INTRODUCTION: This chapter is one of the most dramatic, fascinating and in some respects one of the more puzzling passages in Scripture! We learn a lot from this portion of this account of Hebrew migration into the land of Canaan.
We addressed the leadership of Joshua and this scene once before in OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES Of SPIRITUAL WARFARE: JOSHUA.
PART ONE
Below is the segment (with some moderate revision) dealing with this event taken from the article link above:
Jericho and its leadership recognized the authority of Israel by the feats that the LORD accomplished for them; likewise Satan and his own forces recognize (but war against) the authority of the church by our spiritual rebirth and the indwelling of God’s Spirit in each of His saints. It’s imperative for the enemy to dissuade us believers that we have any such power bequeathed to us by the LORD Jesus Christ – (see MATT 16:18).
This is why it’s vital that each believer called of God to engage in this warfare be well versed, trained and established by faith in the truths of our spiritual authority and subsequent victory.
Again, note that the LORD God speaks to Joshua regarding Jericho that He has “given into [his] hand Jericho”. "Given" - past tense! In God’s eyes, it’s a done deal; a ‘been there, done that’ sort of thing! Not just the city but all of its political authorities and military powers!
By the same token, the church is promised victory in advance (ROM 8:37; 1 JOHN 5:4-5)! Taking territories in our lives that were lost and ruined by sin, reaching out with the Gospel and infiltrating enemy territory by means of ministering to the darkened hearts of Satan’s slaves (potentially, all those in the world not yet redeemed by the blood of the Lamb). Also defeating Satan and his principalities in their purpose of quenching or perverting the Gospel message, the salvation of souls and the equipping and maturing of the saints to do great exploits for God and His increasing Kingdom. That is what we should be about!
God commands that the children of Israel should march around the city of Jericho six days; interesting because the number ‘six’ is the number of man, and here we see a fortress and power established by the will of man (the city-state itself) about to get toppled by the LORD God!
God confounded the Tower of Babel as well; and He shall do so again in these last days when the global government under anti-Christ is broken by the glorious Light of His Coming (DAN 2:44; 2 THESS 2:8)!
JOSHUA 6:1
Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.
Jericho was a primary military city of the Amorites (comprising of seven nations that filled the land of Canaan). The Amorites were formidable warriors, capable of valiant martial prowess that their enemies dreaded. And yet here the Amorites are in dread of the rumors they’ve heard concerning these Hebrew ex-slaves whose God delivered them from the world empire of their day, Egypt. They no doubt also heard what these Hebrews did to King Og and King Sihon, and their respective nations and military.
The response of this Canaanite power? They shut up the city and waited it out, hoping for the best – not exactly the sort of reaction you’d expect of intrepid warriors, unless they believed these ominous reports concerning the Hebrew people at their GOD YHWH!
JOSHUA 6:2-3
2 And the LORD said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. 3 "You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.
The Eternal GOD, Who is the I AM, the One Who declares the end from the beginning (EXOD 3:14; ISA 46:10), our Creator GOD Who misses nothing and knows all things past, present and future spoke words that were intended to encourage Joshua and Israel, but not out of some sense of optimism or hopeful thinking. GOD spoke with absolute certainty. He spoke with the confidence that one of us might have in citing yesterday’s news (even that comparison is wanting however, news is only as accurate as the fallible reporter that reports it).
Now hearing this battle plan from General Joshua, his leading commanders would logically think that going around the city would be reasonable reconnaissance and intel gathering. But marching around the city for six days? What could that possibly accomplish? But Joshua isn’t through yet! He’s going to relate all that the LORD instructed him (at the end of Chapter Five, the LORD identifies Himself and tells Joshua to take off his shoes, for the ground on which he stood was holy.
No doubt, this is where the LORD instructed Joshua, and like a movie script, the scene changes just before these Divine Directives were given to Joshua, to the war room of the Hebrews, where the General lays it all out.
JOSHUA 6:4-5
4 "And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 "It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.".
