Joshua
– Living As A Consistent Role Model
Lesson 6: "Remembrances: More than Rituals" Joshua 5
"Where you are standing is holy…" Josh. 5:15
Why these public symbols?
- God knows how easily we forget!
- A memorial to God’s great power
- A means of communicating
- To demonstrate something before all the peoples of Earth (4:24)
Why Circumcision?
- Health Benefits
- Spiritual Benefits
- A constant reminder to Israel and pagan nations that Israel is different
- No male would be able to forget God’s covenant (Gen. 17: 1-14)
- No wife would forget
- No man could chase after pagan women without being reminded of sin
- Overcoming the reproach of Egypt (Exod. 32:12)
Food – A Universal Symbol
- The Passover Meal (Exod. 12:13)
- A regular remembrance (Exod. 12:14)
- The third time is now (Before leaving Egypt, and Num. 9:1-5)
- No more manna!
God’s purposes are clear
- Memorial stones to remind them of God’s great power
- Circumcision to remind them of God’s covenant
- Passover to remind them of His love and grace in saving them from/in Egypt
- Again, it also demonstrates something before all the peoples of Earth
Standing on holy ground
- Where was Joshua standing?
- What does it mean?
1 Principle
#1) Like Israel, we too need remembrances lest we forget
- Baptism
- The Lord’s Supper
- The Family
- Circumcision of the Heart (Col. 2:10-11)
For next week, read Joshua Ch. 6
