吉甲的功课
约书亚记五章1至9节
1约但河西亚摩利人的诸王和靠海迦南人的诸王，听见耶和华在以色列人前面使约但河的水干了，等到我们过去，他们的心因以色列人的缘故就消化了，不再有胆气。
2那时，耶和华吩咐约书亚说：你制造火石刀，第二次给以色列人行割礼。
3约书亚就制造了火石刀，在除皮山那里给以色列人行割礼。
4约书亚行割礼的缘故，是因为从埃及出来的众民，就是一切能打仗的男丁，出了埃及以后，都死在旷野的路上。
5因为出来的众民都受过割礼；惟独出埃及以后、在旷野的路上所生的众民都没有受过割礼。
6以色列人在旷野走了四十年，等到国民，就是出埃及的兵丁，都消灭了，因为他们没有听从耶和华的话。耶和华曾向他们起誓，必不容他们看见耶和华向他们列祖起誓、应许赐给我们的地，就是流奶与蜜之地。
7他们的子孙，就是耶和华所兴起来接续他们的，都没有受过割礼；因为在路上没有给他们行割礼，约书亚这才给他们行了。
8国民都受完了割礼，就住在营中自己的地方，等到痊愈了。
9耶和华对约书亚说：我今日将埃及的羞辱从你们身上辊去了。因此，那地方名叫吉甲（吉甲就是辊的意思），直到今日。
信息分享
以色死民如今已来到约旦河的西岸。自他们在四十年前出埃及至今，他们终于正式进入了应许之地。
此刻似乎是他们向前进迈进的大好时机，因为前路好像已经为他们敞开。可是，神却对他们说：「暂且止步。你们在继续向前走以先，我要吩咐你们做几件事。我还有一些功课要你们学会呢。」
神要以色列民在吉甲学些甚么呢？吉甲虽然只是一个营地，神吩咐以色列民在那里安营暂居；然而，它后来却变成了他们的一个圣地，他们经常回去记念神为他们所成就的作为。
神究竟要他们做些甚么呢？神对他们说：「你们忘记做一件重要的事，是你们必须做的，就是你们的男丁，要在身上留下那个属于我的记号。」神要以色列男丁留下的记号，就是要他们行割礼。在很久以前，当神与亚伯拉罕立约的时候，神便要他和他后代的所有男丁受割礼，以此为立约的凭据。这是属于旧约以色列人的习俗，今天的基督徒无须遵守。
然而，神既然吩咐以色列民行割礼，他们便立即听命而行。他们在进入迦南的初期，对神提出的命令总是反应热烈的，他们仿佛是对神说：「神啊，无论你吩咐我们做甚么，我们都会立即遵行。你想我们做甚么，尽管说吧！」这种热切遵行神命令的心态，是否很难得呢！
初信的基督徒往往很乐于遵从神的教导；可是，信主的年日愈久，便可能会慢慢失去热切的心。我们会变得苟且和散漫。于是，神要采取激烈的行动来管教我们，让我们经历痛苦的磨练之后，再次愿意怀着一颗喜乐的心去快快遵行神的教导。
我们怎能避免自己陷入这种轻漫和苟且的态度呢？每日读经、祈祷，祈求神的帮助和管教，以及积极地参与事奉，都会对我们有所帮助。但最重要的，是我们要先有一颗爱神的心，才会乐于遵从神。
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.