Joshua 5:7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead,
them
Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not
circumcised them by the way.
Joshua 4:1-10 (1) And it came to pass, when all the people
were clean
passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, (2)
Take
you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, (3)
And
command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out
of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye
shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place,
where ye shall lodge this night.
(9) And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in
the
place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant
stood: and they are there unto this day.
THE STONES that were removed from where the priests’ feet stood
in
carrying the ark that opened the Jordan SPEAK OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION
WHO WERE ENTERING THE KINGDOM.
The stones that were laid there at the place of their feet IN THE
JORDAN speak of the ELDERS who never made it into the Kingdom Land.
- It is like THEIR DEATHS were said to occur there, for it was only
after they died that Israel could cross into Canaan, and the Ark could
open up the River.
- That means the ARK standing in the opened River MARKED THE DEATHS
OF THE ELDERS, so to speak.
- The children were distinctly said to BE IN THE STEAD of the
elders who died.
They replaced the elders.
They entered the KINGDOM when the elders should have done so.
- Even way back at this time we see a picture of what happened in
Christ’s time when He was rejected and the Kingdom was given to
another
nation and removed from the religious leaders of Israel.
Mat 21:43 (43) Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall
be
taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
(AD70 saw the ELDERS DIE – the law-keeping followers of MOSES
– AND CHRIST CAME IN THE POWER OF HIS KINGDOM!).
It was like Canaan was taken from the elders and given to the younger
generation.
The CROSS offered people TWO CUPS OF WINE.
- This represents TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE in relation to the CROSS, and
their OPPOSITE DEALINGS FROM GOD BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE
CROSS.
- When Israel would crucify the Lord, Jesus said they would fill
the cup of the measure of their fathers who slew prophets.
- And Israel would have the guilt of all blood shed on the earth.
Matthew 23:32-35 Fill ye up then the measure of your
fathers. (33)
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation
of hell? (34) Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets,
and wise
men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some
of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from
city to city: (35) That upon you may come all the righteous
blood
shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of
Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the
altar.
Revelation 18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double
unto
her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled
fill to her double.
Jerusalem was a faithful city.
Isaiah 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was
full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
God accused Jerusalem of being a WIDOW – slew her husband, Christ.
Lamentations 1:1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of
people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the
nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
Like Jerusalem refused to accept that since she rejected Jesus and did
not believe He was Her bridegroom, and said she was instead a queen.
Revelation 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived
deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her
heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet
colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a
golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her
fornication:
Revelation 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the
saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her,
I wondered with great admiration.
Revelation 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and
of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Revelation 18:24 says the harlot city had within her all the blood shed
on the earth after her death which is what Jesus said Jerusalem was
guilty of in Matt 23:35.
We continue to read of Jerusalem DRINKING FROM A CUP.
Revelation 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of
God,
which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation;
and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of
the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts,
and
the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance
before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of
his wrath.
The ONE CROSS afforded ONE PEOPLE the CUP OF WINE OF WRATH.
- THE OTHER PEOPLE THE CUP OF BLESSING.
1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not
the
communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not
the communion of the body of Christ?
The cup of BLESSING is a cup of WINE also, but it is not wrath.
- It’s the blood of Jesus Christ, the new testament was in
His blood, or it was instituted by HIS DEATH on the cross.
The cup of wrath or cup of blessing both extend from the CROSS.
- Israel’s rejection of Christ climaxed at the cross while
our faith in Him climaxes at the same cross.
- BUT IT MEANS WRATH FOR THEM AND BLESSING FOR US!
- THE SAME CROSS.
- This is the reason the stones were both removed from the place of
the ARK in the Jordan as well as PLACED at the place of the ARK.
It all focused around the cross.
- The one cross was a means of blessing to the Church and cursing
to that generation of Israel at that time.
It was the downfall and destruction of one people who missed the
kingdom and the uprising of another who inherited it instead!
Numbers 14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this
land, to
fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey?
were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
Numbers 14:31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a
prey,
them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have
despised.