The number of priests indicated by God is seven (speaks of perfection in the sense of completion). Priests are intercessors on behalf of others, and here is the important lesson that if any victory can be forthcoming, prayer must assume the vital role that it is and we must not cease to pray until such ministry is completed, in any given circumstance or venture, according to the will of God.
These priests bear seven trumpets of ram’s horns (called a shofar), which are always (but not exclusively) used in military campaigns, rather than the silver trumpets used in the Temple. Note that it states that the priests were to make a “long blast” with the trumpets which is significant as this symbolizes “hope and the strength of God”. One might observe that the shofar’s shape is curved or bent, representing the act of being bent or submitted to God.
Are we as God’s children and warriors likewise submitted to the holy will of God for our lives, in all matters of the heart? Is there yet one item, one area, one un-confessed sin that is yet festering in us? Some example of rebellion that refuses to surrender? We must be submitted and surrendered if we ever hope to obtain the victory in our practical lives. As the acronym goes: A.V.R.A.S. “Absolute Victory (in life) Requires Absolute Surrender (to Christ)”!
Assuming this marching procession of Hebrew soldiers began on the first day of the week (“Yom Rishon”), marching around the city on the seventh day would seem to be in violation of the Sabbath (“Shabbat”) in which no travel of significant distances was allowed. Yet here they didn’t merely compass the city once more (a single seventh time in as many days) but they marched seven times more than on any one of the previous six days!
JOSHUA 6:6-8
6 Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to 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 to the people, "Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the LORD." 8 So 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..
Apparently the Ark of the Covenant was present for this military engagement; however the ark and the priests themselves (of Levi) were exempt from military duty (NUM 1:47-49), and yet here they are bearing the ark! What is the significance of all of this?
For some answers, we’ll turn to some exposition made by Chuck Missler:
JOSHUA6 – The FALL of JERICHO (1 hr. 29 mins)
JOSHUA 6:9-11
9 The 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. 10 Now 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." 11 So 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.
Prior to the increasingly intense judgments that GOD will lay upon “the earth dwellers” at the opening of the seventh seal in the book of REVELATION, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour (REV 8:1-6; also – time measured in the eternality of heaven? Hmmm…). Likewise here we see silence of voices but not of trumpets, but not for thirty minutes, but for 168 hours (seven days) and then the judgment of GOD comes down just as the LORD promised to Abraham (GEN 15:16)!
JOSHUA 6:12-14
12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13 Then 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. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did six days.
By now all Israel was consecrated by circumcision; the priests of the Levitical order were likewise consecrated by the proscriptions of the sinful flesh and ordination of all holy things contained in their office as well as their lives. The testimony of twelve stones in the Jordan River and its west bank and sounding trumpets were in evidence. Interceding priests, prepared warriors and the leading of God’s authority as represented by the Ark of the Covenant were in this grand procession, marching in silence, utter silence!
Imagine the puzzlement of the Canaanites as they watched for six days, Israel compassing the city once, and then leaving. At first they may have assumed (like Joshua’s commanders?) that they were on a reconnaissance mission (but then why lead the entire army rather than a small contingency force?). By day seven, when they saw them marching again, they no doubt were thinking ‘To what purpose is all this marching? How do they hope to assail us with such exercise?’ Then I can well imagine the slight shiver of dread crawled up their spines when once they completed their cycle, rather than returning to camp, they began another . . . and another. No doubt every eye was riveted on that procession, wondering what would happen next; six times in one day they marched about Jericho, and then they began a seventh circuit. . .
PART TWO
JOSHUA 6:15-16
15 But 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. 16 And 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!.
The time of victory was not of Joshua’s choosing, nor of his leading captains; the battle did not belong to any of Israel, but “the battle is the LORD’s” (1 SAM 17:47); the victory granted to us by the LORD is assured, but we cannot hasten it, nor would we want to delay it (but too often we can, when walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit!). It comes in the LORD’s appointed time – on the ‘seventh circuit’ as it were, or the time of completion.
