Rolled Away

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Stones being rolled away by a glacier river in the Canadian Rockies. 


Scripture:

When the circumcising of all the nation was done, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.
(Josh. 5:8–9 NRSV)

Observation:

The people of Israel had crossed over the Jordan and were not in the land of Canaan. It was time for God’s people to cut all ties with Egypt, and to be entirely consecrated to God. The symbol of this consecration was to be circumcision. Evidently this had not been practiced while they were in the wilderness, in some ways marking the fact that they had adapted themselves to Egypt. Now, there was to be a wholehearted separation from Egypt and a complete and total uniting to God. 

It took some time to heal after the procedure, but this was a significant moment in the life of the Israelites. In that time and place, God rolled away the disgrace that they had carried with them from Egypt and they were made entirely new in him. Their circumcision was symbolic of their new life in God. The sins of the past are rolled away. It was here, in the same place where they had put up the twelve stones as a marker and reminder of what God had done for them. Later, it would be at this same place that Saul would be crowned the first king of the Israelite nation. 

Application:

I remember learning this song as a child:

Rolled away, rolled away, rolled away,
Every burden of my heart rolled away.
Rolled away, rolled away, rolled away,
Every burden of my heart rolled away.
Every sin had to go,
Neath the crimson flow, HALLELUJAH!
Rolled away, rolled away, rolled away,
Every burden of my heart rolled away.

It was kind of catchy and fun to sing. In my child’s mind I could see the things I had done all rolled up in a ball and rolling down a hill. Jesus was on the cross on the top of that hill, and because of what he did, the burdens could just roll away.

The reality is that this imagery comes to us long before Jesus. Here, in the Old Testament, God is revealing incredible love and the hope of entire sanctification. The people had been saved, they had crossed over into the promised land and yet, somewhere in their hearts they still had this affinity for Egypt. It clung to them like a power that would not let them go. They continually longed for the old country where they had become accustomed to the Egyptian culture. God promised them something so much better, but they weren’t quite seeing it.

The world is constantly enticing us with the culture. It’s easy to slip into the mold and find a place of comfort, but God has so much more for us. We don’t have to be held by the thoughts, ideas, worries and anxieties that the world is throwing our way. John Wesley referred to it as circumcision of the heart: a procedure done at the hand of God that removes, or rolls away, all that makes us cling to our Egypt. Instead, a new covenant is written in our flesh and the things of our past no longer have any hold or sway over us. The burdens are rolled away, gone forever. 

The result is God, glorified, and a life set free from our own guilt and shame. The Israelites had to be willing to go through the process, and so must we. It was painful and there was a time needed for healing, but God remained faithful and provided for their every need. The promise of Gilgal is still available today, and our burdens can be rolled away.

Prayer:


Lord, thank you for your promises, both then and now. Amen. 

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