BY FAITH. Joshua 6 The people of Israel needed to be prepared before God could truly use them in His army and claim the promised land. They had been provided for by God’s grace through their years of wandering in the wilderness and had now crossed into the promised land. It was in Gilgal that they had to put into practice and personally experience the challenges and steps of personal faith in God. Circumcision, observing the Passover, and gathering the old grain of the land were their responsibilities to receive God's blessings.
Jericho was “shut up,” and the people of Jericho “believed not” [Heb. 11:21], which describes the world and governs the world. The world system and its power cannot overcome the weapons of our warfare, and faith takes hold of victory when our trust is in the Lord. Our victory has been provided for by our Lord Jesus Christ, who has defeated all the powers arrayed against us. The Holy Spirit is in us and is greater than he that is in the world. We go forward in faith, knowing the outcome has already been assured and leaving the results with God.
For the inhabitants of the promised land, survival was more important than gathering the harvest. Gilgal served as the testing ground for the children of Israel, where they needed to learn certain lessons before moving forward in conquest. There had to be circumcision, the removal of flesh. The Passover was celebrated, marking a new generation of God's people and their privileges. Afterward, they could eat the "old corn of the land" as a promise of future blessings when they would finally claim their inheritance. Some events in our lives may make us wonder why this waiting period is necessary. In our excitement and haste, we sometimes overlook essential steps that must be taken before we are trusted to proceed with the work we've been called to do.
Circumcision had to happen at Gilgal even though, during the healing period, the Israelites were highly vulnerable to attack. They needed to learn that God is "able to do exceedingly abundantly" whatever is necessary when we cut off all ties with the ungodly world. When that occurs, we give God His rightful place, worship Him, and remember Him in a way similar to how Israel observed Passover. Christ is our Passover. A clear separation from the world system, a firm commitment to God Himself, and recalling His ways with us in the past—along with sustenance from the "old corn of the land"—prepare us for the conquest—the work the Lord has before us. There are lessons to learn before battles are won. Calvary precedes Pentecost. There must be death to ourselves before the rivers of living water can flow out to others as the Holy Spirit works through us.
Deliverance from Satan's bondage was achieved through the blood of the lamb that was slain in Egypt for the Israelites. We are delivered from bondage through the blood of the Lamb that was slain at the Cross. We were brought from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. They were delivered from defeat and failure in the wilderness. The wilderness is where Satan attacks with increasing force and subtlety. Satan does not have dominion over God’s people. Sin does not have dominion over us. There was deliverance from impossibilities as they crossed into the Promised Land.
Throughout our lives, we will face areas of temptation that we cannot handle without God's help. Satan’s tricks will always be directed against the believer. “Jericho” lies in everyone's path. We cannot, on our own, bring down the walls of impossibility. Satan exploits our weaknesses and temperament to defeat us. Sometimes, it may be something that appears and holds us back from being what we should be. There are always lessons of faith we need to learn.
Jericho was a highly secure and protected city by human standards. Its tall, thick walls with soldiers stationed on top who could see for miles in all directions would have intimidated most enemies. It may have been that Jericho (“moon city”) was both a religious center and a key fortress. To emphasize that defeat was already certain by the Lord may have reassured the Israelite army that obeying God's command was what truly mattered.
It is possible for us to live our Christian life at a basic level where we know we are saved and secure for heaven, and then stop there. In that state of the soul, we will miss out on the blessings of joy that come from fellowship with God and fruitful service for Him. "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God," are the words and attitude of those who want to progress in the things of God and are willing to be led to higher ground by Him. The current life circumstances can only be overcome through divine power that enables us to navigate obstacles by faith. When the Spirit of God is free to work through His people, the Lord brings victory.
Psychological warfare aims to create uncertainty, fear, panic, and confusion, and it remains a tactic used in modern military actions today. The unusual maneuver of the Israelite army with the ark of God in the middle of two “ranks” of soldiers likely made observers feel not just curious but uneasy, especially since the blue-covered ark was carried by men who appeared to be priests. The people of Jericho probably realized that this was more than just a military action.
