Victory at Jericho

So-called “Psychological” warfare or “mind games” is a quite ancient strategy to use against one’s enemy.  In the Persian empire (5th-6th century B.C.), soldiers used whistling arrows to strike terror into the hearts of their enemies.  World War II had “Tokyo Rose” broadcasting messages of despair to lonely/isolated soldiers.  Germany used “buzz bombs” that had an eerie silence preceding their detonation.  In modern wars, the U.S. regularly drops leaflets encouraging soldiers to defect or face extermination.

Our scripture today is from Joshua 6.  In 1,400 B.C., we see direct evidence of “spiritual warfare” that must have played incredible mind games on the inhabitants of Jericho.

Main point:

The victory we have in this world is a spiritual victory of faith -- believing God and obeying His word.  Spiritual victories are always achieved by spiritual means, not by human reasoning or works of the flesh.

Scripture Passage:

Joshua 6:1-27

Outline:

1. A People Hiding From God (Joshua 6:1-7).
2. A People Marching With God (Joshua 6:8-21).
3. A People Delivered By God (Joshua 6:22-27).

 

1.  A People Hiding From God.

1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2And the LORD said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. (Joshua 6:1-2, NKJV)

Jericho was already a walled city around 1,400 B.C. built on top of a mound.¹  In fact, it had two walls.  The first was an outer wall set up on a dirt embankment with a stone retaining wall (approximately 15 feet high), topped by a mud brick wall (approximately 25 feet high).  Houses were built next to this outer wall.  At the top of the mound was another mud brick wall of similar size.  All told, Jericho looked like a fortress, impossible for the Israelites to scale on their own.

In such a fortress, why were the people in Jericho also “securely shut up”?  Several issues are clear from the Bible:

• They heard about the LORD’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.
• They heard about how they destroyed two kings: Og and Sihon (Joshua 2:10).
• They were afraid even though these events happened some 40 years previously.
• All the kings throughout Canaan on each side of the river heard about the parting of the Jordan River (obviously some of them witnessed it and brought back this news to the kings) and “their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer” (Joshua 5:1, NKJV).

The people were in utter dread, not because of the Israelites themselves, but “because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11, NKNV).  In effect, the people of Jericho were hiding from God.  You know, God’s greatest heartache is people who hide from Him.  That is what Adam & Eve tried to do in the garden after they sinned (Genesis 3) and people have been trying to hide ever since.

How do people attempt to hide from God today?  We hide by pretending that God does not exist or that He does not matter in our lives.  We make our own decisions without regard for what God thinks about the situation.  We hide by isolating ourselves from people for fear of being treated unfairly.  We hide by using religious forms or expression but without any love for God at the heart of our actions.

Is such a thing possible – can you really hide from God?  The Bible tells us that God is everywhere-present:

Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend in heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in [the grave], behold You are there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall fall on me,’ even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You. (Psalm 139:7-12, NKJV)

You simply cannot hide from God, no matter how hard you try.  God loves you and is constantly seeking you out, wooing you by the riches of His grace and kindness (Ephesians 2:4-7).  His Spirit is constantly working to bring about conviction in your life of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11).  His prophets, apostles, evangelists, preachers, and teachers communicate His word and His will for your life.  No matter where you go, God sees you and knows your deepest thoughts.

So what is the solution to hiding from God?  There are four steps for the person who has been hiding from God:

1. Turn from whatever sin has driven you away from Him (Repentance) – “The LORD is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, no willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, NKJV).
2. Confess it to God and seek His forgiveness and cleansing (Confession) – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NKJV).
3. Believe His promises for grace, mercy, and help (Faith) – “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV).
4. Walk with Him (Obedience) – Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23, NKJV).

God’s first and greatest desire is that you be saved from sin through the person and work of the LORD Jesus Christ. God’s second greatest desire is that you walk with Him in truth, love, and the power of His Spirit.

Open your heart to God today and seek Him while He may be found.  Quit hiding from the One who knows you so well!

 

2. A People Marching With God.

8So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the LORD advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. 9The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 10Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, "Shout!' Then you shall shout." 11So he had the ark of the LORD circle the city, going around it once. Then they came into the camp and lodged in the camp.

12And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13Then 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 rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 14And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did six days.

15But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. 16And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: "Shout, for the LORD has given you the city! 17Now the city shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD."

