Joshua 5:7
“And He raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. Until this time they were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.”
This was a symbol of the covenant God made with Abraham in Genesis 17:10, “This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.” Today some see baptism as a similar ritual. It’s an outward ritual symbolizing and inner change.
However, it’s possible to go through this ritual, but not mean it. That’s why Moses said this to his people in Deuteronomy 10:16, “Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.” He recognizes they performed the ritual, but they aren’t living as if they did. The intent is that they would be God fearing. They are accused of not listening to Him, but doing what they want stubbornly.
Are we listening to the Lord, are we obeying Him? If not, we might not be His child. If we are, then we aren’t walking in obedience. The phrase, stiff necked, is a good picture. We are doing what we want, not necessarily what God wants. David warned against this in Psalm 32:9, “Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.” That is a picture of being stiff necked.
David said they have no understanding. Let that not be us. We are to be in His Word. Seeking Him. That is a major theme with David. He introduces in his first Psalm, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”, (vv. 1-3).
This Psalm speaks of the three people we are to avoid, sinners, the ungodly and the scornful. He doesn’t mean they aren’t to be connected with, but they aren’t to be our peers. Paul gives some insight here in I Corinthians 5:9-11, “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people; I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or a greedy person, or an idolater, or is verbally abusive, or habitually drunk, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a person.” We are to connect with those who don’t follow God as that will be how we share with them. The Psalm says these aren’t to be our buddies. It wouldn’t be consistent as we are to be immersed in God’s Word, which wouldn’t fit with those who disobey God. Neither of us could stand each other. Either they or we would have to conform. It would be a travesty if it were us. We would no longer be a tree planted by the river of water, but would intentionally entering a spiritual drought.
Lord, help us to be those who are sincere in our faith, like those who not only go through the rituals of faith, but mean it.