The Wall Fell

INTRO

I feel like we have covered a lot of ground already! There is still a lot of meat! Remember the Israelites were actually in the Promised Land. Today we are going to talk about the Israeli army. Let’s set the background: Joshua was getting ready to attack Jericho. Jericho is on the west bank of the Jordan River.

TEACHING

Joshua 5:13-14: An angel of the Lord (a man with a sword) appeared in front of Joshua. Joshua’s first question was, are you for us or against us? I think this is a natural question, but it’s not one I would ask! The angel replied, “Neither…I have now come as the commander of the Lord’s army” (v. 14). Joshua immediately bowed down on his knees.

The real question is, who is the Commander of the Lord’s army? I want to paint a picture of who the Commander of the Lord’s army is. Similar to Jesus coming to Joshua as the Commander, the Lord also shows up to others in the Old Testament. To Abraham, the Lord dined with him (Genesis 18:1-8), and to the three Hebrew men, Jesus stood with them in the fire (Daniel 3:25-26). Most would call this a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. Christ was tangibly showing up throughout the Old Testament (Numbers 22:23; 1 Kings 22:19; 1 Chronicles 21:15; Job 32:5-6; Psalm 148:2).

Joshua 5:15: Joshua was instructed to remove his sandals, for he was on holy ground. This reminds us of Moses and his encounter with the burning bush in Exodus 3:5. Joshua was getting ready to go fight, so Jesus showed up as the Commander. God always shows up with how we need to hear from the Lord!

Joshua 6:1-2: Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites. No one was entering or leaving. The Lord had already given Joshua victory. There was nothing to worry about! The Lord is going to fight our battles. It’s already a done deal (Exodus 15:3; Psalm 46:7-11)! How does this apply to us? I think it is important to remember that the victory has already been won. The world, flesh, and Satan have already been defeated on the cross.

Joshua 6:3-5: Joshua was given the game plan. The Israeli army was to march once around the city for six days. On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times. The priests then blew their trumpets, and Joshua gave the order for the army of men to shout.

This is how funny this is to me: they say Jericho was less than ½ a mile all the way around. It probably didn’t take too long to walk around. Can you imagine watching people hike around your city not saying anything? What I love about God’s plan is that in our eyes, it is completely foolish. I love this plan because only God can do it (2 Chronicles 16:9)! Are we radically sold out for Him?

These trumpets being used were not the normal silver trumpets that signified important times. These were shofars, which were normally blown at a celebration, a jubilee when something new was coming (Hebrews 11:30). People are required to walk by faith; by faith the walls of Jericho fell down.

Joshua 6:6-9: Joshua summoned the priests and told them the plan. The priests with trumpets were behind the army and the rear guard went behind the ark (Isaiah 52:12). This was God’s game plan. Wiersbe wrote, “I quoted J. Hudson Taylor’s words about three different ways to serve the Lord: (1) to make the best plans we can and they succeed; (2) to make our own plans and ask God to bless them; or (3) to ask for His plans and then do what He tells us to do.”1

My challenge to you is to consider, where are you at in the planning of your life? Do you make plans or do you seek God’s guidance?

1 Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, Biography of James Hudson Taylor (London: China Inland Mission, 1965), p. 271; quoted in Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Jacob (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2003), p. 43.

Joshua 6:10: Joshua commanded the men to not let their voice be heard. They were to hike around the city wall completely silent. It seems foolish! We need to be able to control our tongue and our body (James 3:1-2). It seems like this would have been hard. There is a time to be silent (Ecclesiastes 3:7; Luke 23:9). Jesus modeled the practice of silence over and over again.

Joshua 6:11-18: The Israelites set out to complete God’s game plan. They walked around the city for six days in silence. Early on the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times. The priests blew the trumpets and the men shouted.

Everything was to be destroyed, except Rahab and her family, who were spared for helping the spies that previously went into Jericho. The men in the army were not to keep anything. In fact, if one person were to keep anything destruction would be brought on everyone.

Joshua 6:19-21: All the metals were to be dedicated to the Lord and put into His treasury. Once the men shouted, the walls crumbled. After the walls fell the army went forth and captured the city.

Joshua 6:22-26: Joshua wanted to honor what the Israelite spies’ promised Rahab, so Rahab was spared. The army brought Rahab and her family out of the city. They were placed outside the camp. Then the army burnt the city to the ground. After the city was demolished, Joshua imposed a curse. Joshua prophesied that if anyone attempted to rebuild Jericho that man's two sons would die (1 Kings 16:34).

CLOSING

Joshua’s fame spread throughout the land. There are a lot of images here we can go through. When we depend upon the Lord to get us through the battle, it works! Christ gives us the spiritual weapons to win our battles.

2 Corinthians 10:2-6: “I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way. For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way, since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for all demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience had been confirmed.”

Ephesians 6:10-12: “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.”

We are to daily put on the armor of God so we are ready to face any battle that comes our way.