Monday, October 10, 2022

Promise Land Boot Camp: Protection, Provision and Protocol, Joshua 5:7-15

It was a miracle. No doubt about it. As big a miracle as parting the Red Sea. God stopped the rushing, raging, flood stage rising, Jordan River.

To the people’s credit, they had done, exactly what God told them to do, without whining, complaining or tucking tail and running.

They were told to watch the Ark of the Covenant, and move when it moved.

They did what they were told.

God did what He said He’d do, and the Jordan River stopped.

They crossed.

Just like that, they walked across on dry ground, and entered the territory God had promised them.

That was the easy part, but they were in no way on easy street. Getting to the Promise Land is one thing, learning to live there, is quite another.

So, without missing a beat God begins Promise Land Boot Camp with three lessons that are as valuable now, as they were then.

Surviving and thriving in the Promise Land, we must understand His, Protection, Provision and Protocol.  

 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.So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed. 

Protection

Naturally, the first lesson was Protection.

Why?

Because, while Israel was wandering around in the desert for forty years, the giants that scared them away the first time they spied out the land, were still there; and they probably weren’t getting any smaller, or fewer. They definitely won’t be thrilled about giving up their lives, so Israel can live in their land.

God teaches them about protection, by making them helpless.

Makes sense, right?

I just asked my, oh so wise, (almost sixteen-year-old) granddaughter, if it made sense to her. I knew she’d say, “No, papa, that makes no sense. They need to learn about, you know, weapons, and defending themselves, and stuff…”

But she didn’t. She said, “Yes, that make perfect sense.”

“What? Really? Why?”

“Because if they can’t do anything for themselves, they have to trust Him.”

Out of the mouth of babes.

The method God used to make them helpless, vulnerable, defenseless, was circumcision. We previously discussed why He chose circumcision; you can read all about it here: Why Circumcision?  

Now, please don’t think that God was being heartless or cruel in His request. Consider that He’d just shown His awesome power by holding back the Jordan River, and they had just set up memorial stones to remember the powerful event. So, it shouldn’t have been too difficult for them to trust Him to protect them. And, hallelujah, that’s exactly what they did.

God was so pleased with their quick to surrender obedience, He responded like this:  

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.

This is the second part of the protection plan. The most important part. The God part. They just had to be willing and obedient, to be weak.

When they did that, God did what He does. What Heroes, do. Protect them.

Pause for a moment and admire how He weaves words and deeds together in perfect harmony, like only He can do.  

Circumcision: the prefix is, circum, which means, around; and the Latin root word circ, means, ring.

Gilgal means, circle of stones.

God, rolls away the reproach of Egypt, after they are willing and obedient. After they become weak, submit and surrender, solely, to Him…  Then, on this day, He becomes strong, on their behalf. 

Think about how this had to hit home with them. It must’ve been like adoption day for an orphan.

They were the children of those who messed up. Their parents were slaves, who had a chance at freedom, but were too faithless to believe it, too cowardly to receive it. So, they wandered, surviving on God’s wilderness welfare program, until they died in the desert.  

But this day, the day they were willing to lay it all on the line, become vulnerable before Him, this day, God took away the shame, and gave them His name. He entered covenant with them. No longer were they desert rats, wilderness orphans. No longer were they homeless, wandering, ex-slaves.

Neither are you.

Behold I make all things new, says the Lord. Those who are in Christ are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

They were His. And so are you, if you’re willing and obedient, to surrender to His plan, and purpose, and calling.

If you listen, you can hear the Voice of the Lord, right here, right now, this day, calling to you…

“I have rolled away the reproach of…”

Fill in the blank, …a messed up past, …a broken family, …sickness, …bad choices, …poverty, …failures, …growing old, ...fear, …loneliness, ...shame, ...anxiety.

God rolls back reproach, with no condemnation, offers a new family, Love, and Protection

Promise Land Protection from any enemy is only accomplished by complete surrender
…to God

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.” 
Psalm 91:1-2

 

10 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. 

11 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. 

12 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.

Provision

Many times, Divine Timing and Divine Provision, work hand in hand.

By Divine timing, they kept the Passover. Which just so happens to be exactly, to the day, forty years from the first Passover; the very day they left Egypt.

Passover, was a reminder of God’s protection by delivering them from Egypt and His Divine provision, from that day, to this.

The next day, they ate off the land; following that, the manna ceased.

Just because the manna ceased, doesn’t mean God stopped providing.

