There is a wonderful lesson in Israel’s being out of Jordan, and encamped in Gilgal. “And the people came out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border.” (Chap. 4:19.) In one sense this was redemption completed. The blood of the Lamb had been shed and sprinkled on the door post: and God had brought them through the Red sea out of Egypt, had delivered them from the power of the enemy. At the Jordan there was no blood-shedding sacrifice. Taking that river as a type of death, they had gone down into death with the ark; and they were now out of death with the ark. They do not pass the Jordan merely to taste the fruits of Canaan, the type of heaven, but they encamp there. This is the lesson we are so slow to learn. “Those stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.” How calmly the tribes could watch the returning river of death roll on behind them. They were encamped in the land.
Such is the place of the whole church of God. All do not know it, and few enjoy it. The precious blood of the Lamb of God has been shed. The believer has been brought by the Spirit of God to rest on that blood; as Israel did in Egypt. His sins are all blotted out, to be seen no more, like the Egyptians dead on the sea shore. The whole church can say, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7).) But this is not all. We are not only delivered from the power and guilt of sin and Satan, but reckoned dead with Christ, and risen with him. (Rom. 6; Col. 2; 3) What a completeness! “And ye are complete in him.” (Col. 2:1010And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10).) Having crossed the Jordan, they were in the inheritance. Canaan was their camping ground.
There are two things true of the believer, of the whole church of God. As the people of Israel were out of the Jordan and encamped in Canaan, so we “who were dead in sins, God hath quickened together with Christ [by grace ye are saved], and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:5, 65Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:5‑6).) We are thus in the heavenlies, and, oh, the riches of divine grace, we are made meet to be there. “Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” We would ask the reader then, Is heaven your encamping ground? Is heaven now your settled home? Not merely tasting the fruits of it, the grapes of Eshcol; the ark, that is Christ, is no longer in the Jordan of death. All the redeemed have passed through with Him. Now we can calmly look back at the river of death. Oh, how the billows went over His soul.
“Clean passed over.” For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan before you, until ye were passed over. Thus were the children of Israel to be taught by the memorial stones of Gilgal. Cannot we then calmly sit in the heaven-lies, as we break the memorial loaf, and thus look back on the river of death and judgment? God has brought us into our heavenly Canaan. Where is your camping ground—Egypt, wilderness, or Canaan? What a place; encamped in the land! “What mean these stones?” Were the fathers to say, By these we hope the Lord will bring us through Jordan into Canaan? This would have been as great folly as to say, What mean ye by this bread and wine? By this we hope to be made fit for heaven: the great folly of the sacramental system. No! what mean this bread and wine? These show forth that death, yes, the death of Jesus for us; that death also through which we have passed clean over. Dead with Christ, and risen with Christ. When Israel encamped in the land, all the kings of the Canaanites trembled. The church has only power over the enemy, as she encamps in the heavenlies. It is so with the individual believer. What grace to be there, and made meet! Israel encamped in Gilgal.
“At that time,” yes, “at that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives.” Those born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. The circumcised generation had died out. Is it so now, as the fathers are departing, has a generation come in that have not been practically circumcised? Wilderness experience rolls not away the reproach of Egypt. We must first encamp at Gilgal in the land. Dead and risen; the Jordan passed clean over. What grace that has made us one with that risen Man in heavenly glory. Encamped there; the reproach of Egypt is forever gone. But this is the very time and place for sharp knives. Many like old corn of the land far better than sharp knives. But sharp knives must be first in the land. Only do not mistake, we must encamp, before the sore work of sharp knives. Young brethren in Christ, it is giddy work if you go on to the old corn of heavenly truth without the sharp knives. Does not this account for much conceit, and despising of others? Have we really judged the flesh? Have our hearts been sore with self-abhorrence? We do not mean on account of wilderness sorrows; but as risen with Christ, encamped in Him in the heavenlies: has sin, vile self, been seen and hated, as He sees and abhors it? Now you know whether you are seeking to take possession with a heart filled with vain conceit, or accepting this place of wondrous grace, in deep self-circumcising judgment of the flesh! Sharp knives must be used, or there will be a great amount of vain profession, that will be blown to the winds.
