Re-establishing Identity
Joshua and the Israelites have just crossed the Jordan River -- a miraculous sign that they were entering the Promised Land. But before facing their first battle, God surprises Joshua with an unusual command...| At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again." (Joshua5:2) |
It's important to understand circumcision as practiced by the Israelites. The surrounding nations performed circumcision at puberty as a rite of passage into manhood. But when God commanded Abraham to circumcise boys at eight days old, it marked a significant shift. Circumcision was no longer about entering manhood but about belonging to God's covenant people from the very start of life.
Imagine a group of young boys (Hittites, Perizites and Israelites) all swimming in a local waterhole. There's no swimming costumes. The boys from the other nations ask "Why have you already been cut?" The Israelite boys would answer "Because we belong to God!!"
During the Exodus through the desert, they had not performed any circumcisions. There was a whole generation of boys, who were now men, who weren't marked as belonging to God.
God re-establishes the practice of circumcision - a reminder that we belong to God. A reminder that tiny infants are included in the people of God long before they can reach out to Him. A reminder that even if we neglect this truth (as the Israelites did in the desert), the truth remains the same - we belong to Him!
Strategically, this was a risky move. Circumcision was far easier for infants than for grown men, and by incapacitating his army for a few days, Joshua put them at a disadvantage. Yet, it was a bold act of trust. The men had to humble themselves and undergo the flint-knife snip snip, trusting that God's protection was greater than their military readiness.
But what a powerful statement of grace! What an incredible gesture of love! God's message to them was clear: "You may have neglected the practice, but for Me, the truth remains the same -- you belong to Me." Just before the battle for the land begins, the army receives a tangible reminder of their identity and security: they belong to God.
==> Sometimes, we forget who we are. We lose sight of our identity as children of the King. But like the Israelites, we must return to that core truth. Coming back to this identity often requires humility and letting go of distractions. Yet God is always there, waiting to remind us: "You belong to Me!"
