Why did God command Joshua to circumcise the Israelites a second time? Context: A New Generation on the Banks of the Jordan Israel has just crossed the Jordan on dry ground (Joshua 4). Forty wilderness years have passed, the Exodus generation has died, and a whole nation now stands in Canaan uncircumcised—something unthinkable for a people bound to Abraham’s covenant sign (Genesis 17:9-14). What “a Second Time” Means • Not the same men being cut twice; it is the second national administration of circumcision. • First time: Egypt-born, Sinai-formed generation (Exodus 12:48; Leviticus 12:3). • Second time: wilderness-born sons who had never received the sign (Joshua 5:4-5). Why Circumcise Now? Five Key Reasons 1. Covenant Obedience Restored – Genesis 17: “Every male among you shall be circumcised… it shall be the sign of the covenant.” – Wilderness neglect had left the nation out of step with God’s clear command. 2. Preparation for Passover – “No uncircumcised man may eat of it” (Exodus 12:48). – Joshua 5:10 reports Passover kept in Gilgal only after the rite. 3. Consecration for Conquest – Before Jericho falls, hearts and bodies must be set apart (Joshua 6). – Circumcision signals total reliance on the LORD; during recovery they are militarily vulnerable, trusting Him alone. 4. Identity Re-affirmed – Marks them as Abraham’s offspring in the very land promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18). – Distinguishes Israel from Canaanite peoples they will soon confront. 5. Removal of Reproach – “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you” (Joshua 5:9). – Egypt’s scorn—“a people freed but faithless”—is erased once the covenant sign is restored. Covenant Renewal and Passover Connection Circumcision and Passover always pair: one initiates into the covenant, the other celebrates redemption. By restoring both rites, Joshua leads Israel in reliving Exodus truth just as they begin conquest, anchoring future victories in past salvation. The “Removal of Egypt’s Reproach” • Egypt’s ridicule that Israel would die in the desert (Exodus 32:12) is silenced. • The name “Gilgal” sounds like Hebrew galal, “to roll.” Every step they take from Gilgal forward is a reminder that their shame is literally “rolled away.” Heart-Level Application for Today Physical circumcision pointed to a deeper work: “Circumcise your hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16), a promise God Himself fulfills—“The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts” (Deuteronomy 30:6). In Christ, believers receive “circumcision made without hands” (Colossians 2:11), setting us apart to walk in newness of life, just as Israel stepped into Canaan ready to claim their inheritance. |
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