吉甲的功課
約書亞記五章1至9節
1約但河西亞摩利人的諸王和靠海迦南人的諸王，聽見耶和華在以色列人前面使約但河的水乾了，等到我們過去，他們的心因以色列人的緣故就消化了，不再有膽氣。
2那時，耶和華吩咐約書亞說：你製造火石刀，第二次給以色列人行割禮。
3約書亞就製造了火石刀，在除皮山那裡給以色列人行割禮。
4約書亞行割禮的緣故，是因為從埃及出來的眾民，就是一切能打仗的男丁，出了埃及以後，都死在曠野的路上。
5因為出來的眾民都受過割禮；惟獨出埃及以後、在曠野的路上所生的眾民都沒有受過割禮。
6以色列人在曠野走了四十年，等到國民，就是出埃及的兵丁，都消滅了，因為他們沒有聽從耶和華的話。耶和華曾向他們起誓，必不容他們看見耶和華向他們列祖起誓、應許賜給我們的地，就是流奶與蜜之地。
7他們的子孫，就是耶和華所興起來接續他們的，都沒有受過割禮；因為在路上沒有給他們行割禮，約書亞這才給他們行了。
8國民都受完了割禮，就住在營中自己的地方，等到痊愈了。
9耶和華對約書亞說：我今日將埃及的羞辱從你們身上輥去了。因此，那地方名叫吉甲（吉甲就是輥的意思），直到今日。
信息分享
以色死民如今已來到約旦河的西岸。自他們在四十年前出埃及至今，他們終於正式進入了應許之地。
此刻似乎是他們向前進邁進的大好時機，因為前路好像已經為他們敞開。可是，神卻對他們說：「暫且止步。你們在繼續向前走以先，我要吩咐你們做幾件事。我還有一些功課要你們學會呢。」
神要以色列民在吉甲學些甚麼呢？吉甲雖然只是一個營地，神吩咐以色列民在那裡安營暫居；然而，它後來卻變成了他們的一個聖地，他們經常回去記念神為他們所成就的作為。
神究竟要他們做些甚麼呢？神對他們說：「你們忘記做一件重要的事，是你們必須做的，就是你們的男丁，要在身上留下那個屬於我的記號。」神要以色列男丁留下的記號，就是要他們行割禮。在很久以前，當神與亞伯拉罕立約的時候，神便要他和他後代的所有男丁受割禮，以此為立約的憑據。這是屬於舊約以色列人的習俗，今天的基督徒無須遵守。
然而，神既然吩咐以色列民行割禮，他們便立即聽命而行。他們在進入迦南的初期，對神提出的命令總是反應熱烈的，他們彷彿是對神說：「神啊，無論你吩咐我們做甚麼，我們都會立即遵行。你想我們做甚麼，儘管說吧！」這種熱切遵行神命令的心態，是否很難得呢！
初信的基督徒往往很樂於遵從神的教導；可是，信主的年日愈久，便可能會慢慢失去熱切的心。我們會變得苟且和散漫。於是，神要採取激烈的行動來管教我們，讓我們經歷痛苦的磨練之後，再次願意懷著一顆喜樂的心去快快遵行神的教導。
我們怎能避免自己陷入這種輕漫和苟且的態度呢？每日讀經、祈禱，祈求神的幫助和管教，以及積極地參與事奉，都會對我們有所幫助。但最重要的，是我們要先有一顆愛神的心，才會樂於遵從神。
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO GILGAL?
Joshua 5:1-9
1 So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.
2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.”
3 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt.
5 For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD—to whom the LORD swore that He would not show them the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
7 Then Joshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
8 So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed.
9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.
Message
Our story opens with the Children of Israel on the west side of the river Jordan. They have put their feet on the promised land at last, forty years after leaving Egypt.
It would seem that now was the right time to move ahead. The way appeared to be open before them. BUT God said, "Just wait a moment. There are several important matters to attend to before you move on. I have some more lessons for you to learn.'
What lessons did they have to learn at Gilgal? Though it was a cramping ground, it became holy ground to the people of Israel. Time and time again they returned there.
God said to them, 'There is something you have neglected. There is something you haven't done. I want you to apply to yourselves again the mark and seal that you belong to me.' That mark for the Jewish people was circumcision. God had given that custom to Abraham and the Children of Israel. It is one of those things which belong to Old Testament Israel and is not necessary for Christians.
However, God wanted them to do it, and they quickly obeyed. There seems to have been an eagerness in those early days in Canaan to do whatever God asked. 'Anything, Lord, as long as it is your will.' Isn't that a wonderful spirit?
Young Christians are usually anxious to do whatever God asks. But as we get older, we sometimes become less eager to do God's will. We settle down and begin to take life easy. Then God has to do something drastic, something painful, something personal, to make us willing once more to do his will gladly and immediately.
What can we do to prevent this settling down in our Christian life? Daily prayer and Bible reading will help. The openness of our hearts before God will help. Active service for Christ will help. Most of all we must renew our love for God himself and have a willingness for his will now and always.