Exposed to God

 DEVOTION

JOSHUA

EXPOSED TO GOD

Josh 5:1-9

5:1 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until we had crossed over, their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. 2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again." 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. 4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt — all the men of military age — died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt. 5 All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not. 6 The Israelites had moved about in the desert 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 that he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. 9 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.

NIV

Several truths ring out for our attention. The first is when the kings west of the Jordan heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they crossed over, their hearts melted and they no longer dared to face the Israelites. We wonder if we, the people of faith, were to see that kind of miracle God did for the Israelites the people of the world would not have the courage to face us. As it is now the voices of the world scream out against all the Lord, and thus us, stand for. However, if God were to do mighty things in our lives, in our churches, and the people of the world heard about what God did, just maybe their hearts would melt and they would no longer have any courage to face us, or they would cross over and join us. Secondly, we see this was the time Joshua needed to circumcise all the fighting men or adults because they had not been circumcised during those forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Here again, the story breaks into our lives. We all started out in the right place, where God formed us in the womb, but from birth, our lives became all about us, our wants, or desires. How old we were when we responded to the wooing of the Spirit would depend on how many years we walked in the wilderness of this world. However, when we heard of the Lord and responded to His call on our lives, He melted our hearts first. In essence, He broke us, melted us, molded us, and is using us. The primary point is that after wandering, or navigating the challenges of this world, we require a form of circumcision; not one of the flesh, but of the heart. The Apostle Paul wrote about this in his letter to the Roman Christians, or the church in Rome that was made up of Jews and Gentiles who accepted Jesus as Savior. He made the point that a Jew is not one who has just been circumcised in the flesh, but a Jew is someone who is one inwardly and their circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not the written code. It was not uncommon for Jews to receive the praise of other Jews regarding the physical circumcision. Look how special we are, having this covenant of circumcision with God. However, we who have been circumcised in our hearts, by the Spirit, live as the true Jews, true Israel, true children of God. We wonder when the scripture speaks about all of Israel will be saved, which means all who have undergone circumcision of the heart. Yet, the fact remains, just as physical circumcision removes something, circumcision of our heart removes that which covered it or shielded it from the truth of God. He is also merciful and allows us time to heal from all the wounds of the circumcision of our hearts. But now we live fully exposed to the Lord, so that He can do all that He intends to do in, for, and through us. Therefore, we can say, we live exposed to God.