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November 27, 2000
By ROBERT FIGUEROA Holiness In An Ancient LandHave you ever wondered what holiness was like in the Old Testament? It would seem to be strict, and rugged, and at times could lead even up to death. Let's see what the land of Gilgal can offer us in our inspired Christian walk with the Lord. The land of Gilgal was the first conquered land for the new generation of Israelites. It was a land flowing with milk and honey. The name of the city means: wheel; or rolling away heap. To literally roll away the flesh. To understand the meaning of Gilgal let us go to the book of Joshua.
This day God declared a new name, for the conquered land they were in. It was to be named Gilgal. The reason for the naming of the land is because they obeyed God, by literally rolling off the flesh. They were circumcised. It also symbolically meant to abstain from the fleshly desires. The previous generation did not circumcise, in the wilderness. They lived by the flesh, and they murmured trying to satisfy, the needs of the flesh. Them being uncircumcised made them like the uncircumcised Egyptians, and the Hebrews forever considered all those who were uncircumcised, as being in a state of the grossest impurity. Today we live in a society that's all to willing to please the flesh. There's only a select few that are willing to be holy and different. But the Joshua generation, was a chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people. We too can be like this generation - if we go to Gilgal and cut away from the desires of the flesh. This day according to Joshua was pleasing to the Lord. "The reproach of Egypt" was rolled off of them. Being now circumcised, the reproach of uncircumcision was rolled away. They were no longer living in an Egyptian lifestyle. There were no ties to the pagan land, they were completely delivered from Egypt. Just as today we walk amongst the courts and palaces of modern day Egypt, yet we are not of this world. Gilgal was the precise location where the Israelites were circumcised. If we don't start our Spiritual journeys with Gilgal we won't recognize that the sin of our flesh exists and wants to damage us in our holy walk with Christ. We need to understand that the flesh in us wants to serve the world but the Spirit wants to serve God. We need to identify and put this member into subjection in order to overcome completely. In the old testament holiness was very important. Ultimately we will be like the former generation who perished in the wilderness if we live for the flesh. God demands us to be a Holy generation.
Let's go pass Gilgal. Amen!
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