we say tokens are, are these signs that God gives, but with circumcision, especially, since it involves the male organ, it is the organ of generation of life. It symbolizes the cutting away of fleshly desires, a life lived after the flesh.

And I'm sure Abraham scratched his head and said, you know, I think I like a certificate better. I don't know if I like this idea. What's this stuff about circumcision? But on the eighth day, every male child was circumcised in the foreskin of the flesh.

The question is often asked, what is this circumcision all about? What does it mean exactly? Well, I'm glad you asked. More than just an outward sign of an inward change, that's typically what we say tokens are, are these signs that God gives, but with circumcision, especially, since it involves the male organ, it is the organ of generation of life. It symbolizes the cutting away of fleshly desires, a life lived after the flesh.

One of the problems we have as human beings is that it's not we just sin, but were born in sin. And we practice sin because we are sinners by birth and by nature. So David, in , verse 5 says, "I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin, my mother conceived me."

That's true of every human being. With God's people, the token, the circumcision of the male, was the cutting away of the flesh, the organ of generation as a symbol of the cutting away of the propensities toward the fleshly life. Nothing should rule over you except God. You should cut away fleshly things that could rule over your life, fleshly habits, fleshly inclinations, and serve only the Lord. So that is the idea of circumcision.

One of the problems we have as human beings is that it's not we just sin, but were born in sin. And we practice sin because we are sinners by birth and by nature. So David, in , verse 5 says, "I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin, my mother conceived me."

That's true of every human being. With God's people, the token, the circumcision of the male, was the cutting away of the flesh, the organ of generation as a symbol of the cutting away of the propensities toward the fleshly life. Nothing should rule over you except God. You should cut away fleshly things that could rule over your life, fleshly habits, fleshly inclinations, and serve only the Lord. So that is the idea of circumcision.

Now it is spiritual. It is symbolic of something spiritual. How do I know that? Because in Deuteronomy chapter 10, the Lord said it. He said "circumcise, therefore, your hearts, and be stiff necked no longer." So that outward symbol was a sign of an inward reality that your hearts were trimmed, and cut, and placed before God, and wholly devoted to him. That all fleshly desires, all other habits take a backseat to serving the Lord only. Easier said than done, but that's what the token is all about.

So he tells them to make-- verse 2, "flint knives for yourself."

If you've been to Israel, and you've been to Jericho-- that plain's spread out where the Jordan River is. It's easy to see. Jericho is on a little raised hill. It would be easy to see them.

So I'm sure when the Lord said, hey, Joshua, here's the plan. Make for yourselves flint knives. He probably said, Lord, I probably didn't hear. You said, sharpen our swords, not make little knives, right? That's what you want us to do. You want us to get our swords ready for battle. Little knives aren't going to help us in this battle.

No. I want you to make flint knives and circumcise those who haven't been under the covenant. They haven't, all of these years, been under the covenant since they left Egypt. I'm sure that was a bit of a blow to Joshua.

Because a knife made out of rock freshly cut is absolutely sterile. I've been told it has the same sterile properties as a sterile scalpel because microorganisms, bacteria, cannot live in a rock.

Why do they have to do that? Again, it's consecration before conquest. It's worship before warfare. Before you go to battle, bow before the battle. Pause and make sure that you are committed and consecrated to God.

Joshua 5:6 NKJV

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord—to whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Now just a word about flint knives, because the age that we're dealing with is the Late Bronze Age. So they weren't in caveman days. They had bronze, metal knives available. So why rocky? Why flint knives? Really, it would be obsidian. Are you familiar with the black rock, obsidian, how sharp it is? It's like a knife if you cut it.

Joshua 5:6–7 CSB

For the Israelites wandered in the wilderness forty years until all the nation’s men of war who came out of Egypt had died off because they did not obey the Lord. So the Lord vowed never to let them see the land he had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. He raised up their sons in their place; it was these Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.

