JOSHUA 6 BY FAITH For the inhabitants of the promised land, survival was more important than bringing in the harvest. Gilgal was the place of testing for the children of Israel where there were some lessons they had to learn before they could go forward in conquest. There had to be circumcision, the cutting off of that which was of the flesh. The Passover was eaten initiating a whole new generation of people to their privileges being the people of God. Then they were able to eat the "old corn of the land" as a promise of things to come when they would finally claim their inheritance. Some things that happen to us may make us wonder why this waiting time is necessary. In our enthusiasm and haste, we neglect some things that have to be done before we can be trusted to go ahead and address the work to which we have been called.
Circumcision had to take place at Gilgal even though for those days of healing the Israelites were very vulnerable to attack. They had to learn that God is "able to do exceedingly abundantly" that which is needed when we cut off all connections with the ungodly world. When that happens, then we give God His rightful place and worship, and remember, in a way similar to that which Israel did at the Passover. Christ is our Passover. A clear demarcation from the world system, a solid commitment to God Himself and remembering His ways with us in the past, sustenance given from the "old corn of the land" prepares us for the conquest - the work the Lord has before us. There are lessons to learn before there are battles to win. Calvary comes before Pentecost. There has to be death to ourselves before the rivers of living water can flow out to others as the Holy Spirit works through us.
Deliverance from the bondage of Satan was 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 unto God. They were delivered from defeat and failure in the wilderness. The wilderness is where Satan attacks with increasing force and increasing 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. All through our life, there will be areas of temptation we cannot deal with unless God assists us. Satan’s wiles will always be arrayed against the believer. “Jericho” lies in the path of us all. In ourselves we are not able to bring down the walls of impossibilities. Satan takes advantage of our weaknesses and temperament to bring us down. At other times it may be something that comes and holds us back from being what we should be. There are always lessons of faith we need to learn.
It is possible for us to live our Christian life at a low level in which we know we are saved and secure for heaven, and stop there. In that condition of soul, we will not enter into the blessings of joy that fellowship with God and fruitful service for Him brings. "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 go forward in the things of God, and of those God is willing to lead to higher ground. The present situations of life can only be dealt with by divine power that enables us to go through the obstacles before us by faith. When the Spirit of God is at liberty to use God's people, that is when the Lord brings victory.
Even though there was fear in Jericho and the city was tightly shut up, there was no change in the attitude of the people of Jericho except for Rahab. The people of Jericho were not victims of an unfair God. These were people who were going to reap what they had sown. They were entirely responsible for what was going to happen to them. Some things in life cannot be by-passed because the wages of sin have to be paid. Evil living leads to evil worship that continues to infect a society of people like an uncontrollable disease that ravages a body until the person dies a painful death. Severe judgment comes because of great wickedness and it cannot be avoided in a society or an individual. Jericho was completely shut up which gives us an apt description of the world in which sin reigns. Jericho is a type of the opposition all believers have in their Christian life. Coexistence of evil and righteousness is impossible.
Some of God's people live their whole lifetime in the wilderness with a little bit of light and occasional victories, but mostly defeat and failure. They have not experienced the joy of consciously living in the presence of God continually on the higher ground of faith. They have little sense of God's presence even though they have experienced redemption from Egyptian bondage. They know deliverance from the consequences of sin through the precious blood of Christ. But the power of sin still holds them back from real joy because of private sins they practice. Indifference to the will of God and the plight of sinners also is like "Jericho" standing in the way of spiritual progress. False teaching, disloyalty to God and His word and no consecration to the Lord and His will for them hinders others from claiming all that God wants them to have and enjoy here.
Israel had to learn that their real weapon was faith, not their own strength. They had learned some lessons at Gilgal but they still had to learn that God's ways are not man's ways. Man's ways would have been to mount a siege and force their way into the city. We need to learn it is the Lord who gives victory and He intends us to do His work in His way. There are walls in life that only God can remove and we need to remember that fact. This is a spiritual warfare we are in. Spiritual resources and a spiritual temperament have great power then used in God's way. Our temperament and character within, and the circumstance and pressures of life from without have to be dealt with in God's way. God wants His people to be "unspotted by the world." He wants purity in His people and those are things we have the responsibility to apply ourselves to in order for them to be real in us.
The thick walls of Jericho that barred the way of the Israelites would seem to be impossible to breech to God's people if they hadn't already learned some lessons of walking by faith. God told Joshua ahead of time the fact that Jericho was already defeated because He had given the city into Joshua's hand by 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 fact, but faith isn't something we get once and don't need again. Some lessons take time to learn. We are to do what we know is right now and leave the results with God. Israel needed to know the possessing of the land was a spiritual warfare. In order for that to become real to them their faith had to be tested thirteen times before victory came.
As far as we are concerned, in faith we have to look beyond the present work at hand to the One by whose strength victory comes. Like the people of God in the past, we learn that faith has patience. Faith expects obedience. Faith requires discipline. Faith presupposes expectations of results that only God can give. Faith may involve long days of diligence when nothing seems to be happening. But faith trusts God and keeps busy doing what in our hand "with our might as unto the Lord." Faith comes first and then is followed by the energy that brings action. Faith looks ahead with patience and does the work we have been given without knowledge of what will happen in the end.