Even though there was fear in Jericho and the city was tightly sealed, the attitude of the people of Jericho remained unchanged except for Rahab. The people of Jericho were not victims of an unjust God. They were those who would reap what they had sown. They were entirely responsible for what was going to happen to them. Some things in life cannot be bypassed because the wages of sin must be paid. Living evil leads to evil worship, which continues to infect a society like an uncontrollable disease that destroys a body until the person dies a painful death. Severe judgment results from great wickedness, and it cannot be avoided whether in society or individuals. Jericho was completely shut up, which perfectly describes the world where sin rules. Jericho is a symbol of the opposition all believers face in their Christian journey. The coexistence of evil and righteousness is impossible.
Some of God's people spend their entire lives in the wilderness, with a little light and occasional victories, but mostly defeat and failure. They have not experienced the joy of consciously living in God's presence consistently on the higher ground of faith. Despite experiencing redemption from Egyptian bondage, they have little sense of God's presence. They know they are delivered from sin's consequences through the precious blood of Christ, but the power of sin still hinders them from true joy because of the private sins they commit. Indifference to God's will and to the plight of sinners is like "Jericho" blocking their spiritual progress. False teaching, disloyalty to God and His Word, and lack of consecration to the Lord and His will prevent others from claiming all that God wants for them and from enjoying it.
Israel had to realize that their true weapon was faith, not their own strength. They learned some lessons at Gilgal but still needed to understand that God's ways are not man's. Man's approach would have been to lay siege and force their way into the city. We must recognize that the Lord grants victory, and He intends for us to do His work in His way. There are walls in life that only God can remove, and we need to remember that. This is spiritual warfare. Spiritual resources and a spiritual mindset hold great power when used according to God's way. Our inner temperament and character, along with external circumstances and pressures, must be addressed in God's way. God desires His people to be "unspotted by the world." He seeks purity in His people, and it is our responsibility to work towards these qualities being established in us.
The thick walls of Jericho that blocked the Israelites' path might seem impossible to breach to God's people if they hadn't already learned some lessons about walking by faith. God told Joshua in advance that Jericho was already defeated because He had given the city into Joshua's hands by His sovereign choice. Joshua gave marching orders one day at a time so the Israelites would learn to walk "by faith, not by sight." The promise came before the event, but faith isn't something we acquire once and never need again. Some lessons take time to learn. We are to do what we know is right now and trust God with the results. Israel needed to understand that owning the land was a matter of spiritual warfare. For that to become real to them, their faith had to be tested thirteen times before they experienced victory.
Faith requires patience during the “seven days” of walking and waiting in silence. “The trial of your faith is more precious than gold that perishes.” Faith comes first, then energy and action. Faith connects us to God, draws strength from Him, and acts according to His divine will and purpose. We believe and are firmly grounded in faith because of the word of truth that has been given to us.
As far as we are concerned, in faith, we must look beyond the current work to the One whose strength brings victory. Just like the people of God in the past, we learn that faith requires patience. Faith expects obedience. Faith demands discipline. Faith assumes expectations of results that only God can provide. Faith may involve long days of effort when nothing seems to be happening. But faith trusts God and stays busy doing what is in our power "with our might as unto the Lord." Faith comes first, followed by the energy that produces action. Faith looks ahead with patience and does the work given to us without knowing what the end will bring.
In gospel work, there is often only the sound of the trumpet but no visible results at the moment. However, we must continue sounding the knowledge that God is fulfilling His plan, and in His own time, He will bring victory. Acts of faith may happen quickly when we move forward at His word. When we are where we should be, doing what we should do, the word from our Lord is, “Every man go straight up before him!”
Moving silently with only the sound of seven trumpets and marching feet would be difficult to do day after day for those eager to enter the battle. But the word of the Lord was to go around the city once a day for six days—armed soldiers first, then seven trumpeters making mournful signals, then the ark of the Lord being carried by the priests, and behind the ark, the rest of the army. Often, we want to use only old methods repeatedly. At other times, we prefer to try new methods of our own choosing. God desires new men more than new methods. He does this to make things happen in such a way that faith on everyone's part is all that matters.