20So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 21And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword. (Joshua 6:8-21, NKJV)

Jericho was shut up securely.  Given this occurred after the harvest, and that there is an internal water spring within the city walls of Jericho, the people of that city could have withstood a siege for up to two years.  Archeologists who have uncovered portions of the city found many jars of grain that were full – indicating the city was taken very quickly. And most of the city walls were torn down except for one section along the north wall – most likely the spot where Rahab and her family lived “for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall” (Joshua 2:15, NKJV).²

What a mighty victory this was!  Who won the victory?

• God won the battle – “For they did not gain possession of the Land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them” (Psalm 44:3, NKJV).
• Israel won the battle – “He stores up wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints” (Proverbs 2:7-8, NKJV).

God gets the glory whenever His children obey His word.  Israel obeyed God’s command concerning Jericho and took the city in an impossible situation.  They were a people marching with God.  They did not march for God or for themselves.  They went on a hopeless march because they had faith in the God of all hope.

What is your “Jericho” to fight?  You have an impossible situation to fight, perhaps from other people or perhaps from within.  Maybe it’s pride, fear, laziness, lust, unjust treatment, self-condemnation… remember, “the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47, NKJV).

We do not fight against people but against the spiritual forces of darkness that drive and lead such people.  Ours is always a spiritual battle for truth. Sometimes this may require aggressive behavior to contain evil – such as in a war.  But the battle is for truth!

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12-13, NKJV).

Be sure you see other people, especially your enemies, as people made in the image of God – people for whom Christ died.  He died for you and He died for them.  When we battle against our enemies, we must do so prayerfully and in accord with God’s perfect will.  Most often, the battle will be inside our hearts – as Jesus said: “But I say to you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” (Luke 6:27-28, NKJV).

By faith, Israel obeyed the LORD and won a mighty victory over their enemy in an impossible situation.  We see in Joshua five chapters leading up to the first battle to take the land.  The battle was won in one chapter – and only a couple of verses speak to that battle.  The rest is about their spiritual preparation.

Your victory will come only with similar preparations.  But with such spiritual preparation, the battle will be won because “the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47, NKJV).  When you are a person marching with God, you will be victorious in your battle.
 

 

3. A People Delivered By God.

22But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, "Go into the harlot's house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her." 23And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel. 24But they burned the city and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, "Cursed be the man before the LORD who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates."
27So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country. (Joshua 6:22-27, NKJV)

As they had previously agreed, the Israelites spared Rahab and her family from destruction.  Some have argued that the spies disobeyed God in making a “treaty” with the enemy.  Consider these points:

• A treaty is between countries.  It does not fit the facts to judge the spies agreement with one family as if it were a treaty.
• God’s desire for every person is that they repent and believe in Him (1 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 2:25).
• God would much rather show mercy to a people who repent than enact judgment, even after speaking through His prophets of their impending judgment (Jeremiah 18:7-8).

Rahab turned to God by faith (Hebrews 11:31) and became one of the Israelites (converted as it were) because of their shared faith.  As mentioned in our study of chapter two, Rahab even became one of the few women cited in the human lineage of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). Rahab’s family was a people delivered by God.  God is in the salvation business and He has never had a dissatisfied customer!

The Israelites fulfilled their promise to Rahab and God fulfilled His promise to Joshua.  God tore down the walls of Jericho as He said He would.  More importantly, God was with Joshua as He had assured Joshua that He would be (Joshua 1:5).

Joshua’s fame spread.  Moved by the Spirit of the LORD, he pronounced a curse on anyone who would attempt to rebuild Jericho.  What God tears down would be pointless for man to rebuild anyway, right?  In 1 Kings 16:34, see that a man named Hiel did indeed rebuild Jericho, at the cost of his oldest and youngest sons.

By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. (Hebrews 11:30, NKJV). Had the Israelites attempted to attack Jericho other than by faith in the living God, they would have been utterly defeated.

The victory we have in this world is a spiritual victory of faith -- believing God and obeying His word.  Spiritual victories are always achieved by spiritual means, never by human reasoning or works of the flesh.  By faith, go with God and enjoy His victory!
 

End Notes

1. Howard, David M. The New American Commentary: Joshua. Broadman & Holman Publishers: Nashville, Tennessee. Copyright 1998. p. 177.
2. Wood, Bryant. Creation Ex Nihilo. "The Walls of Jericho." Published March-May, 1999 [21(2):36-40]. Internet address: http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/magazines/docs/v21n2_jericho.asp.

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