In Gospel work there is often only the sound of the trumpet but no visible results at the time. However, we must keep sounding forth the knowledge that God is doing what He has planned, and in His own time He will bring victory. Moving in silence with only the sound of seven trumpets and marching feet would be hard to do day after day for those anxious to get into 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 a mournful sound, then the ark of the Lord being carried by the priests and following the ark was the rest of the army. Often, we want to use only the old methods over and over again. Other times we are inclined to use new methods of our own choosing. God wants new men more than new methods. The way He does this is to make things happen in such a way that faith on the part of every person is all that matters.
Silent soldiers not conversing with one another, nor the sound of cadence being called would have been disconcerting to those watchers on the wall of Jericho. The trumpets maintained the order and gave the direction but the eerie march would wear on the nerves of those who would be wondering what would happen next. To some of the marchers God was teaching humility so they would know they had to wait on the Lord and not take matters into their own hands. To those who were fearful, the six days of marching would settle them down to where they would be ready to listen to orders from Joshua. Waiting and working times are important even if it means doing the same thing over and over again. Sound and silence both have a place in the lives of God's people. Silence can produce fear, reverence and respect that sound does not give.
The children of Israel knew the deliverance from Satan's power. They felt presence of God. The ark was the center of the procession that circled the city of Jericho. The armed soldiers went first. Then priests blowing the trumpets. Following them came the ark. The ark is mentioned eleven times here. Then lastly, the thousands of silent marchers. The spiritual resources of the invaders brought melting fear to the hearts of the people of Jericho. There was serious dread of the silent army that marched around the walls thirteen times. Deliverance came because of their obedience to God. The city was defeated by the most unusual method. God deals with the “walls” in our life when we act in faith [Heb.11:30]. It probably took thirteen times around the walls in silence for people to recognize that it was impossible for them to conquer Jericho, let alone the promised land, without God with them. The power of the enemy is too great. God must bring about the victory over the things that are impossible. The reason the Israelites could silently walk was they knew God was with them and they were obeying Him. The ark of the covenant was in the middle of them. The enemy within the walls could not defeat God. We don’t have to make a lot of noise, make our message more “seeker friendly”, or use methods that appeal to the flesh. We need to stand firm in fellowship with our brethren and learn the importance of earnest, fervent prayer to God and silence before complaining men. The result, Jericho will fall.
By the seventh day a complacency may have taken place in Jericho and people would expect the same thing to happen again, However, when Joshua had instructed the troops to circle the city seven times and then gave a great shout at the signal of the trumpets, it would have been clear that something special was about to take place. When the walls fell down flat, there was a clear path for each man to go straight forward in front of him. The great shouts of thousands of men from all sides would have terrorized the inhabitants of Jericho and there was no way to go to escape the righteous judgment of God. God was with them in the silence, and He was with them in the sound. The walls of the city were flattened and the city opened up as a city devoted to Him for destruction. In spite of what men may say or think, sin is serious and God must punish sin.
Rahab's faith allowed her and her family to live and she became one of God's people by faith. Joshua's faith led him to do exactly what God said and the victory was assured and his fame spread. The faith of Israel was tested and proven as they did what God said and circled the city thirteen times and then conquered the city by the power of God working through them. Victory was sure a week before Israel even knew how it was going to happen. In every part of life, God intends us to act in faith, and live by faith.
The Lord is with His people now and has promised to return and receive us to Himself. Satan has only a short time to work his havoc of the earth. He will not leave the Lord’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.
Joshua.6:5. “The people shall ascend up every man straight before him.”
STRAIGHT BEFORE If I go “straight before,” I will not be stepping on another man’s toes.
If I go “straight before,” I will not be looking back over my shoulder for any reason.
If I go “straight before,” I will be minding my own business.
If I go “straight before,” I will know where I am going.
If I go “straight before,” I will be taking ground for the common good.
If I go “straight before,” I will be doing what God says.
If I go “straight before,” I will know what I have accomplished.
If I go “straight before,” I will know, and others will know, where I have been.
If I go “straight before,” I will take responsibility for the gains and losses.
If I go “straight before,” I will not be comparing my gains or losses with another person’s.
If I go “straight before,” I will know who the enemy in front of me is, and where he is.
If I go “straight before,” I will know when I have finished the task God gave me.
If I go “straight before,” I will be tired when the battle is over, glad that I shared in it with others, thankful that by God’s grace, help and power – we won!
“O Almighty God, our Father: The war is on! I know it, I feel it, I see it all around me. The pressures are on to dodge here or there; to take short cuts; to keep from getting hurt or to not hurt someone else. But I know that is not the way battles are won. The enemy has to be resisted; the gates of hell have to be attacked. Somebody is going to get hurt. That is the way with war. But Father, thanks for providing this armor – it works, it really works! Every piece in its place and even though I’m scared, when it’s used, it works. What a relief! The shield sometimes gets heavy – actually the whole armor seemed at first a bit much. But now, when the war is raging, I’m thankful for every piece, and Father, even though I didn’t realize it at first, my muscles are building and the armor seems a part of me now. Thanks for arming me ahead of time and being patient with me till I got used to it. Amen.”