Then the Lord said to Joshua, “This
day I have rolled away the reproach
of Egypt from you.” Therefore the
name of the place is called Gilgal[ a ] to this day... Joshua5:9.

The interpretation of every name must
be based on its first mention in the
Bible. If we read Joshua 5:9, we see
that Gilgal means "to roll away."
Verses 2 through 9 of this chapter tell
us that the generation of Israelites
who came out of Egypt were
circumcised; however, those of the
second generation, who were born in
the wilderness, were not. At that
point, they were about to enter
Canaan and to receive the inheritance;
they needed to have the old flesh and
shame of Egypt rolled away so that
they could begin a new living.
Therefore, the meaning of
circumcision is to put off the body of
the flesh (Col. 2:11).
Is there anyone who knows what the
flesh is? Is there anyone who knows
what dealing with the flesh and
judging the flesh are? Many people
think that once they overcome sin,
they are perfect. Little do they realize
that the flesh still exists out from
which comes sin! In the Bible the flesh
is condemned by God and is very
displeasing to God. The flesh is
everything we possess from our birth.
"That which is born of the flesh is
flesh" (John 3:6). All that we possess
from our birth is of the flesh. In the
flesh there is not only sin,
uncleanness, and corruption, but also
natural kindness, talent, zeal, wisdom,
and ability. The most difficult lesson
for a believer to learn in his life is
recognizing his flesh. God must bring
him through every kind of failure and
exposure before he will know the
flesh.
In the spiritual journey and work of a
believer, the thing that hinders him
the most is his flesh. He does not
know that God's calling involves giving
up his entire flesh. He considers that it
is sufficient just to do away with sin.
Little does he realize that his ability,
zeal, wisdom in God's work,
goodness, and capability in spiritual
life are all displeasing to God. In God's
eyes, what we consider to be good
according to the flesh, including what
we plan and ingeniously orchestrate,
should all be rejected, put to death,
and taken through judgment. God
does not need man's flesh to help
Him, either in his spiritual life or in his
work.
Gilgal is the place where the flesh is
judged and the place where God gives
us the light to judge the flesh. God
says the flesh must be put off; we
must, therefore, agree with Him. When
God says it must be cut off, we have
to cut it off. We must start from Gilgal,
and we must reject the flesh. It is not
a matter of how much cutting should
be done, but a matter of judging the
flesh. The present error is that men
pay attention to being zealous, doing
good, and working, while forgetting to
reject their flesh. But it is very
important to judge the flesh the way
God judges it. According to what I
have learned before God,
regeneration, sanctification,
perfection, the overcoming of sin, and
the acquisition of power are not the
highest expressions of spiritual life.
Rejecting the flesh is the proper
spiritual path and goal of spiritual
living. All those who have not set out
from Gilgal have not started on the
spiritual pathway. All those who have
not learned to reject the flesh do not
truly know the spiritual life. They can
be zealous, work, and rejoice, but they
do not truly know the spiritual life.