JOSHUA 6

The conquest of Jericho

1 ¶ Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

·      This is an explanatory statement given by the writer of the status of the city of Jericho before he goes on to record for us a private conversation between Joshua and the Lord just outside the city of Jericho.

·      The outer wall of the city of Jericho was 6 ft. thick and about 20 ft. high. The inner wall was about 12 ft. thick and was 30 ft. high. Between the walls was a guarded walkway about 15 ft. wide.

·      The city gates were shut tight, which was common practice in ancient times when an enemy attack was anticipated. Because of the thick walls around the city and the bolted gates, a siege could take months. Often the army with the most stored food would win. Either the city inside the walls would begin to be starved out or the attacking army would run out of provisions over the extended siege.

·      Now, just for a moment, try to put yourself into the shoes of the average Israelite soldier. For most of these men, Jericho was the first city they had seen in 40 years. It must have looked like an absolute impossibility to many. However, we will see that they listened to the instructions they were given by the Lord and they saw those massive walls fall down flat.

·      Just as Israel faced the formidable walls of Jericho, you and I face walls and obstacles in our lives as well. Perhaps it is a lost loved one we would like to see the Lord touch and save, a lost community over which we are burdened, a ministry from the Lord that we feel inadequate about, family trouble that tears at our hearts and leaves us wondering what to do, financial trouble that stresses us to the limits of our patience and faith, a besetting sin that constantly crops us in our life.  Let us seek practical instruction in how to face our Jericho’s tonight.

 

2 And the LORD said unto Joshua (the Captain of The Lord’s host from the end of chapter 5), See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

• As The Captain of The Lord’s host, Jesus Himself outlines the strategy of how the Israelites were to conquer the city of Jericho and it’s mighty army. Keep in mind saints that there is no record of Joshua asking for Jesus to appear at this time. The Father in His great love for His people sends Jesus to guide and comfort His people before they go into battle. We may not always “feel” the presence of The Lord when we are facing our Jericho’s beloved, but we do well to remember that Jesus promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
• Remember that at the end of Joshua 5, Jesus came to tell Joshua that He did not come to take sides, He came to take over! Beloved, never attempt to engage in the battles of life without Jesus leading you. Without Jesus, we can do nothing but fail. He is our strength and our shield. Always put Jesus between you and the enemy…always put Jesus between you and your Jericho’s.
• God had given the city to them, but they were to use the appointed means. There again we see the beautiful tapestry of divine providence and human responsibility. Rarely does God just hand us victories. God asks Joshua to take by faith what He promised would soon be seen in physical reality. This is an example of what Hebrews 11:1 declares, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
• Jesus tells us to have faith in God (Mk 11.22). Beloved, in this journey called life, God sees what you and I do not see. He sees the past, the present, the future. He sees all of the possible scenarios. Because you and I see through a glass darkly, it would be foolish of us to think that the purpose of prayer is to give God orders. Yes, we our pour our hearts to Him and share out thoughts with Him, but wise is the man, the woman, the congregation that leaves the results of prayer in the hands of The One Who sees the end from the beginning. Remember beloved, the faith that trusts God gives glorify to God.

 

3 And ye shall compass (walk around) the city, all ye men of war (those within the camp of Israel that were of fighting age), and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

• As we will see, except for the blowing of the trumpets, the execution of this command was to be carried out in absolute silence until the final walk around the city on the 7^th time of the 7^th day. It would probably take between ½ hour to 45 minutes to walk around the city. If you don’t think that this command required faith and discipline, when you go home after service today, try keeping silent for this amount of time. This strategy could not but produce ridicule among the enemy.

• In this section of Scripture, we see the triumph of faith. If Israel was going to experience a victory, Israel was going to have to obey God's instructions, no matter how they felt about it or how foolish the instructions must have seemed.