Let us not forget the sharp knives of Gilgal: self-judgment. It is also worthy of note that if we would go forth in service and victory, it must ever be from the place of sharp knives. Joshua is found in the camp at Gilgal. “So Joshua ascended from Gilgal” as he went forth to victory. (Chap. 10:7.) And after all those scenes of service he returns “and all Israel with him to Gilgal.” (Ver. 43.) Self must be judged. The place of sharp knives is the place of strength. It is a wondrous place this Gilgal, in the land, clean over Jordan, encamped, self utterly judged, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh. Now we ask, Is this the place where we encamp? Is this our starting-point in all service? Is it the place to which we return and abide?
We may depart from this place of self-judgment, keeping the passover, and with lowliness, eating of the old corn of the land. When Israel departed from Gilgal they came to Bochim. (Judg. 2) This was the beginning of their departure and apostasy. Thus again we find declension. Joshua died, “and also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.” “And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers.” Was it not so when the apostles and that generation had fallen asleep! What utter departure before the close of the first century! Was it not so when the generation of the Reformers departed? Oh, you who are filling up the places of many ready to depart, if the Lord tarry a little longer, beware of leaving Gilgal. Do not forget the sharp knives of practical circumcision. It may seem a light thing to depart from Gilgal and the Lord, but to depart from Gilgal, the place of self-judgment, is to arrive at Bochim, the place of weeping and shame. Read this chapter (Judg. 2), “And an angel or messenger of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim.” Yes, we can only be messengers of the Lord to His children in sorrow and weeping, as we abide at Gilgal; the starting-place of all true service.
If we now turn to the epistles, we shall see how striking is the analogy. In Eph. 1 and 2 we have crossed the Jordan, and are in the heavenlies in Christ. In Colossians, we are circumcised with the circumcision of Christ, dead with Him, buried with Him, risen with Him. (Chaps, 2:11-13, 20; 3:1) But though to faith we are encamped in the heavenlies in Christ: yet as to fact, our bodies are on the earth. And hence the need of the sharp knives. Mortify your members; and put off all these. (Col. 3:5, 7-175Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (Colossians 3:5)
7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:7‑17)) Possession of the land, and sharp knives seemed a contradiction: it is so here. Made meet for the inheritance. (Chap. 1:12) Complete in Him. (Chap. 2:10) Dead with Christ. Risen with Christ. Encamped; and certain to come with Him. “When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
Yet this is the very place for sharp knives of Gilgal. “Mortify therefore.” The old man must have no quarter. He is utterly put off. “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” Having put off the old man by the circumcision of Christ; now put off, mortify all that belongs to him. And being risen with Christ, having put on the new man, now put on all that belongs to Him. (Read Col. 3:12, 1312Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. (Colossians 3:12‑13))
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” What words are these to those who have crossed the Jordan! Fighting they had, indeed Canaan was the place of conflict: and we also though not wrestling with flesh and blood as they: yet we truly need the whole armor of God, for the heavenlies at present is our fighting ground. (See Eph. 6:11-1811Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:11‑18).) But as all Israel in this figure were clean passed over Jordan, so this Epistle to the Colossians describes the whole church of God. It is not that some believers are dead and risen with Christ. No! see the whole church encamped in the heavenlies, death and judgment, as well as sins, sin, guilt and shame all behind. Why are we so slow to take possession?
Oh, those hateful spots, all the reproach of what we are as to the flesh, and all we ever were: all rolled away at the other side of the Jordan. Now seeing the whole church of God thus risen with Christ; let the peace of God rule in your hearts; not merely so, not only my heart is to be the throne of God, all subdued in perfect peace: the peace of God; but we are all called to this very peace in one body. Now look at the nation of Israel on the plains of Gilgal, and then look at all believers dead and risen with Christ, baptized by the Holy Ghost into one body, and in one body called to the rule of the peace of God.
Beloved reader, where are you? In the slavery of Egypt, or brought barely to take shelter from judgment by faith in the blood of the Lamb? Have you passed the Red sea: all your sins gone, to be remembered no more; separated from Egypt by the sea of death? Brought out. Are you quite sure you are out; separated from this world by the death of Christ? As the redeemed of the Lord are you traversing the wilderness longing for heaven? or have you passed clean over Jordan, and now in the land? Are you dead and risen with Christ, and thus have you entered in? Encamped in the land. There abide. Possession of the heaven-lies in Christ gives power to faith for self-judgment; and self-judgment is the starting-point of all real service. The Lord write these lessons on our hearts.