Israel had experienced a great miracle, the enemy was frightened, and God was at work. Now was the time for action! But God told His people to wait.
以色列经历了一个大奇迹，敌人被吓坏了，而神在工作。现在就是行动的时候了！但神却告诉祂的子民要等待。
We Must Deal With The Past 我们必须埋葬过去 (1–9).
The new generation had not received the mark of the covenant (Gen. 17), so this ritual was a reaffirmation of their relationship with God. Circumcision symbolizes putting off what belongs to the sinful flesh (Rom. 8:13; Col. 2:11–12) and devoting the heart wholly to the Lord (Deut. 10:16; Jer. 4:4). The nation had experienced this collectively in crossing the Jordan, but it had to be made personal.
新一代的以色列人还未拥有立约的记号（创17），所以这个仪式再次肯定了他们与神的关系。割礼象征治死身体的恶行（罗8:13；西2:11-12），全心全意地侍奉主（申10:16；耶4:4）。以色列国渡过约旦河时一同经历这事，但他们至今需有个人的体会。
We Must Trust For The Present 我们至今必须相信 (10–12).
The nation stopped eating manna and started eating food that God naturally provided. There is a place for the miraculous, but God never wastes miracles. If we do the possible, He will do the impossible.
以色列国不再吃吗哪，开始吃神在自然界所提供的食物。世上是有神迹这事，但神从不浪费神迹。我们若行可办到的事，祂必行我们不可能做到的事。
We Must Submit For The Future 我们必须日后顺服(13–15).
Joshua met Jesus Christ and learned that the Lord already had a plan for taking Jericho. All Joshua had to do was obey and remember that he was on “holy ground.” From that time, whenever Joshua took off his shoes, it reminded him that he was second in command. That was the secret of his victory (2 Chron. 20:15).
约书亚遇见耶稣基督，得知主对攻下耶利哥城已有祂的计划。约书亚需要做的只是顺服并铭记自己就站在“圣地”上。从那刻起，每当约书亚脱下鞋子，这将提醒他自己是第二指挥官。这就是他胜利的秘诀（代下20:15）。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- The nation of Israel arrived safely on the other side of the Jordan River. Their crossing was a great miracle, and it sent a great message to the people of the land (5:1). The Canaanites were already afraid (2:9–11), and now their fears totally demoralized them. We would have expected Joshua to mobilize the army for immediate attack on Jericho. But God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isa. 55:8–9). He wanted them to wait for two weeks before attacking. If you were there, would you be willing to follow the Lord’s will? Let’s pray that we trust God rather than our wisdom.
以色列国安全抵达约旦河的对岸。他们渡河是一个大神迹，而这给迦南地人一个很大的信息（5:1）。迦南人原已非常害怕（2:9-11），如今完全因恐惧丧志了。我们或许以为约书亚这时当马上派出军队攻打耶利哥，但神的意念和道路高过我们（赛55:8-9）。神要他们等上两周才攻击。如果你当时在场，你是否愿意跟从主的旨意呢？让我们祈祷，愿我们能信靠神，而不依赖自己的智慧。
- Israel is a covenant nation, a privilege God has given to no other nation on earth (Rom. 9:4–5). Through this ritual the Jews became a “separated people” because they belonged to the true and living God and were under obligation to obey Him. The mark of the covenant reminded them that their bodies belonged to the Lord and were not to be used for sinful purposes. The Jews had not practiced circumcision during their years of wandering in the wilderness. 38 years before, at Kadesh Barnea, they had refused to believe God and enter the land (Deut. 2:14; Num. 13–14). Now the new generation was in their inheritance, it was important that they renew their covenant relationship with the Lord. Yet this physical operation on the body was meant to be a symbol of a spiritual operation on the heart. “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer” (Deut. 10:16). No amount of external surgery can change the inner person. It’s when we repent and turn to God for help that He can change our hearts and make us love and obey Him more. (Rom 2:25–29.) Let’s pray that our hearts are circumcised for Him.
以色列是一个有约在身的民族，这是其他国家没有的特权（罗9:4-5）。通过这个仪式，犹太人与列国“分别出来”，因为他们属于又真又活的神，并有义务顺服神。立约的记号提醒他们自己的身体属主，不得用于恶行。犹太人多年在旷野时尚未实行割礼。38年前，他们在加低斯巴尼亚拒绝相信神，拒绝进入那应许之地（申2:14；民13-14）。现在，这新一代站在他们的产业里，所有与主重新确立立约的关系是非常重要的。同时，这外在肉体的手术象征了内心属灵上的手术。“所以你们要将心里的污秽除掉，不可再硬着颈项”（申10:16）。然而，多少外在手术是无法改变内心的。只有当我们悔改转向神，祈求他帮助时，神才可以改变我们的心，让我们越加爱祂、顺服祂（罗2:25-29 ）。让我们祈祷，叫我们的心为神行真正的割礼。
