Joshua 5

A LONG THOUGHT from the Holy Bible's Old Testament from THE BOOK OF JOSHUA, chapter 5.

Jesus Christ told His followers “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, ESV). The LORD told Joshua, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” (Joshua1:5)

This fifth chapter tells us that “all the kings of the Amorites….and all the kings of the Canaanites….heard that the LORD…” had done for Israel crossing the Jordan River….their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.” (V.1). The possession of the Promised Land was going to be an easy task.

Yet there was much preparation to be done to walk the ways of the LORD.God’s work done God’s way always require spiritual preparation before we walk in the ways of the LORD.So Joshua and the Israelites had some prerequisites of spiritual preparations that had to be done before the actual conquest of the Promised Land.

Every follower of Christ must be willing to be obedient to the LORD and adequately prepared spiritually to walk the ways of the LORD.The LORD had told Joshua in chapter one:

“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you.Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:7-8, ESV)

Before the land was to be conquered by God, God had Joshua to set up memorial (Deuteronomy 27:2-4) markers for the people to remember the miracle that God had done at the Jordan River. (Prior to crossing the river, God told Joshua to have all of the people to consecrate themselves to the LORD. (3:7) Then here in chapter five, Joshua was commanded by God to circumcise all the males who were born on the way into the wilderness because they had not been circumcised. Their fathers had perished and died in the wilderness because of their disobedience and rebellion. Circumcision was a mark of their covenant relationship with the LORD God.

Another preparation before conquering the Promise Land was that the people had to observe the First Passover in Canaan. This was another reminder to this new generation that it was the LORD who set the people free from their bondage in Egypt. After the Passover meal “the manna ceased after they ate of the produce of the land.And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel because they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.” (V. 12. ESV)

One final preparation was made by Joshua. When he was by Jericho, he had a vision of the LORD Jesus, the commander of the Army of the LORD. That day the commander of the LORD told Joshua, “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.”

(Joshua 5:15, ESV). And Joshua obeyed the commander of the LORD’s army.

As followers of Christ are you prepared spiritually to walk in the ways of the LORD Jesus? We must examine our hearts and make sure that we are obedient to the LORD in all things so we can walk in His ways. Remember that the LORD Jesus “wants our undivided loyalties and our holiness.” (David M. Howard Jr.)