Victory comes in the manner prescribed by the LORD, even if the means may appear foolish, such as causing a raucous and some blasting of trumpets as seen here at Jericho, or by a single smooth stone, as seen with the young lad David as he stood before Goliath (1 SAM 17); or Samson with the jaw bone of a donkey before an insurmountable number of Philistine warriors (JUDGES 15), or by the procession of praising priests who went before the armies of Israel, leading Jehoshaphat and his men to victory (2 CHRON 20). All of these followed GOD’s direction in obedience, and when that happens, victory is assured (even if not immediately realized!).
We as the church of God wield a Name as our weapon (PHIL 2:10), and His Word which He exalts even above His Name (PSALM 138:2)! Something recorded in a book that on the outward appears as any other book but is inspired by the very Spirit of Truth which is God Himself.
By the Name of our God, and His Word and Spirit, though such things may look foolish to the world, and seem weak and ineffective, it is the weapon of choice which alone avails against the kingdom of darkness; the only means possible by which the Christian warrior can ever hope for victory.
Let it not be said that victory is obtained by the warrior wielding the Word so much as the Word wielding the warrior – that is, that the Word holds such absolute sway and governing power over and through our lives, that the Spirit is able to operate fully to implement a full victory unblemished by the slightest mar of defeat.
Joshua shouts the proclamation that he himself heard from the LORD, that He indeed “has given you the city”! Thus our victory is already granted, the battle has already achieved its outcome, the saintly warrior has already been granted the glorious vanquishing of victory over all the power of the enemy! All they have to do is show up in following GOD’s call!
ROMANS 8:37In our TTUF study in Spiritual Warfare, we did a rather comprehensive study on the armor of God, and there we examined how spiritual victory is obtained, and it most certainly is not through self-effort and works, nor in fleshly means of ridding our lives of sin (thereby striving to obtain a kind of vacuum from virulent sins and corruption). Rather it is by attainment of new life in Christ in the new man, as the old man is mortified – both by faith in the efficacy of the atonement of Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross of Calvary.
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
2 CORINTHIANS 2:14
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
1 JOHN 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
An expression that ably summarizes this is, “Victory in life is not acquired in a vacuum but in the vitality (life) of Jesus Christ.”
AND THE WALLS CAME CRASHING DOWN –
What walls exist in our lives today? What impediments stand in the way of our spiritual advancement? How is the enemy hindering our holy progress in the LORD? Walls are like giants (such as Goliath) and even more so like gates (MATT 16:18). God brings us to them so that we may know victory and witness the power and the glory of God. Yet how often we allow those walls (or giants) to remain standing, feeling resigned to forever have them block our way in this spiritual life.
Consider the walls that likewise entrap the lost behind bars of their prison house of perdition; being blind, bound and beleaguered by the power and deceitfulness of sin, they know nothing but slavery and darkness. . .
EPHESIANS 4:17-18In our lives, there are many ways in which we encounter the hand of our enemy that would prevent us from doing God’s will; many ‘walls’ and influences that seek to corrupt us and prevent the LORD from working in us that which He purposes.
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart…
ROMANS 6:19-22
19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
In such manner, Joshua admonished the people of Israel . . .
JOSHUA 6:17-19
17 "Now 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. 18 "And 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. 19 "But 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."
Joshua encouraged Israel to remain pure and unspotted (JAMES 1:27) by not partaking of any war ‘booty’ and taking possession of any materials found in Jericho. Only the silver, gold, bronze and iron was to be set apart in “the LORD’s treasuries” and these in type represent those reserved by the LORD, for the LORD as vessels unto honor, as opposed to those things in Jericho which were “fit for destruction” (ROM 9:22). Paul likewise encouraged the church to remain pure from any defilements of the world (2 COR 6:17).
If any taint of sin is found in Israel or the church, and it is un-confessed and hidden, it can only spell ruin and defeat for the believer. Spiritual victory is won not only by spiritual armor, but by spiritual hearts, and spiritual minds sanctified and acceptable for the Master’s use!
2 TIMOTHY 2:20-22Finally, when we acquire the victory which is promised to us we are in a very real sense in greater danger than if we suffered a defeat! ‘Why is that?’ you may ask; that will be the next article when the armies of Israel led by Joshua come to the tiny city of Ai and learn a hard lesson about spiritual warfare!
