Circumcision Takes Time to Heal

Joshua 5:8 ESV
[8] When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.

Circumcision hurts, but so does the circumcision of the heart. Indeed it does really hurt when God cuts off the residues of pride, lust, selfishness and such from our hearts according to His will. It is painful. It is bloody. It takes time to heal. But it is good for us. Once we are healed, we come out from it sanctified and victorious, equipped for better tasks from our Lord. O Lord, indeed mortify the remainders of sin in our hearts. We hate them. But Lord, also heal us. When you pull away the idols from our hearts, replace them with a glorious worship of You and Your glorious grace, which is like the balm for our souls. Give us not only the cross of humility, but give us the resurrection power of Your vindication. Help us O lord, for we are weak. In Christ's Name we pray. Amen.

Devotional Commentary - Joshua 5 - God rolled away our stone of shame

V1: At the presence of YHWH the waters of Jordan fled. 

7 At Your rebuke the waters fled;

at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away —

(Psalms 104:7 HCSB)

God is that sort of a God. He is a God to be feared. His holiness is to be dreaded. Even rivers run away from the mighty presence of God. If this is so, then what of sinful men? They will melt like wax before a great furnace when God comes to judge the earth. The only thing that can make us stand in that mighty presence of God is the blood of Jesus. When we are covered with Jesus, when Jesus is our refuge, we can stand:

12 Kiss the Son,

lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

 Blessed are all who take refuge in him

(Psalms 2:12 ESV)

Their hearts melted. Indeed, just as the Jordan river trembled at God's presence, the hearts of the kings of the earth melt at God's and Israelites' presence. Fearful hearts mark unbelievers. They act all tough and think of themselves as gods, but when faced with the blazing fire of God, they cannot but melt and tremble in fear. Thus shall we all be on that great Day when God reveals the secrets of all mankind.

V2-7: The uncircumcision of this second generation out of Egypt crossing the Jordan and entering the promised land points to the future time, when the uncircumcised Gentiles will indeed inherit God's Kingdom apart from circumcision. Indeed, if this second generation were not circumcised, they were no better than the Gentiles. But neither circumcision or no circumcision matters. What matters is this: they were "children that God raised in their [the 1st generation's] place" (v7).

The fact that the second generation, who were "born in the wilderness", inherited the land speaks an important truth for the Christian life: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3 ESV). The first generation who were born in Egypt will not see the land (v6). 

In the same way, our Old Man born in this world, in Adam, must perish in the wilderness of the Christian pilgrimage. It must die. All of the grumbling, discontent heart that yearns after the bondage to sin and death must indeed be put to death. And it is the new man that must be put on. This truth is clearly laid out in Paul's epistles: 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ! — 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:20-24 ESV)

The Israelites born in Egypt longed to go back to Egypt, because they knew what it was like. But the Israelites born in the wilderness have no such memory. Their tastebuds do not long for the delicacies of Egypt. They have no such recollection. All they know is Manna. All they know is water from the rock. So they are the children of hope. They don't look back to sin. They look forward to the Promised Land. Their hearts are filled with expectation. Such people alone are worthy of God.

Prayer: Yes, Father. Work in us a yearning for the Kingdom of God. Give us hope. Put to death in us the tastebuds that long for Egypt. Lord, we don't care for its delicacies. We don't remember them. We have no recollection of them. Lord, we live by your Manna, your Christ, who was send from heaven. Make us born a second time. Help us to put to death our Old Man in Adam, and help us to put on the New Man in Christ, by living in love. Father, fill us with great expectations about that world to come, that we may be a people that please you, that we may be a people who fight the good fight for your Kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

V8: Circumcision hurts. It is a cutting away. It takes some time to recover. And so it is when God circumcises a man's HEART. When God severs us from our yearnings for Egypt, and deals a deathblow to our flesh and pride, it hurts! Does it not? But it is good pain. And we recover.

V9: The disgrace of Egypt was like a giant boulder with Israel. Their state as nomad, homeless people was a shame to them. But as they enter the promised land, God has rolled this giant stone away. God removed this obstacle from before Israel.

There was another stone that God rolled away thousands of years later:

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it

(Matthew 28:2 ESV)

Surely there is a link here. What was our disgrace? Slavery to sin. The shame of serving death and evil and wickedness. The shame. Oh the shame of sinning against God and fellow man! Who shall roll this shame of evil away from us? God can. When Jesus died for us and rose again from the dead He rolled that stone away from us forever. Now we can get out of death with Christ. Now we can escape from shame and the slavery of death in Christ!

V10: And it is fitting, therefore, that the Israelites have a Passover to celebrate this "rolling away" of disgrace. It was the Blood of the Passover that began this rolling, and it was completed at Gilgal here. For us, also. Our Gilgal still awaits us. Yes, we have escaped the grave now. But not yet. Our day of complete removal from the presence of all guilt, sin, shame still awaits us. Therefore we live in hope.

V13-15: Neither. This commander is neither on the side of the Israelites, nor on the side of the Canaanites. He is on the side of God. And apparently this is something that Joshua had to realise as well. He had to be on God's side, if his mission would be successful. God only helps those who are on His side. He is no respecter of persons. 