 

4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

• Here in this passage the word for the Jubilee trumpets is used. There were Jubilee trumpets, jobel in Hebrew, and the silver trumpets (Num. 10:2). The silver trumpets were generally used in calling the people of Israel together and for warlike purposes (Lev. 23:23). The Jubilee trumpets were largely instruments in the shape of a horn, or the shofar. They were used to announce the year of Jubilee and the Sabbatical years.
• The number seven is at times in scripture used as a sign of completion, i.e. as in the days of creation.

 

5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

• God assured Israel of an astounding miracle, just as He had done at the Red Sea and at the Jordan.
• Keep in mind that this is the plan of God to destroy Jericho that Joshua is going to have to communicate to the priests, the military and the rest of the nation. Sometimes the instruction of God flies in the face of natural wisdom. God sometimes leads a person to do things that in the eyes of the world seem so foolish.
• Observe beloved that the steps of faith were to proceed the results of faith. Also note beloved that true faith is a verb; it is an action word. It is only after the seven-day process of obedient faith to God's direction that the results occurred.
• Please note that there is a trumpet sound….a shout and people ascending up. Sound familiar?
• 1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the Ark of the Covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.

7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD (before the ark), and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

• The ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. The Ark of the Covenant, which speaks of the presence of The Lord is mentioned 10 times in verses 6-13.
• It is interesting that the first mention of the word ark in Scripture is found in Genesis 6.14 and it is a reference of course to Noah’s ark. Noah was instructed by God to put pitch on the ark to keep the waters of judgment from getting in it and cause it to sink. The Hebrew word for pitch is the word kaphar, which means, appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile(-liation).  If you have received Jesus Christ as the Ark of your salvation, you are secure in Him from the wrath of God.

 

9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

·      There was to be a company of soldiers in front of the ark and the rest of the soldiers following behind. In this we see God signifying that His presence would be in the midst of this army to help and protect it.

·      Beloved, our God is in our midst tonight!

 

10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

• Here is a beautiful picture of a man or woman that is walking in The Spirit. Sensitive to The Spirit. They were only to speak when God told them to. Ps 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
• Can you imagine how radical our marriages would be, our church family would be if the only thing that we said were the words that God wanted us to say? No more backbiting, no more slander, no more gossip, no more self proclaimed prophets or prophetesses claiming Thus saith The Lord when He really did not say anything to them at all?

 

11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

• Each day they would return to Gilgal after they walked around the city. Gilgal you remember was the place of memorial for the Israelites. The place where they renewed their covenant with God…the place where they observed the Passover.
• They would be looking at the imposing city of Jericho, but reflecting on the victory of God in the past. If you are facing a Jericho tonight beloved, remember your Gilgals.

 

12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.

• Finally, they were able to shout! In the Psalms we find the phrase shout for joy many times.
• The prophecy of the triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem was Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
• Saints, we can shout tonight because of what Jesus Christ has done for us! Through Jesus Christ we have victory over the lies and allurement of this fallen world system (1 John 5.4). Through Jesus Christ we have victory over death itself (1 Cor 15.54-57).

 

17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

• Accursed- ??rem, lxx anathema, translated in "utterly destroyed." in 6.21. In the case of Jericho alone, the city with all its contents was completely devoted to Jehovah (nothing could be considered as booty for the people).
• Jericho being the first-fruits of the conquest of Canaan, the Israelites were required to devote every thing in it to God, reserving no spoils to themselves.

 

18 And ye, in any wise (by all means) keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

·      This city had been wholly given over to immorality and idolatry. God here warned that if they took these things dedicated to Satan and wickedness, the curse that was upon them would bring trouble upon the people of God.

• As we will see in the next chapter, the sin of one man, one family had the potential to pull down the entire nation.
• Eccl 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

 

19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

• Into the treasury of the Lord; the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron were to be employed in the service of the sanctuary and the support of public worship.

