Beyond Reproach

UV 762/10,000 Beyond Reproach And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. Joshua 5 v 9 The name “ Gilgal” in Hebrew means to roll. The Israelites under Joshua came out of the shadow of the bondage of Egypt at Gilgal. The Lord had rolled away the reproach of Egypt or had broken for all time the yoke of slavery that Egypt had placed on their shoulders. Similarly, He rolls away whatever is the cause of our bondage and shame in this world. The use of the words “ to roll away” indicates the ease as well as the decisiveness of the action of putting away our shame and contempt. It ‘s at Gilgal that the Israelites were circumcised as a sign of their dedication. It’s at Gilgal that they came into the promised land. There is a set and specific time that God has appointed. There is a set and specific place that God has chosen to transform us from sinners into winners. It ‘s at Gilgal that the Israelites stopped having manna as their staple food. They switched over to unleavened bread. This is a sign that we too need to move to more substantial intake of the Word to sustain and nourish us. No yeast of hypocrisy or deceit or untruth or pride or self righteousness should be allowed to hamper or affect the authenticity of our faith. The Pharisees wanted to ensure that the reproach of Jesus was permanent. Hence, even after He was crucified, they sealed the tomb with a large stone and placed a heavy guard. But, the angels of the Lord came and rolled away the stone. An earthquake caused the guards to flee. By Jesus’s rising from from the grave, He rolled away the reproach of sin and death. We are freed forever from the reproach of our own sin and its consequences. Neither artifice nor the artificial will seduce our hearts. We are declared to be more than conquerors. No threat or weapon can prosper against us. It is time to celebrate our freedom in the Lord. We are freed from the trappings of religion and human traditions. We have moved out of the shadow of Egypt where we are not free to do what we want to do. The powerful presence of the Lord has broken our spiritual shackles and liberated us from fear of the enemy. We are no longer awed or enamoured of the world and its attractions. We have entered the land of our own, the promised land. We relish and cherish, claim and proclaim the precious ‘goldmine promises’ of the Lord. No condemnation, insult, accusation or judgement can stand against us. In practical terms, it implies that we should not be easily hurt by the words, accusations, insinuations and gestures of others. Whenever such situations arise, we can say to the offender, " Roll over!" Satan cannot make us feel guilty about our past. The Lord has declared us to be beyond reproach or beyond blame. It is by His blood that we are declared sinless, sanctified and blemishless. We are on the road of victory and ultimate freedom. We are literally on a roll. In the language of this generation,we can ROFL- roll over and fall laughing or is it Reproach Over Forever Laugh?! Prateep V Philip