Joshua 5:1-9
All Israelites had been circumcised, all those who came out of Egypt - all the men of military age died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way.
Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew for roll.
God said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach(責備) of Egypt from you." So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.
Flint knives: Bronze tools had superseded stone by this time, but the traditional tools are used for the religious rite.
Why?
Circumcise is a symbol to be people of God in Old Testament.
The rite of circumcision had not been practised because the covenant itself had been neglected for 40 years as a result of the people's disbelief and disobedience.
Now the sign of circumcision marks the new generation as God's own people. There is no fear of attack - the story of the Jordan crossing has stolen all courage from their enemies.
How to mark this generation as God's own people. It is the Love and Justice.
How?
Living out the symbol of God, to be a real Christian, love and justice.
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