Because a knife made out of rock freshly cut is absolutely sterile. I've been told it has the same sterile properties as a sterile scalpel because microorganisms, bacteria, cannot live in a rock. And when you freshly cut it and it hasn't touched any surface with bacteria, it's sterile. So you make these fresh knives-- these flint knives.

I think it's because they were discouraged. They had been disobedient. In their disobedience they were not allowed to enter the land. And that entire older generation was dying off every single day. So there's death in the camp. There's funerals every day.

For verse 6, "the children of Israel walked 40 years in the wilderness till all the people, who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. To whom the Lord swore that he would not show them the land, which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that he would give us a land flowing with milk and honey."

I think it's because they were discouraged. They had been disobedient. In their disobedience they were not allowed to enter the land. And that entire older generation was dying off every single day. So there's death in the camp. There's funerals every day.

So Joshua circumcised their sons, "whom he raised up in their place, for they were uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way." You might be wondering why they weren't circumcised on the way. I couldn't tell you. All I know is they weren't.

I can venture a guess. I could say, well, maybe they forgot. Life gets you going in a certain direction. You sort of get out of touch with a lot of things. They maybe just forgot about the law that was given. They're not carrying around books or computers to look things up. They have priests, but it's the whole worship system was just getting started. Maybe they forgot about this-- probably not.

They weren't allowed to go into the land. They're discourage. They're probably thinking, what's the use? And we're going to die out here anyway. So probably in their discouragement just decided, our disobedience kept us out and we're not entering in. Forget it. That could be it. They're wandering around for 40 years.

I think it's because they were discouraged. They had been disobedient. In their disobedience they were not allowed to enter the land. And that entire older generation was dying off every single day. So there's death in the camp. There's funerals every day.

-8

They weren't allowed to go into the land. They're discourage. They're probably thinking, what's the use? And we're going to die out here anyway. So probably in their discouragement just decided, our disobedience kept us out and we're not entering in. Forget it. That could be it. They're wandering around for 40 years.

So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed. I don't think I really have to explain the ramifications of that. It would take several days for the healing of this to take place.

Joshua 5:7–8 CSB

He raised up their sons in their place; it was these Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way. After the entire nation had been circumcised, they stayed where they were in the camp until they recovered.

The circumcision of an adult male would be vastly different than the circumcision of a baby. And these men-- effectively, you have an army of men now completely disabled. Talk about being vulnerable. Not only are they poised on the plains of Jericho, facing their first enemy behind walls. They have their own strategy. Yes, their hearts are melted, but you have a bunch of people in the army that can't move. They're disabled. They're just in pain for days.

Let me jog your memory, again. You're going to remember that back in Genesis chapter 34, Jacob comes back to the land of promise. He'd been up with Laban. He comes back to Shechem. And Shechem the city, but the head of Shechem was a dude named Shechem So I'm guessing the city was named after him.

Shechem had a son named Hamor. Hamor, the son of Shechem, saw Jacob coming And saw that Jacob had a beautiful young daughter, named Dinah. So Hamor fell in love with her, or fell in lust with her, and forced himself physically upon Dinah.

So if you and your men go through the ritual of circumcision, then you can marry our daughters and Hamor can have Dinah. So Shechem and Hamor went back to town. And their job was to convince all the adult males that they need to go through this crazy ritual, so that they can marry these women. And those that agreed to it were circumcised.

Then young Hamor more was certain that he has to have this Israelite girl as his wife. So Shechem goes to Jacob and they have this huge meeting of tribal leaders. And they say, look, we want to marry your daughters. And we want to make sure that we can coexist in this land.

And so Jacob, and especially his sons-- especially two of his sons, Siemian and Levi, knowing that their sister has been violated, they said, well, you know what? According to our law, we can't have you have our daughters, our women, and we can't mingle with you, unless everyone in your city, in your area, is circumcised. You have to have the same covenant of circumcision that we have.

