Gilgal: Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you

 Joshua 5:1-15

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.

The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.

On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The rite of circumcision had not been practiced 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. 

It is the 14th day of the first month - the annual date of the Passover. There will never be a Passover like this one: the first taste of the produce in their own land.

The conquest of Canaan was a holy war. God was at the head of the army. No one knew this better than Joshua, after his encounter with 'the captain of the army of the Lord. Israeli knew it, as the Ark of God's presence led the forces.

Why?

Before Israelites get into the promised land, the Lord let them prepare their heart and their mind to receive the promised land. First, they have to circumcise themselves. It means rolled away the reproach of Egypt from them. Let them be the people of the Lord.

When they entered the promised land and when they ate the food of the land, mannan was stopped. The Israelites don't need to eat mannan anymore. The Lord provides them the food from the promised land.

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本章：似乎沒有問題，卻最需要警醒

受割禮：敵人最害怕的時候，我們自己的問題也處理好了，士氣最高昂。不是最好用兵的時候。如果聖經是人寫的不會如此寫。神的意念想法和我們不同，神是反向操作。第二次行割禮，在自己身上先劃一刀。最沒有戰力，先痛三天再去打戰。因為目前的以色列人都沒有受割禮，因為他們沒有聽耶和華的華的話，他們終日所想的就是今天要吃什麼?喝什麼?憑什麼摩西、亞倫有特權。即追求錢和權。我們信耶穌豈是為了有好生活而已?這一代人也要與神立約的子民。受割禮是除去羞辱，除去在埃及當奴隸的羞辱。與世人所想打勝仗就是除去羞辱並不同. 聽話與神立約才是神除去羞辱的方法論。神看重人與神的關係，不在乎成果。人與神有多少的連結，不在乎敵人多弱，自己多強。神讓人在於軟弱中還可以打勝仗，才會歸榮耀給神。人是否能經得起考驗在於人與神有多少連結。

吃當地土地產：以色列人出埃及後就沒有再守逾越節。人出了埃及，但是心沒有出埃及。直到進入應許之地，吃了當地出產，瑪哪停止，不是曠野了。真正出埃及才能去打仗。

約書亞將統帥交給遇見的神：面對耶和華軍隊的元帥。情況與摩西見到神一樣。神若沒有顯現，約書亞可能會很驕傲，因為目前情況大好。以前當奴隸沒有鞋穿，現在好不容易有鞋子穿，卻要我們脫掉鞋。以色列人都順服神了，約書亞是否願意讓出這位子給神，這次身份是耶和華的奴僕，放下自己的私慾、身份。這樣子我們才有可能成為神的僕人。

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How?

To serve the Lord first I have to prepare myself. For the Lord is Holy.