 

20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

• The wall fell flat- except for the portion of Rahab’s house. Observe that God commanded the people to shout before the walls fell down. How important it is for us to praise and shout unto God before we see the victory.
• Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
• Scripture is clear that the destruction of Jericho was a divine act, and nothing less.
• Zech 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
• 2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
• The power of prayer beloved! Oh thank God for His resources that He gives unto us in the battles of life. A demonic city was destroyed by the power of God as His people submitted to His plans and purposes. Personal obedience to Christ can stop Satan from entering into your home.

 

21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

• The entire summary of the battle is given to us here in verses 20 and 21. God destroyed the city, not the Israelites. The responsibility of the Israelites was to follow God’s instructions. All the glory was to be given to God.
• For 400 years, God had longed for the people in the city of Jericho to turn to Him, but they refused. When we read about the destruction of entire cites in Scripture keep in mind that God does it with full knowledge of the deepest desires of every persons heart and their the decisions that they will make regarding turning to Him. They reject His love and grace, and suffer the consequences of their hard heart.
• No one will ever be able to accuse The Lord of being unjust. Remember this beloved, that God measures time morally, and the time for the judgment of Jericho has arrived.

·      The complete destruction of this idolatrous city is an example of what it means in the N.T. to fall into the hands of a Holy God. God judges sin. That is why there is not only a heaven to bless those who come by obedient faith but a hell to judge those who are in rebellion to Him.

 

22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.

23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.

24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

• Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
• Rahab’s obedience to God was proof of her faith in God.
• Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
• In the judgment of Jericho, the house with the scarlet line in the window was not left to perish. Likewise, all who trust in Jesus Christ are secured by the promise of one who cannot lie.
• Read the geneoalogy of Matthew. We find Rahab there marrying into the tribe of Judah becoming the great grandmother of David the king, and of course the great, great grandmother of Jesus The Messiah.

 

26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

• Adjured them; commanded them, under the penalty of a curse, not to build again the city of Jericho.  
• God put a curse on whoever would rebuild Jericho. While the area around it was later occupied to some extent (2 Sam. 10:5), in Ahab’s reign Hiel rebuilt Jericho and experienced the curse by losing his eldest and youngest sons (1 Kin. 16:34).
• 1Ki 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

 

27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

 

Lessons from Jericho for our lives tonight

God allowed the Israelites to realize the impossibility of their situation. In their repeated walks around the city walls, He was attempting to show His people that victory would not come through their might not through their power, or ability to manipulate the situation, but only by silent obedience to His Spirit.

• There are walls that build between people. Perhaps there is a wall tonight between you and a spouse, a child or other family member. Perhaps it is a fellow believer. Beloved, on our own, we do not have the capacity to break that wall down, but here is what we can and must do. We can pray. We must certainly be obedient to whatever God tells us to do. We must be sure that the only words that we speak are the one’s that come right from God and are spoken in love.  But at the end of the day, it is God’s Spirit that must tear that wall down.

 

A second lesson that we learn from this chapter is the lesson of patient obedience and waiting on God’s timing. Careful attention to the directions of God, and patient perseverance in following them, whether we see any immediate effects or not, is the highest wisdom, and the surest way of securing success. FBN

 

Thirdly, as His people circled the walls of Jericho, God taught them discipline. His job was to work, and theirs was to keep silent until He told them to shout. Beloved, if we cannot control our tongue, we will never conquer our Jericho’s in life. James 3 tells us that our tongues can get us in a heap of trouble. Wise is the man or woman who silently obeys God with the deep conviction that God is working on my behalf, even when I cannot see it.

 

Because Rahab knew God, the most dangerous place, Jericho, was a safest place for her and her family. The scarlet thread marked the place where she lived. Because of her faith in God, her home and family were marked as being set apart for God. Beloved, the world that we live in is not a safe place at all. However, when we give our hearts to The Lordship of Jesus Christ and submit to His will, His Name is that strong and mighty tower that we can run into and be safe.

 

Like Rahab, if you place your faith in The Lord Jesus Christ, you will be spared from the wrath to come….call upon The Name of The Lord and be saved.