Whether by manna, the good of the land, a paycheck, mom and dad, retirement fund, social security check, or whatever means, we must settle in our heart, that God is our Provider, our Source. Period. And He never fails.

He may use any method He choose, but ultimately, He is our Provider.

The lesson is about the heart. Trust Him, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in whatever state we are in, therewith be content, in Him.

This can be difficult, because, the world will offer other options.

All that glitters, is not God.

For example. We are currently in the clean-up stage of hurricane Ian, and I’m located right in the heart of his wake. It’s a perfect storm for someone like me with decades of insurance adjusting experience. The company I work with (and many others) have offered positions with big, big, money.  

I’ve said, without hesitation, they don’t have enough money, there isn’t enough money in the world, if it means, compromising, for a minute, or even one second, my responsibility as shepherd to the flock God entrusted me.

I’ve had multiple adjusters (or wanna-be-adjusters) contact me, seeking advice; should they pack up their lives to work hurricane Ian. For some it’s God’s provision, for others, it’s just gold fever.

Lord Jesus, You said, My sheep, hear My voice, and a stranger’s voice they will not follow. Please give us discernment, to know the difference.

Are we able to say no to abundance, if it means, compromising our position with Him?

Are we able to be at peace, in the midst of famine?

Promise Land Provision is settling in our heart that God is our source…no matter the spout, He chooses to pour out

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Matthew 6:33

 

13 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?”

Protocol

To survive and even thrive in the Promise Land, in the Kingdom of God, in this life and the next, we must learn heaven’s protocol.

Man get’s this all mixed up. We complicate it. Try to figure out God with big words and doctrine, with rules and regulations and religion.

He can’t be figured out, and won’t be put in a box. His ways are above our ways and past finding out. Isaiah 55:8-9.

But we can know Him. Intimately. That’s what He’s looking for.

Joshua’s question reveals, his thinking was small. Perhaps because he was afraid. Of course, he knew he was supposed to be bold and courageous. But remember, he was one of the original twelve spies, and he saw the giants, he knew they were still there and getting bigger. He was trusting God but…maybe down inside, the warrior, felt like a child. Perhaps he was doing it, afraid. Which, even that, doing it afraid, is still courageous.

Whatever the case may be, his thinking, or at least his question was too small. Too narrow. It was one side or the other. Black or white. My side or theirs. My religion, or, goat. Republican or democrat? My way, or highway.  Tunnel vision thinking.

So, when he asked, the Man with the sword, whose side He was on, he was hoping for, encouragement.

Down inside, he probably knew this was no ordinary man.  

14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”

Some translations say, “Neither,” in answer to Joshua’s question about whose side He’s on. He’s on the only side that matters, God’s side.

And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”

Now we know beyond the shadow of a doubt. This is no ordinary man, but a Savior. This is Jesus, in the Old Testament, even before He was born as a Babe in a manger.

Some call this a Christophany, others call it a Theophany. No matter what you call it, Joshua knew he was having a Divine encounter and fell on his face, worshiped, and called Him, Lord.

15 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.

He tells Joshua He’s the Commander of the LORD’S army, and the ground where Joshua stands is holy. Like God said to Moses, at the burning bush.

Reverence and respect demand Joshua pull off his shoes and fall on his face and worship, the LORD God Almighty.

Which bring us to our third point, Protocol.

Heaven’s protocol dictates that there is no side, but God’s side. It makes decision making so much easier. All bias, all opinions, all politics, aside, and the protocol, the proper procedure, for whatsoever we endeavor to do, is what’s right, in God’s eyes.

Additionally, we see the Lord, telling Joshua, the ground on which he stands, is holy.

Today, every Christian who abides in Him, has His Spirit, abiding in them, and thus, every step we take, every move we make, is in His presence, and thus we are always, in every situation, on holy ground. The proper protocol, is to acknowledge His presence with reverence and Godly fear.  

Promise Land Protocol:

There’s only one side; God’s.

We are ever standing, on holy ground.


Joshua learned the lessons of Promise Land Boot Camp, and summed it all up at the end of his book with one sentence: 



Let's pray.

Lord Jesus, You are Protector, Provider and Your side is the only side, we ever want to be on. Please remind us that we are ever standing in Your presence, on holy ground, so that, our every word, and deed, and thought and prayer, honors You. 

We love You. Come quickly. Find us faithfully serving You. 


Remember, we love you.
Most importantly, 
Jesus loves you. 

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