Good morning Y’all! Joshua chapter 6.
I'm overwhelmed by the wealth of information in such a small chapter.
- I love the beginning when you read of the Great Wall of Jericho and how the place is so secure so no one can get in or out. And God's first statement is “SEE! I have delivered Jericho into your hands….!” If I was there and saw the big wall, my natural conclusion would not have been to look around to all the other men and said “SEE! God's going to deliver them into our hands.” It wouldn't be an obvious conclusion for me. I'd be like how are we going to overtake this big wall? While God is saying< with much ease, “We easily got this!”
Sadly, that's how I am with obstacles in life. I don't approach with confidence in the Lord but with worry and complaining. God, help me to look at all circumstances in life with faith and confidence.
- When the army marched around the wall of Jericho, they took the ark of the Lord which is God's presence. They did not March without it. It was essential to them to have God in all they were doing. No matter what I do and where I go, I want God with me! I don't want to go anywhere without God in it. I want him leading it. I wonder what things I would quit doing if I actually practiced the presence of God always?
- God is a God of strategy. He had them March around the wall 7 times with the ark and with the trumpets. Can you imagine how intimidating that would have been for the people of Jericho? It said that the Israelites would March and go home and sleep. I don't think the people of Jericho slept good at all. I'm sure they were constantly wondering what and when the Israelites would attack. Plus I could see them being most confident on day one but by the seventh day I feel that what little confidence they started with was all sucked out of them. And fear increased! How the Israelites presented themselves for 6 days was part of the plan 4 breaking down the Walls of confidence which resulted in the 7th Day the wall of Jericho falling along with the people. We pray for people and want to see victory of Christ in their lives. But our biggest witness is our presence. If we live a life of obedience to God and be a person of integrity, that becomes a powerful tool for speaking truth and life into others lives. How we present ourselves around others is huge in breaking down the Walls of resistance so that they are more susceptible to receive Christ.
- Everything the Israelites got from the battle was devoted to the Lord. Let us not be quick to take what God has provided and use it for our selfish purposes. But instead let us devote it to the Lord for the purpose of the body of Christ, for the needs of others, the needs of ministry or needs of the church. For example:
- We tithe a percentage of what God gives us financially. That's important to us.
- We have material things and will give to others in helping them in their time of need.
God has helped us in our time of need many, many and many times through what others have given to us.
- Rahab, the prostitute, and her family is a great picture of Grace, Salvation, and Unity. Here's a sinner, a prostitute, who protects God's people, and wants to be a part of God’s people. Her life is saved and she becomes a part of the family of God, the Israelites.
A sinner who comes to the Lord is shown Grace. It doesn't matter what their past is or what kind of sin they have committed. When they express faith in the work of Christ, they become a part of the body of Christ, the church. Doesn't matter what their life was. God loves them and receives them into the family of God.
God gave Israel the victory over Jericho in chapter 6.
Reading about the rescue of Rahab and her family reminds me of a jailer and his family in Acts 16:23-34.
“And when they had inflicted many blows upon them (Paul & Silas), they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.”
The jailer was a changed man just as Rahab was a changed woman. God took what seemed like hopeless situations and completely turned them around! God offers new life to anyone who will put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a great joy it is to be part of the family of God and to see people’s lives changed for eternity!
This chapter makes me think of an old veggie tales video that I used to watch… as silly as it was, I feel like the message can be applied in many places.
The little tune was sung in perspective of those guarding the Jericho walls from the Israelites went something like, “just keep walking but you won’t knock down our wall. Just keep walking but it isn’t gonna fall. It’s plain to see that your brains are very small, to think walking, will be knocking down our wall!
Now these lyrics are silly, but I think about the line, “it’s plain to see that your brains are very small.” The doubt from those who don’t know Gods power. The judgement we face when dealing with nonbelievers. Does it make us waiver in our faith? Do we start to second guess ourselves and our mission?
It makes me think of Noah and the Ark. He had so many doubters. So many people who thought he was crazy, yet when the storms and floods came it was him and his family who were saved by the Lord.
The Israelites listened to the Lord and on the 7th day when the Lord said, the wall came down and Jericho was there’s.
In our lives who do we give more time and attention to? The doubters or our one true God? When we allow tiny seeds of doubt to creep into our mind, we lose our faith in the miracles God is working on in our lives. I pray we can all have faith like Noah and the Israelites walking the walls of Jericho, and so many others who have listened to the Lords voice while drowning out the doubters. God is all powerful and loves us so much. I can’t wait to see what walls He will continue to knock over to lead us to Him and the life we’ve been praying for!