The silence of thousands of marching men moving around their city, beyond the reach of arrows and weapons, in the early morning hours would have been unnerving to the inhabitants of Jericho as they woke up to the thumping sound of marching feet day after day. Silent soldiers, not speaking to each other nor hearing the sound of cadence being called, would have been unsettling to those watching from the walls of Jericho. The trumpets maintained order and provided direction, but the eerie march would wear on the nerves of those wondering what would happen next.
To some marchers, God was teaching humility so they would understand they needed to wait on the Lord and not take matters into their own hands. For those who were fearful, six days of marching would calm them down and prepare them to listen to orders from Joshua. Waiting and working are important, even if it means doing the same thing over and over. Both sound and silence have a place in the lives of God's people. Silence can produce fear, reverence, and respect that sound cannot.
The children of Israel experienced deliverance from Satan's power and felt God's presence. The ark was the focal point of the procession circling Jericho. The armed soldiers led the way, followed by priests blowing trumpets. After them came the ark, which is mentioned eleven times here. It was the center of attention, and by the time they completed thirteen laps around the city, the people inside would have been on the brink of losing their courage. Hundreds of silent marchers followed. The spiritual strength of the Israelites instilled deep fear in the hearts of the Jericho residents. There was a profound dread of the silent army marching around the walls thirteen times. Their deliverance resulted from their obedience to God. The city was conquered through the most unusual method.
God deals with the “walls” in our lives when we act in faith [Heb. 11:30]. It probably took thirteen silent laps around the walls for the people to realize they couldn't conquer Jericho, much less the promised land, without God's help. The power of the enemy is too overwhelming. Only God can bring victory over what seems impossible. The reason the Israelites could walk silently was that they trusted God was with them and obeyed Him. The ark of the covenant was in their midst. The enemy within the walls could not defeat God. We don’t need to make a lot of noise, try to make our message more “seeker friendly,” or use methods that appeal to the flesh. Instead, we must stand firm in fellowship with our brothers and sisters and understand the importance of earnest, fervent prayer to God and quietness before complaining men. As a result, Jericho will fall.
Whether it was the seventh day, the Sabbath, or another day of the week didn’t matter because the battle belonged to the Lord. By that time, some of Jericho's people might have become complacent and expected the same outcome as before. However, when Joshua instructed the troops to march around the city seven times and then shouted together with the trumpets, it was clear that something extraordinary was about to happen. The army of Israel had passed the test of faith by following God's commands throughout the week.
It was then that God delivered the city into the hands of the Israelite army. Their part had been completed in leading up to the deliverance. Their responsibility after the deliverance had already been outlined. When the walls fell flat, each man had a clear path to move straight ahead. The thunderous shouts of thousands from all sides would have terrorized the inhabitants of Jericho, leaving no way to escape God's righteous judgment. God was with them in the silence and in the noise. The walls of the city were brought down, and the city was laid open as a city devoted to destruction by Him.
Despite what men may say or think, sin is serious, and sin must be punished. The order had been given that all living beings and objects that could be used in idol worship must be destroyed. Innate objects could be kept for the Lord to use in any way He wished. The contrast between Old Testament morality and New Testament teachings must be understood within the context of the passage. There is a point of no return in the worship and practice of evil. Jericho had reached that point. Young children were spared from the coming wrath through early death and were taken to heaven, preserved for God and His kingdom.
We love people but cannot be associated with their practices of evil in any way. An example of grace is Rahab and her family. Rahab's faith allowed her and her family to survive, and she became part of God's people through her faith. Joshua's faith led him to do exactly what God commanded, ensuring victory and spreading his fame. The faith of Israel was tested and proven as they obeyed God, circled the city thirteen times, and then defeated it by God's power working through them. The victory was almost certain a week before Israel even knew how it would happen. In every area of life, God wants us to act in faith and live by faith.
The Lord is with His people now and has promised to return and take us to Himself. Satan has only a short time to cause destruction on the earth. He will not leave God's people alone until he is bound in the bottomless pit. Ultimately, the day of final victory will come when the Lord appears in glory and great power.