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart..
JOSHUA 6:20-21
20 So 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. 21 And 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.
Some would account for this bizarre event as the result of sympathetic vibrations. Everything in creation resonates vibrationally and when something else vibrates at the same frequency, it can cause disruption of physical objects. I don’t believe that’s what happened here. Such an explanation could exclude GOD’s involvement and yet Joshua and nation obeyed His command, and He told them what would happen as a result.
And it happened just as He said it would, and so – I give the credit to GOD: He is the One that caused those walls to fall down flat. GOD took those things that made Jericho impregnable away; they became vulnerable, and these Amorites who refused to repent after more than four centuries were summarily judged – men and women, young and old, and even the animals, all slain by the edge of Israel’s sword: the instrument of GOD’s Judgment!
In the last of the Last Days, when the fullness of GOD’s judgment is poured out upon a rebellious world that refuses the LORDship of Jesus Christ, it astounds me that even after the most severe punishments and judgments, still these “earth dwellers” angrily shake their fists at GOD (REV 16:9-11,21) and deny the LORD’s desire: that they would repent of their sins (REV 9:20-21), turn to Christ for salvation and receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Some will repent and receive salvation – a remnant of humanity which by all accounts will still enumerate a vast number beyond count who are saved “out of great tribulation” (REV 7:14).
And like the Amorites whose judgment was inevitable because of their wicked stubbornness, all of the unredeemed will face GOD in judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment.
JOSHUA 6:22-23
22 But 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." 23 And 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.
Just as there will be a remnant saved out of the great tribulation, we see here a remnant saved from the judgment that fell upon Jericho: Rahab and her entire family, because she kept the spies of Israel safe and found favor of the Hebrews. That was an act of faith on Rahab’s part, for she believed that the GOD of Israel was the true GOD, Who alone reigns above all (even the gods of Jericho and the entire Amorite people).
Remember the scarlet threat that the spies instructed Rahab to hang in her window?
As mentioned in the prior study, that scarlet threat represented salvation by the blood. Because of the actions of Rahab, her entire family was spared of the judgment and destruction of Jericho. Similarly when a soul gets saved, it often has the effect of reaching family members (and friends and associations of various kinds) with the Gospel. For those of you who know the LORD and are grieved for the hardness of heart of your loved ones who refuse to come to Christ – persevere in your faithful witness in the LORD, keep shining that light, keep bestowing the love of Christ to them, never stop your prayers for them – not even for a day (MATT 7:7; ACTS 16:31)!
What’s amazing is that Rahab is actually in the royal Messianic line (MATT 1:5-6). Women weren’t supposed to be included in Jewish lineages, but in Christ’s own lineage we see two prominent women: Rahab and Ruth. And neither were Jewish (rather, they were converts).
JOSHUA 6:24-25
24 But 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. 25 And 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.
Just as the gold and silver, and other precious commodities were saved and placed in the treasury of the House of the LORD, while everything else was burned to ashes, likewise everything in this fallen creation will one day be incinerated, not even leaving ashes (2 PET 3:10-12), and all that will be left will be that which was established on the LORD Jesus Christ (You and me, and all the saints, saved by the grace of GOD)!
Only that which is born of GOD shall have the honor and privilege of entering into the new creation!
JOSHUA 6:26-27
26 Then 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." 27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country.
Joshua lays a forbidding curse on anyone who would rebuild Jericho and commit pagan rites in dedicating homes and even the cities foundations with newborn babies (literally buried alive within the walls in an effort to placate the gods by blessing their homes/city).
What was one of the primary gods worshiped in Jericho? A fascinating bit of knowledge is that the name “Jericho” itself means “house of the moon god” – and here is where we see connections with the latter worship by pagan Arab tribes. The primary deity of the Arabic Qureshi tribe was Al Elah or Allah – who was the “moon god” that Mohammad later on elevated to the only true God.
For more information on this, check out these two videos by the Fuel Project:
KNOW YOUR ENEMY – ISLAM & MUHAMMAD PART 26 and PART 27.
No comments:
Post a Comment