Wall of Jericho

Relevant Bible Verses

1) Joshua 1:9 Be strong and take courage; do not be afraid or dismayed. For Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.

2) Joshua 6

Have you ever heard of people winning a war without using any weapons and guns but by only shouting?

The first human warfare was found in Joshua chapter 6 and it happened to be won by shouting! Jericho was destructed by Israel in the land of Canaan.

After the death of Moses, Joshua was instructed by God Jehovah to lead the children of Israel. When they crossed the river Jordan, God was with them and God did everything for them. In order for the children of Israel to gain the good land, they had to defeat the enemy and drive out the evil forces of Jericho.

The children of Israel did not need to fight and actually they were not trained to fight in a war. They only needed to believe and trust in God, to listen to the instruction from the Captain of the army of Israel, and to exalt Christ by bearing the ark. As followers of Christ, we see that in the spiritual warfare the first step we should do is acknowledge Christ and wait upon His instruction.

Jericho was strongly fortified with thick walls wrapped around the city. The king of Jericho was not afraid of the Israelites, but their God Jehovah. When the king of Jericho heard what Jehovah had done for His people, his heart melted. He had lost his spirit, confidence and boldness. Recognizing the power of God and not knowing what to do, he ordered to have the gates of the city shut and used the walls to protect himself and his people from the Israelites. The city was totally isolated from the outside world. No body was allowed to enter and exit. The king trusted in the walls and he knew that the Israelites did not have any weapon powerful enough to break the wall. He did not have any idea what God Jehovah could do.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men (Joshua 6:2). God later instructed Joshua to have the men of war with the priests bearing the ark circle the city, going around it one time. This they were to do for six days. Seven other priests were charged to carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of Jehovah. The priests did not blow their trumpets according to their own will. Instead, they waited for the Captain to give the command. They needed instructions and leading, just as we today need the leading and guiding of the Spirit.

For the first six days, the army of Israel just walked around the city with the ark, which typified Christ as the embodiment of God. The people of Jericho most likely would be on the top of the walls looking down, wondering what these people of Israel were doing, carrying ark and rams' horns around the city of Jericho aimlessly. I believe they must be thinking that the wall would be too strong for the Israelites to breach and that the Israelites had no solution to take over the kingdom of Jericho.

On the seventh day, the instruction was slightly different. The Israelites actually did not have to fight but enjoyed the Sabbath, that is, enjoyed the rest. But they had to go around the city again and this time not once, but seven times. Then the visible Captain gave the command: “Shout!” The priests trumpeted, the people shouted, and the wall fell down. The city was completely destroyed, and a curse was placed on anyone who would rise up and build it. The way that Israel conquered Jericho was a strong testimony that Israel’s God, Jehovah, is a true and living God. God was with the children of Israel wherever they went (Joshua 1:9).

We may apply this account of the destruction of Jericho to the matter of preaching the gospel. As we take up the burden to share the good news to non believers, we need to realize that every sinner is a “fortified city”, with strong walls wrapped around them that has been cursed. In dealing with such a fortified city, we must exercise patience and trusting God all the way, considering when we should be silent and when we should speak. This means that we should follow the Lord’s leading and guidance. At the right time, the proper declaration will be very effective, and there will be a Sabbath day in which we can shout, “Praise the Lord! Jesus is Lord! Christ is Victor!” The “wall” will fall, and we will be able to defeat all the demons and possess that sinner for Christ.

Praise the Lord!!!