Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ - Joshua 5:14
As we survey the Old Testament this week, one of the passages we will encounter gives instructions to circumcise all the Israelite soldiers before they go to battle. On the one hand, this makes no military sense. Blood loss from surgery would weaken the army, and it would take extra time for the men to regain strength. But the surgery God required would show God’s strength through Israel’s weakness.
Before wielding his sword against the peoples of Canaan, God used it (in a sense) on His own people. God is king, and God invites us to submit to His kingly rule and reign. He even says that He’s on nobody’s side. In another sense, God is only on the side of those who choose to humble themselves before Him. By asking for the sign of circumcision, God called Israel to affirm their commitment and to show they belonged to him, body and soul.
In this new series called For Thine is the Kingdom, we are going to see that God is asking the same of us. How are we living in such a way that we are showing our commitment to the kingdom of God? Do we live for God’s kingdom? Or do we live for earthly kingdoms? Political kingdoms? Our own kingdoms?
As we survey the Bible for God’s view of the Kingdom, we pray for a better understanding of how God is in control, and how we should submit ourselves to His reign and rule in our lives. I look forward to seeing you in person or online. As always, keep up the great work of inviting friends and neighbors as that has been the way we’ve seen our church growing!
As we survey the Old Testament this week, one of the passages we will encounter gives instructions to circumcise all the Israelite soldiers before they go to battle. On the one hand, this makes no military sense. Blood loss from surgery would weaken the army, and it would take extra time for the men to regain strength. But the surgery God required would show God’s strength through Israel’s weakness.
Before wielding his sword against the peoples of Canaan, God used it (in a sense) on His own people. God is king, and God invites us to submit to His kingly rule and reign. He even says that He’s on nobody’s side. In another sense, God is only on the side of those who choose to humble themselves before Him. By asking for the sign of circumcision, God called Israel to affirm their commitment and to show they belonged to him, body and soul.
In this new series called For Thine is the Kingdom, we are going to see that God is asking the same of us. How are we living in such a way that we are showing our commitment to the kingdom of God? Do we live for God’s kingdom? Or do we live for earthly kingdoms? Political kingdoms? Our own kingdoms?
As we survey the Bible for God’s view of the Kingdom, we pray for a better understanding of how God is in control, and how we should submit ourselves to His reign and rule in our lives. I look forward to seeing you in person or online. As always, keep up the great work of inviting friends and neighbors as that has been the way we’ve seen our church growing!
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