Sometimes God Gives Very Inefficient Commands

Flint Knives

Joshua had just crossed the Jordan river to conquer the Promised Land. And God immediately asked Joshua to circumcise all of the men of Israel.

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time." So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth... When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. (Joshua 5:3-8)

This command by God was hugely inefficient because it exposed to entire army to attack since all of the men who could fight were incapacitated. Men who are circumcised are out of commission for at least a week because they cannnot run or fight (Genesis 34:25).

And, just think of how silly it sounds. Imagine you enter a foreign land, ready to attack and conquer it, and your commander asks you to drop your pants, and without anesthetics, to cut off a part of your private part. Then, you have to wait for it to heal without any use of modern medicine while the enemy can attack your base because you are defenseless and exposed. Ludicrous and inefficient.

God commands what he commands because he is not concerned with sounding ludicrous or being efficient. He is concerned to ensure that we are a people set apart for him.

Today

The story of Joshua circumcising the men of Israel still applies to us today. The task of taking over the Promised Land was huge and stressful. We are not called, today, to conquer with sword as they were, but many of still feel the same stress because we feel that we have been given an unaccomplishable task. I think God does that whatever stage of life we are in or whatever our calling to force us to rely on him.

It is part of the human condition and in the very air we breathe. Ask around. I don't know of anyone who says that life is a breeze and that they are not stressed out. And as Christians, the more stressed out we are, the more we are tempted to give less time to setting ourselves apart for God instead of spending more time setting ourselves apart for God.

Have you ever been stressed out at work because of a huge dead line? The world tells us to spend all the time possible working to meet a deadline. But God tell us to honor him first by giving him the best of our time, and then we must work at our jobs with all our might for his glory.

Were you ever a student stressed out about an upcoming exam? The world tells us to spend all the time possible studying to get the best grades possible. But God tells us to honor him first by studying his Word with the best hours of our day, and then we must do our best in school to reflect his glory.

It seems that God is not concerned with efficiency. We are commanded, today, to honor God first because we are a people set apart for God, just like Joshua and the nation of Israel.