Men's Group Study Guide
Introduction
Having crossed the river Jordan, God’s children stepped out in faith again and experienced the faithful blessing of the Lord. The Lord continues the practice of having His children build a memorial to this day and to the rememberance of how greatly He delivers. Now is a time for radical obedience to God’s leading. It is time to press into the Lord and hold on to His robe as He leads. The opposition is on their heels and self-sufficiency on our parts will cause us to fall far short of the desired result, (the Promised Land).
STUDY NOTES: verses 1-15
v.1 So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of
the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that
the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel
until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them
any longer because of the children of Israel. This was indeed quite an entrance.
As we read, we see that the leaders of this land were in a dreaded state. Any
courage that they once had was now gone. The words "no spirit in them” better
interpreted means, that they were breathless. These people who were once just a
band of desert wanderers are now storming the gates. This show of power has
knocked the wind out of their adversaries and given them the edge. Once again
God follows thru on His promise. All the way back in Exodus 23:27, God told
His children what He would do for them if they would simply trust and obey.
v. 2-7 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, " Make flint knives for yourself, and
circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time." So Joshua made flint knives
for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. And
this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of
Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the
way, after they had come out of Egypt. For all the people who came out had
been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they
came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised. For the children of Israel walked
forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came
out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord-to
whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had
sworn to their fathers that He would give us, " a land flowing with milk and
honey.” Then Joshua circumcised their sons whom he raised up in their place;
for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
Now that there is confusion and dismay in the other camps, it is a good time to
re-establish the seal of the covenant. The first generation roamed through the
desert murmuring and complaining against the Lord, giving up on any trust and
obedience that was required. They lost their sanctification. It is now for a new
generation to take hold of God’s promises. He once again looks at the hearts.
v. 8-12 So it was when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they
stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed. Then the Lord said to
Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." Therefore
the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.
Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the
fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho. And they ate of
the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and
parched grain, on the very same day. Then the manna ceased on the day after they
had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna,
but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.
Isn’t it just like the mighty God of all creation to give us a beautiful symbol from
thousands of years ago and write it again in the New Testament for us today. He
never changes. Generations can come and go but the word of the Lord will last
forever. Put away your idols and continue forward with devotion in your heart for
the Lord. He will take away old things and give us things that are altogether new.
Purpose, vision, and love are what all people search for, and is something that
only He can provide. Repent and be baptized, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand (Matthew 3:2).
v. 13-15 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes
and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His
hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our
adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have
now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to
Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?" Then the Commander of the
Lord’s army said to Joshua, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where
you stand is holy." And Joshua did so.
When the Israelites were in the desert they ate manna. That food provided by the
Lord is symbolic of that desert season. Now it is time for them to eat of the
produce of the land and keep their memorial ceremonies to the Lord. In these
verses it is The Awesome God who comes to comfort Joshua and increase the
encouragement in proportion to the increased difficulties that are facing him.
We should also follow suit in recognizing the Lord regularly in our lives and how
He has showed Himself to us. When we cross the river, (get baptized) it is time to
take things a little more seriously than before. The stakes get a little higher, but
God’s grace is always deeper.
TRUTH APPLIED:
Q. 1 Have you ever made a public declaration of your faith (been baptized)? And do you understand how that has nothing to do with your salvation? Do you think that it is something you just do as a ritual to be more holy or is it a beginning of a lifestyle of your declaration of Jesus?
Q. 2 Have you ever been baptized in the Holy Spirit? Do you understand what this means in your Christian life?
Q. 3 Honestly ask yourself if the things you do in the name of God are being done through the things you heard of yesterday. Are you simply regurgitating information that someone else told you or is it coming from the Spirit that is supposed to dwell within you? Be honest.
Q. 4 Do you remember the day that the Israelites started to eat from the produce of the land? Just like they quit eating the same thing they had eaten day after day for the last few seasons of their lives, they started to eat of the fruit of the new life that they had been brought into. Are we feeding on this new life daily?
Q. 5 Is there a Gilgal in your own life, a place of new promise from God? Is there a place to build a memorial to the redeeming Lord through praise and obedience.
If not then why? Pray and ask Him and He will gladly take you there
CONCLUSION:
Read Psalm 37:3-8. Meditate on this today. Eat of the fruit of the vine. It is rich and full of spiritual truth for your life. Will you genuinely take delight in it, receive vision from it, and obtain purpose through it? It is His will for us to do so……..Will you?