King James Daily Bible Study: Suffering Reproach
Date: Monday March 14, 2011
Chapters: Joshua 4-6
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-march-14
Details of Today's Reading: Twelve men carry twelve stones from the Jordan to Gilgal, circumcision of the men, the Passover, the Captain of the Lord's host, the walls of Jericho fall, the Israelites defeat the people in Jericho, Rehab and her family are spared.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
The word reproach is defined as to find fault with, to be a cause of blame or discredit to. We all have done something that we are either are the blame of, blame ourselves for, or blame others for. While we can sit here and dwell on what we could have or should have done, the important thing to remember is that we can not do anything about the past, but we can do something about the future. How we handle reproach determines not only our outlook on life, but those around us as well. The Bible says, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer...For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” - I Timothy 4:4,5,10. Everything we go through, whether we have done it ourselves or someone has done it to us, happens for a reason and has a purpose, therefore, we are to be thankful each and every time we suffer reproach.

The Israelites had just miraculously passed over the Jordan, imagine the excitement and fear, after all, the Canaanites already knew they were coming and ready for battle. The very first thing that God commanded them to do was gather twelve stones out of the Jordan.

“And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 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...And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.” - Joshua 4:1-3, 21-24.

The twelve stones from the twelve tribes from the Jordan was a token, a reminder, of the twelve tribes that the Almighty God miraculously sent over the Jordan by dividing it and allowing them to walk on dry land through it, just as He did when the first generation crossed over the Red Sea with Moses over forty years ago. God will often give us tokens, reminders, of what He has brought us through. While He is a forgiving and forgetful God He does allow us to keep in remembrance some of the things that we did and He has gotten us out of over the years. Why? To keep us obedient and to also be a testimony for others to follow. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used...For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”- Hebrews 10:31-33,36.

Before the Israelite men were to go any further they had to be circumcised, circumcision was a command from God upon every male born. It was done for several reasons, including cleansing and identifying a male as one of God's, whether he was an Israelite or not. In the forty years that the new generation had been wandering the wilderness none had been circumcised and this is why God commanded it to be done.

“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. And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole. And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.” - Joshua 5:7-9.

Circumcision was done mainly as an act of cleansing, but circumcision is not just for males, it is for females as well, not physically, but spiritually. The only way to be circumcised spiritually is by the cleansing of the blood of Christ. “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 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:..Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” - Colossians 2:10,11,14. Every sin committed was taken to the cross with Jesus when He died for you. Calling on Jesus Christ circumcises, cleanses, you from those sins. Your acceptance of Christ and what He has done in your life upon doing so is a token that should never be forgotten and is a wonderful testimony for all to follow.

Let's face it, no one is perfect, we can not please everyone nor can we avoid offending some one from time to time because we all carry around this flesh that is full of emotions, past guilt, pride, and anger or bitterness. We are going to suffer reproach because of this, but it's not over, God has a plan for you. “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” - Romans 8:27-29.

You are a child of God, therefore, He is going to allow you to suffer reproach from time to time in order to conform you into the likeness of His Son. Like Jesus, God has a great purpose for you, but until all the hindrances are removed He will only take you so far. Are you holding on to something from your past or even recently that you can not let go of? It's time to give thanks to God for it and release yourself from it. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6,7. Thank God for getting you through it and what He has taught you, thank Him for how much stronger and wiser He has made you and for bringing you closer to Him. Thank Him for even caring enough to put you through those things because He does not want you to suffer far worse had you continued.

Remember, God is with you and loves you, He has forgotten all about what you have done, if you repented. He just wants you to never forget what He has taken you away from. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;.. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; ” - Ephesians 2:13,14,19.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through the Captain of the host of the Lord (5:14). Jesus is the Captain of our salvation. “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” - Hebrews 2:10.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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