Joshua 5:2-8

²At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” ³So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. ⁴Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. ⁵All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. ⁶The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. ⁸And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.

VIN

If you have much money to buy the car you desire, what would it be? Why do you buy prefer one from the other? Do you buy that car because of convenience, color, design, usability, or you just want to be unique? Unless you design and make the car yourself, car manufacturers would reproduce and duplicate the car designs.
Reproduction of cars necessitates vehicle identification number (VIN). A vehicle identification number is the identifying code for a SPECIFIC automobile. The VIN serves as the car’s fingerprint. It’s a unique identifier for the vehicle’s unique features, specifications and manufacturer.

Does it helps us understand why God commanded that the Israelites would be circumcised? The Lord instructed Moses in Exodus 19:5-6, ⁵Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, ⁶you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.

The Lord has chosen the Israelites to be set apart as His holy nation. As a kingdom of priests, the Israelites were supposed to lead others in worshipping God. Moreover, before the Israelites were born, God has given their ancestor Abraham the covenant of circumcision as the sign of the covenant between God and His chosen people.
In Genesis 17:9-14, ⁹Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. ¹⁰This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. ¹²For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. ¹³Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

The Lord instructed that circumcision would be inclusive to non-Israelites. He instructed that foreigners belonging to Israelite household would be circumcised. When Israel came out of Egypt, there were non-Israelites who joined them. Later, after they became rich, they have bought servants. The succeeding generation Israelites married foreign women. Their male descendants were also required to be circumcised.

After Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, the Lord instructed Joshua to circumcise the men because they were never circumcised. Why did the Lord instruct circumcision after crossing the Jordan River and not before crossing?

1. Instruction

²At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” ³So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. ⁴Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. ⁵All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not.

The original Hebrew word for flint knives is the same as the original Hebrew word used for the word rock. At Horeb, water came out of the rock after the Israelites complained to Moses about their thirst in the desert. In Exodus 17:6, ⁶I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

What could be an implication why flint knives and rock have the same original Hebrew word? The manner that the Lord relate to the Israelites was a typology, prefigure, foreshadow, or a representation of how the Lord expects believers to respond to Him.
Many theologians agree that the rock where the water came out represents Christ. The Lord Jesus offered satisfaction to anyone who is thirsty. In John 7:37, ³⁷Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.”

Moreover, when Joshua used flints knives to circumcise the male Israelites who crossed the Jordan River, many Bible scholars would agree that it represented Christ circumcising the hearts of believers. Interestingly, the name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua which means “Yahweh saves.”
It says in Deuteronomy 30:6, ⁶The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.

Circumcision of the flesh is a physical sign for the Israelites as God chosen nation. Circumcision of the heart enables believers to be a genuine people of God, Israelite or non-Israelite believer. The sign of circumcision has similar to branding horses.

Branding Iron

Owners normally mark their horses. A person could mark a horse with his personalized branding iron but the horse doesn’t automatically obey its owner.
Similarly, not all Israelites who were circumcised obeyed the Lord. Circumcision of the flesh marks the Israelite but the Lord circumcises the obedient heart.

Circumcision after crossing the river and not before crossing, what does it mean to believers’ spiritual journey? When the Israelites crossed the river, it represents believers crossing from death to eternal life easily by faith. The Israelites were circumcised before they conquered the Promised Land. Similarly, believers were marked by the Holy Spirit.
Believers are eternally secure but we need circumcision of heart to experience the promise life to its fullness. The fruit of the Holy Spirit indicates that the believer experiences life to its fullness but it is by faith that one trust in God.
Circumcision of the flesh is a physical indication that the Israelite belongs to the Lord but circumcision of the heart enables one to obey the Lord’s instruction.

2. Indication

⁶The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. ⁸And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.

Circumcision of the flesh was not an assurance that the Israelites would be able to conquer the Promised Land. It was a mark to remind the Israelites of the Lord’s promise, that He would give them the land of Canaan as He had promised to their ancestors.
Circumcision of the flesh requires few weeks of healing. Similarly, when believers are circumcised in the heart, there are lots of struggles and healing needed. When we put our faith in the Lord, obedience is not automatic. Just as it needs time to heal for the circumcision of the flesh, circumcision of the heart has different healing progress to each believer. Trials and struggles are a healing process which may also determines obedience.

Song for the Nations

Part of the Song for the Nations says:
May we be a healing balm to the nations /A healing balm to the peoples of the earth
‘Til the whole world knows/The power of Your name/May Your healing flow through us

It implies that we have struggled and received healing from the Lord so that we will be God’s healing balm to those who need healing. We would be able to understand, empathize or sympathize with them because we went through the same or similar path.

Although, there are particular instructions exclusively given for the Israelites, believers are given discernment from the Spirit of Christ to know which command of the Lord is applicable to believers who don’t belong to a Hebrew household.
We can only obey the Lord after we are circumcised in the heart. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to circumcise your heart.
It says in Romans 2:29, ²⁹circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

Christ knows the heart He circumcised. Obedience indicates a circumcised heart.

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