Focus: Delayed Obedience

Text: Josh.5:2,4,8

"At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and CIRCUMCISE AGAIN the children of Israel the SECOND TIME."

A normal journey of 11 days has taken Israel 40 years, and now they have just crossed the Jordan River miraculously, and arrived at Gilgal. The kings of the region are terrified already, and the real battle to take possession of the land is about to begin. Right there and then, God calls out to Joshua, and says, 'Ain't you forgetting something? You are not stepping into your next level of glory until I see the sign and seal of the covenant on you. Get up and circumcise the boys.'

In verse 4, the reason is given: "And this is the CAUSE WHY Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt."

Imagine 40 years of no circumcision! Apart from Joshua and Caleb, no one else is circumcised. And that is grave error and terrible negligence on the part of the leadership, starting from Moses. Nothing to show that they are God's covenant people. Nothing to distinguish them from the people of the land. And on what grounds would God fight for them against their enemies?

Circumcision is a token - the sign and seal - of the covenant, and it's a rite so essential and significant that Abraham had to quickly obey God. Even in his old age he submitted himself to the knife and endured the pain. Every male in his family was immediately circumcised.

Delayed obedience is dangerous. God requires prompt obedience, and it takes spiritual flexibility to be prompt in our obedience to God. Spiritual rigidity or stiffness is a curse. Pliability is a great mark of spirituality.

So Joshua quickly obeyed and circumcised the people. Your next victory waits for your obedience. Your next level of glory is hinged on your obedience.

Why delay the inevitable? Why wait till old age to do what was meant to be done in infancy? Why wait for eternity to heed God's voice? Imagine the untold agony of newly circumcised 40 years old men! It is not enough to believe in God. Obedience is the proof of real belief.

Finally, we read in verse 8, "And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they ABODE in their places in the camp, till they were WHOLE." They are now in a vulnerable state - weak, fragile and helpless. They had to wait till the healing process is over before they could face their enemies, one after the other. But it was worth it, for miraculously the walls of Jericho fell down, and as his new covenant people, God gave them victory over their enemy.

Any time, any day, obedience is still better than sacrifice. What is worth doing is worth doing well and worth doing on time. Your next level is waiting for your obedience. Once your obedience is complete, your Jericho will fall and the land will be yours for the taking. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter