July 3, 2010

Joshua 5

As Jesse and I have walked around the neighborhoods here, I have noticed a number of round concrete manhole type things protruding out of the ground next to the street. Occasionally the cover will be slid to the side. At first I thought that they were just utility manholes or storm sewer access holes. But then as we walked by one of them, a distinct outhouse smell wafted out and there was an overwhelming increase in the number of flies. My thought was, “If we were walking in the dark and did not see the opening, one could possibly stumble into the hole.” Now there is a nasty thought. One would become a reproach to all who came near. I thought of a National Geographic article that I read a number of years ago concerning the untouchables, the Dalit, in India who are used as human sewer line cleaners. They would indeed be revolting, a reproach to all.

Remember the event in Exodus 4?

4And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.

Apparently, Moses’ wife, not being an Israelite, did not understand the practice. I would assume that she opposed Moses in the practice, and giving in to her, Moses did not circumcise his sons. The Lord was angry with him because he did not obey. Circumcision was given to the Israelites as a sign of their special relationship with the Lord. By not practicing it, it was like saying that he did not want his sons to be part of that special relationship. That was unacceptable! It was so unacceptable that the Lord sought to kill Moses probably by some sort of illness. He had become a reproach to God. Zipporah finally saw the importance of circumcision to the Lord. Moses was unable to perform the act. So, she performed it. As she did so, the Lord restored Moses.

The Israelites had not practiced the covenant sign of circumcision since they had left Egypt. Why? Maybe it had to do with the lack of water; maybe it had to do with their constant travel. Certainly it was disobedience. By not performing the sign, they had rejected their special relationship with the Lord. They had become a reproach. They were revolting in the presence of God. Now they have miraculously been delivered into the land promised to Abraham. They have crossed the Jordan in the spring (flood stage). They want to renew the covenant. They begin with circumcision. God rolled away their reproach. He made them clean. Gigal, by the way, means, “rolled away.”

Then they celebrated the Passover, another sign of the covenant. Then they ate of the fruit of the Promised Land. Then the manna ceased. Then the Commander of the army of the Lord appears to them. They were then ready to possess the land.

I was walking on my dark path. I stumbled into sin. The result was that I was covered with the stench of sin. I became a reproach to my Lord. I had no way to remove the stench which seeped from every pore. But Jesus came. He washed me in His own blood. I became whiter than snow. He clothed me in clean garments. He perfumed me with His own fragrance. I am now acceptable in the presence of God. I am now equipped to battle against the spiritual forces of darkness who seek to enslave me once again to the yoke of sin. This is all true because of what Jesus has done. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Acts 12

From a human perspective, it was a dark day for the glory of our Lord. James the brother of John had been put to the sword. And then Peter was arrested. One would be tempted to roll over and play dead. However, verse 5 has a very important little word, ‘but’ and then follows the clause, ‘prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.’ As a result of the death in the last outbreak of persecution, the Lord accomplished the salvation of Saul. What would he do this time? The church knew that the glory of the Lord was on the line, as well as Peter’s life. They went to prayer.

God never seems to work in the same way in similar situations. He always seems to do a new solution for each problem. He dispatched an angel. The angel set him free. Do you ever notice we often don’t believe the answer to our own prayers? When Peter showed up at the prayer meeting, held on his behalf, they didn’t believe he was at the door. On the one hand, we shouldn’t be amazed when He does things like that. On the other hand, that’s part of what makes it glory—it’s amazing.

God still wasn’t finished with just setting Peter free. Herod wasn’t done either. He had the guards put to death. I sure wouldn’t want to have been a guard back then. Note what happened when he took what should have been God’s glory. He was eaten by worms and died. What an awful way to go. God is jealous of His own glory and the glory of His Son. Surely we need to speak much and often of the glory of Jesus. Indeed we have a glorious King! Speak his glory to someone today!

--Pastor John