Chapter 5

                                                    Zipporah's Flint Knife

 

A holy temple built on a holy foundation can only be inhabited by a holy priesthood.  As we have seen in the previous chapter, YAHveh's righteous remnant will rejoice when it sees the plumb line of truth in Zerubbabel's hand.  This same remnant will also rejoice to see the flint knife that will circumcise their hearts in purity of worship and obedience to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The concept of circumcision needs to be understood from a biblical perspective, since the word has various uses in Scripture.  It's origin in the Old Testament represented YAHveh's seal of His covenant with Abraham.^[1]  But as we will see, YAHveh extended this covenant sign to have broader significance and ultimately to be applied, in spirit and in truth, to the Gentile remnant as well.

Circumcision was the outward sign that the individual's identity had a distinguishing mark which separated him from the world and consecrated him in total submission to the service of the Almighty.

Originally this sign of circumcision was for the physical foreskin, then later and more importantly it became an issue of one's heart.  The unseen circumcised heart would be outwardly marked by holy behavior and attitudes.  The circumcised heart would live distinctly differently and separately from the pagans who did not truly know, love, and worship YAHveh.

Whether YAHveh's truth comes to us in the form of a plumb line or as a flint knife, it sets His holy remnant free.  YAHshua longs to circumcise a people to Himself.  This circumcision of the heart is designed to separate us spiritually from the defilement of the world and its tainted religious systems and traditions.  A remnant, circumcised in heart and purified from defiling influences, will move from the outer court of religion into the Holy of Holies—the inner sanctum of YAHveh's glorious presence.

As we have seen, in the days of the Old Covenant, circumcision of the flesh was given as a symbolic foreshadowing of a more vital circumcision:  circumcision of the heart.  YAHveh requires circumcision of the heart for Jews and Gentiles—male and female, young and old—in order that we may live in His holy presence now and eternally.

"Moreover YAHveh your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love YAHveh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live [ultimately in the eternal Holy of Holies]."  (Dt 30:6)

 

 

                                               Circumcision of Heart Required

 

This may well be the last generation to be given opportunity and the privilege to enter the eternal Promised Land.  We are much like the Israelites, who had wandered for forty years following the Exodus from Egypt and were required to be circumcised again before they could receive their promised blessings.

After the Israelites miraculously crossed the Jordan, the Almighty said to Joshua, "'Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.'  So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath‑haaraloth [the hill of foreskins]"  (Jos 5:2-3).  Those who rebelled against YAHveh died in the desert.  Through forty years of wandering in the wilderness, YAHveh had purified and prepared a remnant who would heed His voice.  This generation had to be circumcised to the Holy One of Israel before they could partake of His memorial Passover Feast and enter and possess the Promised Land.

And their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; . . . Then YAHveh said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." . . .  (Jos 5:7, 9)

The Almighty looks at our hearts.  He is calling to men, women, and children who are willing to accept the flint knife of circumcision.  Circumcision of the heart will cut away our fleshly and worldly lusts, as well as deceptive doctrines and traditions.  It will make us one with Him through the Spirit of Truth.  This spirit is called the Ruach HaKodesh, which means "the spirit that separates."  The Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) separates the redeemed from all that is false and devised by men, and consecrates them into His priestly service.

Circumcision was and is a scriptural prerequisite for the people of YAHveh; Moses was no exception.  YAHveh anointed him as the deliverer of His chosen people and sent him to Pharaoh on behalf of the enslaved Hebrew nation.  At this dramatic juncture in biblical history, something unexpected happened:

Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that YAHveh met him and sought to put him to death.  Then Zipporah took a flint [knife] and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet . . .  (Ex 4:24-25)

Although Moses was called and anointed as the long-awaited deliverer of Israel, his great commission had come to a screeching halt.  The voice of the Mighty One said, in essence, "Stop everything!  First things first!  You forgot something!"  Moses had neglected to circumcise his son to YAHveh, the God of Israel.  The child had to be circumcised or there would be no deliverance and Passover for Israel.  The cutting away of foreskin was vital; it had to be accomplished before YAHveh's sovereign plan could be fulfilled for His Jewish people.

Zipporah, Moses' Gentile wife, came to his rescue.  She took the flint knife and circumcised the boy.  It was an unpleasant and painful task but it had to be done!  Moses was spared judgment, and Israel was delivered from bondage.