SIMILARLY we read Jesus say….
Matthew 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood
be on us, and on our children.
Luke 23:28-30 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of
Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your
children. (29) For, behold, the days are coming, in the
which they
shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and
the paps which never gave suck. (30) Then shall they begin
to say to
the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
God did indeed raise up stones as Children of Abraham as signified by
the STONES at the Jordan where ISRAEL REMOVED 12 and took them out of
Jordan and put 12 other stones where the 12 were removed.
Joshua 5:6-7 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the
wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of
Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD:
unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which
the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that
floweth with milk and honey. (7) And their children, whom
he raised
up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were
uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
The circumcision is directly related to YOUTH REPLACING THE ELDERS.
JUST LIKE THE STONES!
THE CROSS DID IT ALL.
He REPLACED PEOPLE who SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE KINGDOM, with others BY
THE CROSS!
- And he made these others into children of Abraham BY THE CROSS.
Galatians 3:6-10 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to
him for righteousness. (7) Know ye therefore that they
which are of
faith, the same are the children of Abraham. (8) And the
scripture,
foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached
before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be
blessed. (9) So then they which be of faith are blessed
with faithful
Abraham. (10) For as many as are of the works of the law
are under
the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not
in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
And we see the concept of BLESSING AND CURSING.
- The elders spoke of the unbelieving Jews who religiously rejected
Jesus and the cross.
- The younger speaks of the BLESSED people who accepted Jesus
INSTEAD OF THE UNBELIEVERS, and took their place they should have had
in the Kingdom!
- It is the difference of LAW opposed to GRACE!
The replacement stones were set up in GILGAL where the youth were
finally circumcised after having never been circumcised after
their
births during the journey.
Joshua 5:7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead,
them
Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not
circumcised them by the way.
PASSAGE INTO THE KINGDOM occurred when the elders doubted and discarded
the Kingdom and DIED, when the youth were circumcised and ENTERED.
Circumcision is spiritually said to occur when BODY OF SINS OF THE
FLESH are removed.
- That elder group represented the BODY OF THE SINS OF THE FLESH
that had to be removed.
- The elders DIED IN THEIR SINS.
- I am glad that I will not die in my sins since JESUS TOOK MY SINS!
GILGAL MEANS rolling.
- As the youth were circumcised, the sins were rolled away.
- The reproach of Egypt was rolled away.
- The ELDERS were the reproach of Egypt.
- They DIED and this was related to the CIRCUMCISION of FREMOVAL OF
FLESHLY SINS.
THE REPROACH OF EGYPT.
Some say Egypt taunted them that they could not be involved in Passover
nor circumcision due to their disobedience.
- But it seems more likely that THEY WERE LIKE EGYPTIANS WITHOUT
CIRCUMCISION until this was finally removed when they were circumcised.
- It is like WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD with carnality and
sinfulness, until we get that circumcised from our lives and ENTER
KINGDOM LIVING!
Romans 11:17-23 And if some of the branches be broken off, and
thou,
being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them
partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; (18)
Boast not
against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but
the root thee. (19) Thou wilt say then, The branches were
broken off,
that I might be graffed in. (20) Well; because of unbelief
they were
broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but
fear:
(21) For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest
he
also spare not thee. (22) Behold therefore the goodness and
severity
of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if
thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut
off.
(23) And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be
graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
Let us ever remain HUMBLE and THANKFUL for inclusion as Children of
Abraham.
And there is a CURSING for Law, and a BLESSING for faith!
- Those under Law could not accept Jesus, and crucified Him, and
were cursed.
- We crucified Him, too, but not purposely, but because of our
sins, and it is only said that we crucified Him but for a very
different reason!
- Our crucifixion of Him was like OUR OFFERING FOR OUR SINS TO BE
REMOVED!
- AND THAT WAS IN FAITH, and AWARDED US A BLESSING, to be children
of Abraham.
