IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

What Does the Lord Say to His Servant?

Date: Sep. 5, 2023

Passage

Joshua 5:1-15 (ESV)

As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD; the LORD swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 5:14

And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?”

Being right with God is our first priority in any circumstance. When the kings of the Amorites and Canaanites heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Jordan so that the people of Israel could cross over, their hearts melted with fear. Normally, this would be the best time for the Israelites to take action and attack their enemies. Our first instinct is to seize opportunities and go forward on our own strength. However, that was how the previous generation of Israelites had failed. Because of their disobedience, they were turned away from the Promised Land and forced to wander in the desert until they died. This time, the Israelites sought to obey God and they dedicated themselves to him by circumcising all the males. As a result, God declared their reproach had been rolled away. They celebrated their first Passover in the land and enjoyed the produce of the land.

Is God on our side, or are we on his? When Joshua met the commander of the LORD’s army, he quickly learned that the battle for Jericho was the LORD’s, not Israel's. This is important for us to think about. Do we prayerfully seek to align our will with God’s—or do we try to turn it around and bend God to our will? Joshua responded by falling on his face and submitting himself to God. God was present with him, and Joshua was on holy ground.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, the battle and the victory are yours.

One Word: One Word: Submit yourself to God?

Daily Bread

God Judges Each Person According to His Own Sins

Ezekiel 18:1-18

Key Verse: 18:9

walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord GOD.

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