So if you and your men go through the ritual of circumcision, then you can marry our daughters and Hamor can have Dinah. So Shechem and Hamor went back to town. And their job was to convince all the adult males that they need to go through this crazy ritual, so that they can marry these women. And those that agreed to it were circumcised.

Then it says this in the text. "Then on the third day when they were in pain, Siemian and Levi came in and discomfited them." Killed them by the edge of the sword. Wiped out that whole population in vengeance for Dinah.

So the children of Israel, now, are in a similar situation for days. They are in pain. They are vulnerable to an attack from the enemy that is right before them in Jericho. So they're there in the camp until they are healed.

Joshua 5:9 CSB

The Lord then said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, that place is still called Gilgal today.

And then the Lord said to Joshua, "this day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you. Therefore, the name of that place is called Gilgal," which means circle, but the idea is it's being rolled away. So Gilgal, the rolling or the circle.

Now here's a question. If you've read Joshua, maybe you asked this as you were reading preparation for today's study. Why didn't Moses have them get circumcised before they crossed over?

Now here's a question. If you've read Joshua, maybe you asked this as you were reading preparation for today's study. Why didn't Moses have them get circumcised before they crossed over? I mean, I'm a pragmatist. I'm thinking, OK. If the morale of Jericho is at an all time low, I'm not going to let it get higher.

if circumcision is needed, then Moses should have brought that up on the east side before the crossing. It would just work better. That's how I would've planned it. Why is it Moses didn't do that, but Joshua did and they had to wait till they entered the land?

I'm going to attack while the iron's hot. And so if circumcision is needed, then Moses should have brought that up on the east side before the crossing. It would just work better. That's how I would've planned it. Why is it Moses didn't do that, but Joshua did and they had to wait till they entered the land?

That would be a fair question. And I'm going to try to answer it.

That would be a fair question. And I'm going to try to answer it. I think there's a principle in the way God moves in our lives. I think, first of all, God gives. And then God asks. God gives you the gift. God gives you his mercy. God gives you or extends his grace.

And then as you enjoy that, then he asks you to cooperate with that once you're there. So he promised them the land. Now they have it. Now they're in it. They've set foot in it. They've taken it as a gift. Now that you're here, do this.

, Paul said, after writing all about what God had done for 11 chapters, he said,

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.

In , Paul said, after writing all about what God had done for 11 chapters, he said, "therefore, I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present yourselves, your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable under God, which is your reasonable service." Because God has done all of these things, the mercies of God, therefore, you do this.

God has given, now he's asking you to give him your whole, your all, your body, your mind, your hands, your feet to serve him. I think that's the principle. God gives and then he asks.

"So the children of Israel," verse 10, "camped in Gilgal and kept the Passover on the 14th day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho." Want to hear something amazing? This is only the third Passover they ever kept in their history.

You remember the first one? That's . That's the very first Passover. That's when the death angel passed over them. That happened way back in Egypt, . This second Passover was one year later. Numbers chapter 9, they're about ready to break camp and go on their march.

Joshua 5:10–11 CSB

While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month. The day after Passover they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land.

One year after the Passover was initiated, year two, they kept the Passover. After that, they never kept it again. This is the third time then, in their history, that they kept it as a nation. And significantly, it's the first time that they keep it here in the land of Canaan. Now that they have crossed over.

In keeping the Passover, I'm thinking of some of the older men and women who were Israelites. Who at one time were younger and had survived the wilderness because they were young. Their parents, the previous generation, died, but they were there at the first Passover some 40 years earlier.

And this would have been to them a memory trigger. They vividly remembered their dad taking the blood of the lamb and painting the lentils and doorpost of the homes. They remembered the cries around them in the village, in the homes of the Egyptians first born dying and the parents wailing because of the loss.

So here's what's cool. This is the first time they're eating the fruit of the land.

