TEXT: Joshua 5:1-12
“1And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.”
The theme of Joshua is “How to live in Victory.”
God has a better plan for your life than you do (Romans 12:1-2).
His plan includes a real and lasting Life Purpose. Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
As we examine Joshua 5, remember what has taken place. Now notice the result found in 5:1. God is honored when believers live in victory. God is dishonored by our failure to walk in victory.
Canaan is not a picture of Heaven; it is a picture of “The Victorious Christian Life.” To live “The Victorious Christian Life” there are three things we must know. Canaan = that which humbles and subdues (Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary).
The Canaan Life is…
1. A SURRENDERED LIFE (v 2-9). “At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel... 4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise:… 5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness…them they had not circumcised. 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people…, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD:… 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. 9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.”
Surrendered to what? Surrendered to the truth of man’s earthly condition! Circumcise – (Heb. Mool = cut off the flesh. Circumcision began with Abraham (Genesis 17:9-11). It was…
A covenant between God and Abraham sealed in blood.
A reminder of man’s sin and God’s atonement through the blood.
Circumcision had not been observed in the wilderness (v 4-5).
The Surrendered Life is a…
Life of Faith: Heb 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Life of Obedience: Eccl 12:13 “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
We need a circumcised heart: Deut 10:15-17 “The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed.., even you above all people,.. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff necked. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords.”
2. A CRUCIFIED LIFE (v 10). “And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.”
They had not observed the Passover in the wilderness because they had not been circumcised. You cannot live “The Life of Victory” until you are willing to make Christ the center of our life.
What does the Passover represent to us?
It’s a picture of the Lamb of God slain for the sins of all mankind!
It reminds us that our redemption was not Free!!
The Crucified Life Is… (Romans 6).
Identifying with Christ’s death, burial & resurrection (6:1-10).
Understanding the conflict of our two natures (6:6). “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
Understanding that Christ died, was buried & rose again (6:6).
Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
3. A RESURRECTED LIFE (v 11-12). “And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. 12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.”
They observed the feast of Unleavened Bread. Lev 23:6 “On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD.”
The primary source of their diet had been Manna. Manna was sweet, tasty, nourishing, easily obtained. Now they would begin eating strong meat. The unleavened bread and parched corn represent the Meat of the Word as opposed to the Milk of the Word.
The Resurrected Life is (Romans 6)…
Appreciating the victory Christ brought (6:8-10). “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Appropriating the victory Christ brought (6:11-23). “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
CONCLUSION: Biblical principle of spiritual growth…
John 12:24-26 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
