ARISE Bible Breakdown
Theme: Covenant, consecration, transition, and alignment with God’s presence
Joshua 5 is a pause before the battle. The Israelites have crossed the Jordan, but before they can conquer anything, God brings them into alignment. This chapter is about getting spiritually ready for what’s next. It's about remembering who you are, who God is, and preparing to walk in covenant authority.
CIRCUMCISION & IDENTITY RESTORED
Joshua 5:2–9
“At that time the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelite men again.’”
—Joshua 5:2
The men born in the wilderness had never been circumcised, meaning they had no physical sign of the covenant.
Though they were born free, they hadn’t yet been marked as God’s own. Before battle, God restored their identity.
Verse 9 says: “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” This is about more than flesh—it’s about shame, slavery, and the residue of the past being removed.
ARISE Reflection:
God will often heal and seal before He sends. Circumcision in this season represents cutting away anything that doesn’t belong in your next.
Journal Prompt:
What is God asking me to cut off so I can walk fully in covenant identity?
SPIRITUAL OBEDIENCE OVER STRATEGY
Joshua 5:1–2
“When all the Amorite kings and Canaanite kings heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan... they lost heart and their courage failed.”
The enemy was terrified. The logical next move? Strike while they’re scared.
But God says pause. Circumcise. Heal. Rest. Before you fight, remember who you are.
ARISE Reflection:
Obedience will always outweigh opportunity. Just because the timing looks right doesn’t mean it’s God’s right time.
Journal Prompt:
Have I been rushing ahead of God out of fear or pressure?
FROM MANNA TO MEAT – A NEW PROVISION
Joshua 5:10–12
“The day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna ceased…”
For 40 years, manna fell from heaven. But once they ate from Canaan, the season of supernatural survival ended.
Now they had to work the land, plant, reap, and manage what God provided.
ARISE Reflection:
Provision changes in new seasons. What once came easy may now require stewardship. That’s not a punishment—it’s promotion.
Journal Prompt:
Is God shifting how He provides for me in this season? How should I respond?
CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART
Tie in: Deuteronomy 10:16, 30:6 & Jeremiah 4:4
“Circumcise your hearts… remove the callousness…”
God doesn’t just want behavior change—He wants a heart fully surrendered.
External signs must align with internal submission. This is heart holiness, not just head knowledge.
ARISE Reflection:
God is calling for a generation not just marked on the outside, but surrendered on the inside.
Journal Prompt:
Are there areas in my heart that need spiritual surgery?
HOLY GROUND BEFORE THE BATTLE
📖Joshua 5:13–15
“Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”
Joshua meets the Commander of the Lord’s Army—a theophany (a visible appearance of God).
Joshua asks, “Are You for us or against us?” The reply: “Neither… I’m here as Commander of the Lord’s Army.”
This moment reframes everything: God doesn’t join our plans—we must align with His.
ARISE Reflection:
Victory doesn’t come by asking God to bless your battles. It comes by bowing in surrender to the One who commands them.
Journal Prompt:
Have I been trying to get God on my side instead of submitting to His leadership?
Joshua 5 is about alignment before advancement. God brings us back to the basics—identity, obedience, provision, worship—before releasing us into promise and power. Let this chapter remind you that when God shifts your season, He’ll also shift your strategy.