They remember the sound of their pursuers, the Egyptians, the sound of the horses, and their hoofs on the ground as they chased the children of Israel out into the wilderness to the Red Sea. They remembered all that because they had just crossed over the Jordan River. And now celebrating the Passover, it would bring those vivid memories back to them.

In verse 11, "they ate of the produce of the land. On the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched, or roasted grain, on the very same day." So here's what's cool. This is the first time they're eating the fruit of the land.

Out by Jericho there was some produce. It's the springtime of the year. It's going to get really hot because Jericho's about 800-900 feet below sea level.

So by the time they enter into this area, it's the barley harvest. So the barley farmers have left their fields because the children of Israel, a couple million people, just crossed over the Jordan, miraculously. I'm out of here. They all went to Jericho under the protection of those walls.

The children of Israel now can glean from the fields and eat the fruit of the land. With that in mind, before we get onto the next verse, let me just read something to you out of Deuteronomy. OK. I'll read it to you. And this is, typically, on the first day of our tour in Israel, what I like to read on our tour bus, of what God said to the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 8:7–10 CSB

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams, springs, and deep water sources, flowing in both valleys and hills; a land of wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without shortage, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and from whose hills you will mine copper. When you eat and are full, you will bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

He said in :7-8

Deuteronomy 8:7–8 CSB

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams, springs, and deep water sources, flowing in both valleys and hills; a land of wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey;

Now they get to taste the produce of the land for the first time. And this is a foretaste of the pomegranates, and the oranges, and the olives-- all that great Mediterranean cuisine. They tasted it. And the taste is a foretaste of great things to come.

"A land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing. A land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full then you shall bless the Lord your God, for the good land which he has given you."

Now they get to taste the produce of the land for the first time. And this is a foretaste of the pomegranates, and the oranges, and the olives-- all that great Mediterranean cuisine. They tasted it. And the taste is a foretaste of great things to come.

Now look at the very next verse in because it tells us what is going on. There's a whole change of diet happening here.

Joshua 5:12 CSB

And the day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna ceased. Since there was no more manna for the Israelites, they ate from the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Now look at the very next verse in because it tells us what is going on. There's a whole change of diet happening here. Verse 12 says, "now the manna ceased. On the day after they had eaten the produce of the land, and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year."

They get into the land. As soon as they start eating the fruit of the land, the manna that had been there daily for 40 years stopped as suddenly as it started.

They get into the land. As soon as they start eating the fruit of the land, the manna that had been there daily for 40 years stopped as suddenly as it started. Manna is cool. I don't quite understand it, but I've always been fascinated by it.

And you've heard me on a number occasions in trying to get the biblical description of what it taste like. I think it tastes like a hot now, fresh out of the oven, Krispy Kreme donut. Because it tasted like wafers with honey.

And I'll tell you what, I don't eat Krispy Kreme donuts anymore, or donuts anymore, but I'm telling you, it's like I get raptured when I have one of those right out of-- just cooked. It's like aahhh. And I've always thought, that's what manna was like. Well, who wouldn't want that? Well, 40 years of that-- 40 days that would get old.

It was healthy, but it was also handy.

So interesting thing about manna, it was healthy and it was handy. It was healthy. And it wasn't like Krispy Kreme donuts. You'd die if you ate those for 40 years, just saying. We'd have to roll you down the street, first of all. But you'd just die on a diet of that, but manna, there was health property. There were vitamins in it.

In the book of Deuteronomy, the Lord said through Moses, "while you ate the manna during those 40 years, your feet did not swell." Nutritionists tell us that if you have the same diet every single day a lot of things happen to your body, including your apt to take on water and your feet swell.

I think, a variety, using the same stuff. So you could have manna tacos and one day. You could have manna wraps the next day. You could certainly have manicotti any day. So it was healthy and it was handy.

People have studied sameness of diet in other parts of the world and have noted that in certain cultures, the feet will swell. God said, your feet didn't swell for 40 years and you're walking around the desert. So I can only infer it was packed full of vitamins and it was healthy, but it was also handy.

