THE VICTORY OF JERICHO
Part 36
Joshua 6:1-27
Morning Meditation 11/15/14
Verse 16 says, “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.”
Verses 20-21 say, “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. 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.”
I have already mentioned that the city of Jericho is the first enemy that is to be confronted after the children of Israel entered the land. Jericho stands for the world, the flesh and the devil. All of these act as one against the saint engaged in taking by faith what the Lord given him. The life of victory is a gift. It is a gift to faith. The Captain of the Lord’s host is the invisible commander that guarantees the victory. We do engage in warfare. But our part is blowing trumpets and shouting! There is not much about that kind of victory that the flesh can boast in. Amen?
Verse one says, “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.” They had the city secured. This is a vain attempt to protect themselves. They are rationalizing along the lines of human viewpoint. This is what works for us in battle. If you can’t win in the fields, then win on the walls. Those in Jericho probably thought Israel would try to climb the walls and fight in this manner. This is why cities like Jericho built the walls. They were strongholds from which they could defeat an opposing army from that vantage point. Their walls are a vain attempt to protect themselves from the Captain of the Lord’s host. What they do not know is that the battle is the Lord’s.
We as believers in spiritual warfare come against strongholds with the promise of victory in advance. 2 Cor. 10:3-5 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 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;” We need to take courage and be strong because of our faith in God’s promises before we act as participants in the battle.. While very little depends on us, a little does. The LORD prepared Joshua by giving him encouraging promises. Chapter one verses six and seven say, “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” We must show courage and faith. Not courage that arises from self confidence but courage that arises from our faith in His promises. Fear is confidence in the enemy. Jericho had confidence in its enemy, Israel and Israel’s God.
Let me repeat. It is vain to try to protect oneself against God. There is only one refuge that will protect us from God’s wrath and He is the One that has provided it. Isaiah 32:2 says, “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest . . .” Jesus gives the “rest” which we long for. And the rest is after the victory. So to give the rest, He also has to give the victory.
What was Israel to do to get the victory that was already given? They were to carefully follow the LORD’s instructions. Israel is not going through boot-camp training for the purpose of taking Jericho. You can read in chapter six that the Lord’s instructions have nothing to do with preparation for war.. They marched silently, the priests blew horns, the priests carried the Ark, and they marched around the city six days in this fashion. Then on the seventh day, they did the same thing seven times, only on the seventh time around on the seventh day, they shouted. When they shouted, the walls “fell down flat.” This is what verse 20 says. Would you believe that I read where a so called scholar tried to explain this miracle by saying that the vibration of this great shout actually brought the walls down? It sometimes amazes me how stupid smart men can be.
Don’t make the mistake of trying to explain the miracles of the Bible away by finding a scientific explanation of how it was possible. If miracles are possible they are not miracles. It’s like looking for Noah’s Ark and finding it on one of the mountains of Ararat. Then saying, “See, the Bible is really true.” I do not have to find Noah’s Ark to know Genesis chapter six and seven is true, i.e., that it really happened literally. But you say, “If we could find the Ark, the unbeliever would believe. We could win a lot of souls to the Lord through this.” You are dreaming. Read the story of the Rich man and Lazarus in Luke chapter 16:19-31. You will find the rich man in hell held a philosophy. He told Abraham that he had five brothers who were unsaved and would believe if one went unto them from the dead. Abraham said, “ . . . If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” The walls falling flat is the result of the Captain of the LORD’s host, who lined up his invisible host against the inside wall, and at the time that Israel’s shouted, the Captain gave the order PUSH! And the invisible host pushed the walls down so that the visible host on the outside could march straight forward and preform the mop up operation. You say, “that is not what the Bible says!” Well, you’ll have to admit that it is a lot better explanation than the vibration theory! I don’t know how it happened. It did happen. Israel didn’t cause it, God did. The invisible Captain led the invisible hosts of the LORD in battle against Jericho and when the battle was over, Jericho was a trophy of God’s victory. No one in Israel had any doubt that the LORD had given the victory. And the victory was obtained in promise form before the battle began.
There are two things we need to consider briefly while we are in chapter six. The LORD commanded the complete destruction of the enemy. The only exception to this is Rahab. She is sparred because she believed (Heb. 11:31). The second thing is that the silver and gold, the vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated to the LORD . . .” These were to be brought into treasury of the LORD (vs. 19). This forbids any of the spoils of this battle being taken by any individual personally. It any of the Jews took of anything that was not consecrated to the LORD, he would be taking of the accursed thing. If any of the Jews took of the things that the LORD said is to come into the treasury of the LORD, he would be stealing from God. Why did God do this? Why did He make these rules? I believe one of the primary reasons was to test their faith. The Lord does not always give us a reason for what He does. Faith acts against our rational minds. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” When the Lord tells us to do something that doesn’t make sense to us, our faith is being confronted by human rationalism. Will we go with God in this matter? Or, will we refuse because it doesn’t make sense? It is a matter of where you put your faith, i.e., in the Lord or in your expert opinion?
The victory at Jericho was the LORD’s. He is also the One who gives the victory as we come against our spiritual Jericho’s.
May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