The fact that Joshua has a similar experience that Moses had before the Exodus of the Israelites, shows that God will do a similar thing through Joshua. Moses was to take the people out. Joshua brings them in. Through Moses came the plagues to destroy Egypt. Through Joshua and his army God will likewise plunder the Canaanites and establish His Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you rolled away the stone that trapped us in death and sin and shame. Thank you that we can now escape. Thank you that we can now be set free from our past, and really be set free, because Jesus has rolled away the stone by the power of His resurrection, and the light has flooded into our hearts. O Lord, may you roll away the stones in our hearts always, so that God's rays of light may flood in. Lord, help us. Also, Lord, in here we learn that you are not on anyone's side. You are on Your side. Therefore you help only those who give their allegiance to You, and those who are separated to you. So, Lord, help us to give our allegiance to You. Help us to submit to You, and follow you. May we never presume that you are with us just because we go to Church and do Christian things. Lord, we want to belong to Your Kingdom. We want to be under your gracious reign. May it be so. In Jesus Christ's name we pray. Amen. 

Devotional Commentary - 2 Corinthians 4 - God's Glory in the Face of Jesus

V1-2: Since we have this ministry OF GLORY (3:7-18), the apostles renounced shameful hidden things of DARKNESS. They are OPENLY proclaiming God's Word. They are commending themselves to everyone's CONSCIENCE, as though in God's presence and sight at all times. They are the apostles of LIGHT. They live in pure conscience before God and do their ministry with the purest of motives. God's ministers cannot live in shadows. 

V3-4: The apostles were not hiding anything from anyone. They have openly proclaimed the truth to God's people. They have plainly shone the light, but it is because the people who are perishing are blinded.

They are "veiled" by satan. It is interesting in ch. 3 that Paul said that the ministry of the old covenant was summarised as a "veiled" ministry. Those who live under the old covenant even though the new covenant has come are those who are blinded by Satan himself. Legalistic religion is the agent of Satan to place veils over people's eyes. Satan wants to keep people under rules and regulation and external religion and satisfy people in them, so that they will never see the glories of the freedom that is found in Jesus Christ.

Of course, beside religion, the devil uses others false "glories" of this world to keep people from seeing the glory of God in the face of Christ. All the entertainment and the fun idolatries of this earth keep people blinded from ever looking up to heaven to worship God in Christ.

Satan is called "god of this age". He is not the true God. He is a demon masquerading himself as god. Also, the meaning is that Satan is the "god" that this age wants. People prefer Satan as their "god" and "lord", because they love darkness, and they love sin. People think they are worshipping God, but they are actually worship the winding serpent. They love automony, and Satan gives them that illusion, while actually keeping them under his tyranny.

But Jesus Christ IS the Image of God. Jesus, the Lord of Light and Love and all things True and Holy and Righteous, is the True Image of God. 

V6: When we look to the face of Christ, we see the glory of God. We can see the face of Christ, because Christ is Man. But in beholding the Man, we see God Himself. We could never behold the face of God, or we would perish, as God has plainly told Moses. But in the face of Jesus the Man, we can see God. We can know God. We can have fellowship with God. We can enjoy Him and be close to Him. 

Paul says that it is God who has shone the light into our hearts. Indeed, this is new creation. The same amount of power and wisdom that was needed to created the universe, when God said, "Let there be LIGHT!" is what is required to recreate a single human heart. But nothing is impossible with God.

PRAYER: Lord, may you shine a great light of the Gospel of Christ in our hearts. Lord, we need a miracle. We need You to shine a light in our hearts. We need that same power and wisdom that you displayed when you created the universe, to recreate our hearts. Lord, recreate our hearts. Give us a heart that lives in pure and clean conscience before the sight of God and people. Cleanse our hearts from all impurities and love of darkness. Lord, remove the devil and his depraved hordes that keep us from seeing the Light of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But Lord, we thank you so much that we can now know You, through Your Beloved Son, who is God, but who is also Man, just like us. We love You, for your condescending love towards us! In Jesus Christ's Name, we pray. Amen!

V7: It is the Gospel that has the power, not the messengers of the Gospel.

V8-9: Not crushed, not despairing, not abandoned, not destroyed - for the sake of that treasure in earthenware jars. The invaluable treasure within prevents the jars from utter destruction.

V10-11: These afflictions are the marks of Christ's cross, but resurrection power also dwells in them also, not allowing them to be completely destroyed. Treasure in earthenware jars - is also the life that Christ lived on earth. Though Christ was the Glory of God Himself, He suffered the cross. The Apostles imitate that coexistence of weakness and strength.

V12: Death to the Apostles brings life to those who listened to them. And the same truth is known by all ministers and preachers of the Gospel. They taste some kind of death and trial, in order for them to be able to empathise and sympathise with the sufferings and trials of others - in order to make their preaching and service more effective. Those who are in ministry will know this. But we do it joyfully. Because through it we partake in the Image of Christ, who is the Image of God.