It was malleable. It was multifaceted. You could grind it. You could bake it in pans. You could use it with a pestle and mortar and just make many kinds of-- I think, a variety, using the same stuff. So you could have manna tacos and one day. You could have manna wraps the next day. You could certainly have manicotti any day. So it was healthy and it was handy.

Then it stopped. Now they're not going to get it tomorrow. Now they're not going to be able to just walk outside the tent and go, OK, you have manna duty. Go bring it in. It won't be there.

Another Principle.

you would think that the mark of this new spirit filled life would be full of this everyday miracle.-- this is when the miracle start, man. This is when the manna starts, not stops.

No. The manna was for the disobedient people wandering around the desert for 40 years, complaining and getting mad at God, not trusting in him, not getting their kids circumcised, not keeping the Passover. They get all the manna? That's right.

When you mature in the Lord, you don't have to believe by what you see. Faith comes by hearing. And hearing by the word of God. As you mature you don't need to live off of a miracle. The miracle ceased. Now you are mature. Now you can cooperate with my divine provision that I have already put into the earth.

When you mature in the Lord, you don't have to believe by what you see. Faith comes by hearing. And hearing by the word of God.

As you mature you don't need to live off of a miracle. The miracle ceased. Now you are mature. Now you can cooperate with my divine provision that I have already put into the earth.

All you got to do is add water and a little fertilizer. Work that land and you can get a lot of good stuff. But you're going to co-operate now with me. Before the cooperation you just go out and get it in the morning bring it in and eat it and cook it. And now you're going to have to do a little more. That's part of the Promised Land experience. So the manna cease.

Joshua 5:13 NKJV

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”

, "it came to pass. When Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold a man--" is it capitalized in your Bible? It's that way for a reason. "A man stood opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said, are you for us or are you for our adversaries?" That's what a general would ask.

is it capitalized in your Bible? It's that way for a reason

That's what a general would ask.

Joshua 5:14So he said, "no. But as the commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshipped him, and said, what does my Lord say to his servant? Then the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, take your sandal off your foot for the place where you stand is holy and Joshua did so."

Joshua 5:14–15 NKJV

So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

I picture Joshua going over his maps of Jericho. Scratching his head, thinking of the strategy that he has just gone over with his senior leaders. Thinking about how they're going to take Jericho once the army gets underway.

Suddenly he looks up and he sees a soldier, somebody with a sword. He immediately thinks, are you friend or foe? You on our team or their team? Are you for us or are you for them? That's what a soldier would ask. Identify yourself soldier, name, rank, and serial number.

Because if you're a friend, if you're on our team, you're out of order. You shouldn't be here. You're not in the right position. You've kind of gone astray from the rest of the army. Get back in line. If you're a foe, you're going to get a whole lot of sword in your face.

So he asks, are you friend or foe? You for us or them? I love the answer. No. I'm in charge here. I'm not just a soldier, I'm the commander of the Lord's army. Something in that interchange persuaded Joshua to call him Lord and worship before him.

This is why it is capitalized in your Bibles, because translators, scholars, believed that what you have here is a theophany, an appearance of the Lord in human form, in the Old Testament. To be more precise, a Christophany. An appearance of Jesus Christ in a pre-incarnate form, in some physical form, present with his people.

And so suddenly he recognized, oh, this is the same one that spoke to Moses years before. And so he does likewise. He worships before him. So we believe this is an appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament.

Moses is out in the desert and a plant starts talking to him. It's burning, but it's not consumed. Moses takes his sandals off because the voice, identifying himself as the Lord, and Moses calls him Lord, and worships him as the Lord-- the voice says take your sandals off. You're standing on holy ground. Joshua knew the story.

And so suddenly he recognized, oh, this is the same one that spoke to Moses years before. And so he does likewise. He worships before him. So we believe this is an appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament.