WANTED:  Zipporahs who are obedient to YAHveh and willing to use the flint knife of circumcision.

Today many congregations are filled with spiritual offspring who sit under leaders who have neglected to circumcise the hearts of the people.  Many religious leaders have been preoccupied with fulfilling their divine call.  They have been like Moses who neglected to circumcise and consecrate his offspring to the Holy One of Israel.  They have not uncompromisingly brought the full counsel of the Word of God.

Multitudes do not know Him as they should or worship Him in spirit and in truth.  The Holy One says, "This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.  But in vain do they worship Me . . ."  (Mt 15:8-9) and "their reverence for Me consists of tradition . . . [They] turn things around [upside down]!" (Isa 29:13, 16).

It is the Almighty's mercy to send a substitute, like Zipporah, to fulfill His requirements for spiritual circumcision.  In this way, He will deter His hand of judgment against the leaders who have neglected the vital biblical mandate of spiritual circumcision.  YAHveh's commandment still stands:  "Circumcise then your heart, and stiffen your neck no more.  "For YAHveh your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords . . ."  (Dt 10:16-17).

The apostle Paul reminded both Jews and Gentiles of the basic issue—circumcision of the heart (Ro 2:29).  In Colossians he wrote: "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh [separated from all unrighteousness unto YAHveh's holy standards] . . . (Col 2:11 kjv — emphasis added).

The Mighty One spoke in anger through the prophet Jeremiah: "Behold, the days are coming," declares YAHveh, "that I will punish all who are circumcised [only in the flesh] and yet uncircumcised [in heart] . . . for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart"  (Jer 9:25‑26).

How far modern Judaism and organizational Christianity have strayed from YAHveh's original intentions.  So few are truly circumcised in heart!  Churches, synagogues, and other meeting places are filled and pews are warmed by untold numbers of lukewarm, professing believers who love their lives, this world, and their traditions far more than they know and love God.  A dedicated remnant, circumcised in heart and consecrated to His service, will joyfully renounce fleshly desires and flee this corrupt world system, including divisive, erroneous doctrines and unholy traditions.

Stephen, a disciple of YAHshua, was stoned to death by those he rightly called

"stiff‑necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears" (Ac 7:51).  The Scriptures indicate that no Jew or Gentile, uncircumcised in heart, shall enter God's eternal, holy sanctuary or partake of His eternal Passover (see Eze 44:9 and Ex 12:48).  Isaiah prophesied of a day when the holy city Jerusalem (YAHrushalayim)^[2] would no longer be profaned by the uncircumcised in heart: 

Awake, awake, Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion; Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city.  For the uncircumcised and the unclean Will no more come into you.  (Isa 52:1)

YAHveh's cry in the book of Jeremiah emphasizes this point:  "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to YAHveh And remove the foreskins of your heart . . . Lest My wrath go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your deeds"  (Jer 4:3-4).

Some might ask, "But what evil have I done?  I go to my congregation, read the Bible, pray, tithe, and help the needy.  I'm a good person!  I'm saved, and that's enough for me."  But is it enough for the One who paid the unfathomable price of His own blood to redeem a holy people for His praise, honor, and glory?  In the sobering words of Messiah:

"Strive to enter by the narrow door [where only the circumcised in heart may go]; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord [Master], open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.'  Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets' [we went to our congregations and carried out our religious rituals and traditions, doing many good works]; and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers' [the uncircumcised of heart who do not do the will of the Father]."  (Lk 13:24‑27)

YAHshua will enter into eternal fellowship only with those who are consecrated by His blood, circumcised in heart, and who do the will of His Father.  Only these will stand in His presence as a royal priesthood with Holy to YAHveh inscribed on their foreheads.

Abraham, his family, friends, and servants were quick to submit to the flint knife.  They wanted to be circumcised and consecrated to Abraham's God.  Do you?

No one who has a foreskin of flesh over his or her heart can move from the outer court of religion (the court of the uncircumcised) into His sanctuary and Holy of Holies.  The flint knife is in Zipporah's hand.  The Mighty One of Israel is calling for Jews and Gentiles to be circumcised in heart so that they may stand in His eternal presence.