V15: For all these things are for your sake, in order that the grace that is increasing through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

This is similar to what Paul said a few chapters prior: 

while you also join in helping on our behalf by prayer, so that thanks may be given on our behalf by many persons for this gracious gift given to us through the help of many. (1:11). 

Paul had in mind that the ultimate goal and the benefit of the Christian life is to give thanks to the Lord for the grace that the Lord has provided. Thankgiving is not a means for something, for Paul. It is the end. "in order that ... may cause thanksgiving" "So that thanks may be given". The glorification and the worship and the praise of God is the end of all things. That's all we should aim for. That is all we need to live for.

V16-18: Inner person is being renewed. Why? Because the inner person sees Christ more and becomes more Christlike as the person goes through afflictions. Look at what is seen? Scars, bruises, poverty, homelessness, persecutions. But what is unseen? Through all these things becoming Christ-like, and seeing the glory of Christ. In other words, the veil of Satan (v4) is removed through Christ-like sufferings. Ironic, isn't it? We would think that sufferings would make us more blindness to God's glory. But no. Sufferings draw us nearer to Christ and Christ-likeness, and thus we do not lose heart. Moreover, we rejoice in our sufferings. For nothing can harm us completely. Nothing can ultimately do us evil!

Prayer: Lord, we indeed want to thank you. Thank you that even sufferings do not harm us ultimately. They make us more like Christ. Lord, indeed, we have this treasure of the life of God in weak vessels. But Lord, in living in such a way, we live the life of the cross - the cruciformed life. Indeed, Jesus was ashamed and put to the bitterest of deaths - but through what He did, we were eternally rescued from the agony of hell. We thank you for this power shining through weakness. We glorify you for your infinite, paradigm-shifting wisdom! We love you, Lord, for all that you are, and have done for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Devotional Commentary - Zechariah 1 - Return to God

V3: God responds to our returning. When we return, God returns. Draw near to God and God will draw near to you, as James says.

But how do we return? By understanding the death of Jesus Christ for our sins: 

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:24-25 ESV)

When we behold the love of Jesus Christ for our sins, that's we return. When we see how much Jesus loves us, that He sacrificed His life for us, we don't live our life however we want. No, we live for Him. The love of Christ controls us to love and live for Him, who loved us and died for us:

14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this:that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised

(2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV)

V4: To return to God is to return from our evil ways and deeds. It is to walk in good ways and to do good deeds. Goodness accords with returning to the Father. Those who return to God cannot but do that which is good and loving - because they see the love of the Father.

V6: The human prophets do not live on forever. But their word lives on forever because they are God's Words. Just as Abel "through his faith, though he died, he still speaks" (Hebrews 11:4 ESV). Indeed, "8 The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever" (Isaiah 40:8 HCSB).

What is the only way that we can live on forever? When we are born again by God's Word,  live by God's Word and  preach God's Word: "23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God" (1 Peter 1:23 ESV).

They repented. It is the enduring Word of the Gospel that makes people repent - return. It is the preached Word of Jesus Christ and His cross that makes people return from evil deeds to good deeds. 

Prayer: Father God, may your people return to you. May we return from evil deeds to good deeds. May we return from hatred to love. How may we do that, Lord? Only through the enduring Word: the enduring Word of the Gospel of Thine love towards us. Lord, you loved us, and your Son went to hell for us on the cross. Lord, when we behold that love, how can we not return? How can we not live under the reign of Thine love? Lord, help us, to return to You and Your Love, we pray in Jesus Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Heart Obesity

You have lived luxuriously on the land and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter (James 5:5 HCSB)

What we see in this verse is that our hearts can actually 'gain weight'. Luxury and self-indulgence makes our souls 'fat' for the day of slaughter. What does this mean? Through those things our souls become lifted up and prideful. Our hearts become puffed up in complacence and self-flattery, as luxurious and self-indulgent lifestyle deceives us into thinking that God is actually 'blessing' us by our prosperity and pleasures.

But we forget that farmers naturally feed their pigs and cattle the most right before the moment of their slaughter. Same it is with how God deals with those who live for luxury and pleasure. God makes the "rich" (as is the context in chapter 5:1-6) to 'think' that they are being divinely blessed, but only to destroy them with a stunning surprise on the Day of Judgment - like how Jesus Christ in His wisdom allows the Antichrist to worship himself and to have his 15 minutes of fame before he immediately proceeds to "destroy him with the breath of His mouth and will bring him to nothing with the brightness of His coming" (2 Thessalonians 2:8 HCSB). How frightening!

Even so, we must be afraid of this 'heart-obesity'. When we think everything in life is going right in luxury and self-indulgence, we must not dupe ourselves into thinking that it is the sign of God's positive favour, but instead have the wisdom to interpret it as God's alarm bells sounding. We must take heed when 'all is well', materially speaking! Rather, we must make our hearts slim in humility. Instead of luxury and self-indulgence we must give our luxury away for the sake of others and crucify our indulgence for the sake of painful service for others.

So then, let us 'exercise' our hearts! Let us run the race, holding on to this precious rule of the cross: "the one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25 HCSB)