You remember Jesus in the Garden of the Gethsemane? Remember when they came to arrest him and Peter drew out the sword, right? And Jesus said, "put the sword away, Peter." Listen to what he said. "Don't you know that I can command 72,000 angels." If I need to I can dispatch 72,000 angels right now to take care of this business.

Truly, even then, he was the commander of the Lord's armies. He was in charge. He wasn't a victim. He was the victor. He held all the purse strings, absolute sovereignty. Joshua recognizes that is the commander of the Lord.

Now let me throw something wild at you. In the future there's going to come a battle. It's called the Battle of Armageddon. You've heard the name. You know a little bit about it. If you know prophecy, you know a lot about it. And it's hinted at and spoken about in several different portions of scripture, but one in particular.

In the book of Zechariah, it says this, "behold the day of the Lord is coming." That's the tribulation period, coming in the future. "And your spoil will be divided in your midst for I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem."

The commander of the Lord's armies, a pre-incarnate apparition of the Lord Jesus Christ-- there in some physical form as the commander, the captain, the guy in charge.

"The city will be taken. The houses rifled. The women ravished. Half the cities shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. In that day then, the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle, or as he fought in the day of battle. And in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which face Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives will be split in two."

Question? When did the Lord ever fight in a day of battle? We don't read about anything where he fought in the day of battle, except here. The commander of the Lord's armies, a pre-incarnate apparition of the Lord Jesus Christ-- there in some physical form as the commander, the captain, the guy in charge.

This now accounts for the success at the Battle of Jericho because they're not sharpening their swords and getting out there catapults. They're going to be marching around doing this, ah! They're going to be yelling, ah!

This now accounts for the success at the Battle of Jericho because they're not sharpening their swords and getting out there catapults. They're going to be marching around doing this, ah! They're going to be yelling, ah! That's what they're doing. That's their part. And God is going to bring victory and those walls are going to fall down. And we can now attribute the victory to well, that was the day the Lord fought in the day of battle. So Joshua did so.

That's what they're doing. That's their part. And God is going to bring victory and those walls are going to fall down. And we can now attribute the victory to well, that was the day the Lord fought in the day of battle. So Joshua did so.

Can I give you a principle here to take home with? Public victories, which they are going to have in chapter 6-- it's a public victory. It's their first win in the Promised Land. But here's the secret of the public victory. Public victories are the results of private visits with the Lord.

Can I give you a principle here to take home with? Public victories, which they are going to have in chapter 6-- it's a public victory. It's their first win in the Promised Land. But here's the secret of the public victory.

Public victories are the results of private visits with the Lord

It's worship before warfare. It's consecration before conquests. It's stop, bow, take your sandals off, worship God, and then proceed. That's the principle. It's that private visit that Joshua has with the commander of the Lord's army that brought him to victory.

It's worship before warfare. It's consecration before conquests. It's stop, bow, take your sandals off, worship God, and then proceed.

That's the principle.

It's that private visit that Joshua has with the commander of the Lord's army that brought him to victory.

I've always loved the story about John Knox, the reformer. I've been to his house in Edinburgh, Scotland. I've seen the pulpit at St. Giles Church where he preached. And if you know your history, you know that Mary the Queen of Scots was afraid of John Knox. In fact, a famous statement made, she said, I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the armies in Europe. She knew the power of that man in his private visits with the Lord. Now you can always do more than pray after you pray, but you can never do more than pray until you've prayed. So Joshua pauses, worships, and now he's going to go on. He did so.

I've always loved the story about John Knox, the reformer. Mary the Queen of Scots was afraid of John Knox. In fact, a famous statement made, she said,

I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the armies in Europe.

She knew the power of that man in his private visits with the Lord.

Now you can always do more than pray after you pray, but you can never do more than pray until you've prayed.

So Joshua pauses, worships, and now he's going to go on. He did so.