Like the ARK LATER STOOD BETWEEN BLESSING AND CURSING.
Deuteronomy 27:2-4 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass
over
Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou
shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:
(3)
And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art
passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy
God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD
God of thy fathers hath promised thee. (4) Therefore it
shall be when
ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I
command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with
plaister.
Deuteronomy 27:12-13 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to
bless the
people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and
Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: (13) And these shall
stand upon
mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and
Naphtali.
No Law on GERIZIM and BLESSING!
- Law was on EBAL WITH CURSING!
Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the
law
by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to
him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto
God.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are
not under the law, but under grace.
Galatians 3:23-25 But before faith came, we were kept under the
law,
shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
(24)
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. (25) But after that faith is
come, we
are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Deuteronomy 27:12-13 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to
bless the
people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and
Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: (13) And these shall
stand upon
mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and
Naphtali.
On mount Gerizim (now Jebel-et-Tur) were stationed the descendants of
Rachel and Leah, the two principal wives of Jacob, and to them was
assigned the most pleasant and honorable office of pronouncing the
benedictions;…
- While on the twin hill of Ebal (now Imad-el-Deen) were placed the
posterity of the two secondary wives, Zilpah and Bilhah, with those of
Reuben, who had lost the primogeniture, and Zebulun, Leah’s
youngest
son; to them was committed the necessary but painful duty of
pronouncing the maledictions (see on Jdg_9:7)
The children of the FREEWOMEN, Leah and Rachel, stood where the
blessings were, except for Leah’s youngest son Zebulun and Reuben
who
lost the birthright.
- Leah’s youngest son Zebulun and Reuben plus the sons of the
handmaids were on Mount Ebal.
- They had six trobes on each mountain and this division showed
favour and disfavor, depending on the circumstances of the 12 children
who became the tribes, including their mothers if they were free or
not, and their personal lives, whether they had favour or not.
It’s just like the picture of Abraham’s sons’ two
mothers.
Galatians 4:22-23 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons,
the
one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. (23) But he
who was of
the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by
promise.
Those born of Sarah represent the children of the freewoman, IN THE
CHURCH.
- Those born of Hagar represent those in bondage UNDER LAW.
- And Paul said those Jews under law who persecuted the church were
like Ishmael, Hagar’s son, who persecuted Isaac the son of Sarah.
So even in this picture of who stood on which mountain of
blessing or
cursing shows the same picture of FIRST CENTURY JUDGMENT in reaction to
Jesus and the cross.
And while John was BAPTIZING AT JORDAN where these two sets of stones
were the memorial – the people who doubted and died and the
younger who
believed and entered the KINGDOM -- , and the ARK stood in symbol of
the crucifixion of Jesus…
The ark was where John BAPTIZED, and the Ark had blood of atonement on
it which speaks of Jesus…. So the entire picture shows baptism
pointing
to Jesus’ death and the blood of atonement pointing to
Jesus’ death.
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,
that
the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve
sin.
Colossians 2:11-12 In whom also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of
the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (12) Buried with
him in
baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
This ties the ARK with BAPTISM pointing to JESUS.
Joshua 8:33-34 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers,
and
their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the
priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as
well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over
against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as
Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should
bless the people of Israel. (34) And afterward he read all
the words
of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is
written in the book of the law.
THE ARK WAS BETWEEN BOTH MOUNTAINS.
- Cursing on one Mountain and Blessing on the other!
- Which side of the cross are you on?
- The elders died in the wilderness this side Jordan and the youth
lived in the promised land the other side of Jordan!
- THIS IS WHERE WE CAME FROM!
- THE CUTTING OFF OF ONE PEOPLE AND THE OTHERS WHO ROSE UP INSTEAD.
- IT WAS ONLY THE UNBELIEVING THAT WERE CUT OFF, THOUGH.
Romans 11:1-2 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God
forbid.
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin. (2) God hath not cast away his people which he
foreknew.
Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh
intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Romans 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he
seeketh
for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should
fall? God
forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the
Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.