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I HAVE DELIVERED JERICHO INTO YOUR HANDS

Joshua 6:1-27

Key Verse: 2

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men”

Introduction

Last week, we learned how God prepared the Israelites for spiritual battle through circumcision and the Passover celebration. Today’s passage is about the battle against Jericho in the Promised Land. Jericho was an invincible fortress. But when the Israelites followed God’s words carefully, the walls of Jericho collapsed. The nature of this war is more spiritual rather than physical war. May we learn the spiritual principles to overcome obstacles and win the spiritual battle in our personal lives as well as God’s ministry. Today’s passage may have three parts. 1. The Strategy for Victory (6:1-7) 2. The Sequence to Victory (6:8-21) 3. The Promise Fulfilled (6:22-27)

1. Read verses 1-5. What was the situation in Jericho? (1) What was the Lord’s promise to Joshua? (2) What did the Lord command Joshua to do? (3-5) What can we learn from God’s command?

1-1, Read verses 1-5.

Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. 2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

1-2, What was the situation in Jericho? (1)

Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

The people of Jericho heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan River, and their hearts melted in fear. So they took a defensive mode by shutting all the gates.
The citizens of Jericho had plentiful food supply and ample water from springs within the wall. Jericho had a double wall consisting of inner and outer walls.

1-3, What was the Lord’s promise to Joshua? (2)

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.

When Joshua encountered the commander of the Lord’s army near Jericho, he realized that God was with him and his army.
Per Joshua’s request to give him the message on the previous passage, God spoke to Joshua these words of promise so that he might face Jericho battle with a sense of victory.

1-4, What did the Lord command Joshua to do? (3-5)

3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.

God’s command was “March and Shout” strategy. It sounded nonsense, but it was God’s strategy for Jericho battle.
“March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.” The Israelites might wonder why they had to march everyday which did not make the walls of Jericho cracked at all.
Human logic fails to understand God’s word and his instructions. Only those who go beyond human logic can see the spiritual reality although it sounds nonsense.

4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.

Blowing the trumpets of rams’ horns meant praising God for His grace. The phrase “carrying trumpets or blowing trumpets” appear 14 times in this passage.
When we praise God with great decision, the power of God will gradually work in us to become like a stream for the healing of our wounds and scars. When we sing praises to God, evil spirits flee away from us and light and life fill our hearts.

On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, have the whole army give a loud shout.
Seventh day strategy was different from the other 6 days. The promise was that their loud shout would collapse the wall of Jericho.
It is noticeable that there were seven priests blowing seven trumpets. In the Bible “seven” is a perfect and complete number.
Our giving thanks and praise to God should be perfect and absolute regardless of our human conditions.
So Paul said, “…giving thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus“ (1 Th 5:18).
When we think of his perfect goodness, we can thank and praise him in all things, for “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according his purpose” (Ro 8:28).
What a wonderful life it is when one thanks and praises God for everything happening around himself/herself.
Seven trumpets daily blown by seven priests was God’s strategy for the fall of Jericho.

1-5, What can we learn from God’s command?

We confront obstacles and challenges in our spiritual life. But hearing God’s personal word like Joshua needs to be precedent.
Then we claim our prayer topics through marching and walking prayer. We offer sings of praise to God all the time as if the trumpet kept sounding.
We all do these by faith. Then God will go ahead of us and let us overcome the obstacles. May we experience God’s presence as we serve our campus mission with praise and prayer!

2. Read verses 6-16. On the first day, what were the specific instructions Joshua gave to the people? (6-11) Why did he caution them not to say a word? (10) What did they do on each day for six days? (12-14) What did they do on the seventh day? (15-16)

2-1, Read verses 6-16.

6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” 7 And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.” 8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. 9 The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there. 12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. 15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!

2-2, On the first day, what were the specific instructions Joshua gave to the people? (6-11)

Joshua took action by commanding each group to obey God’s word. Joshua called “ark carrying team priests”, “trumpets blowing team priests”, and “front and rear armed guard groups”. Joshua assigned specific tasks upon each group.

8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. 9 The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding.10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

Here we see the array of their marching. We clearly see the marching order: the armed guard, the trumpet blowing priests, the priests carrying the ark of the Lord and the rear guard.

Formation is important in every sports game or battle because it tells the director’s strategy.
As we examine the marching formation, armed guards were surrounding both seven trumpets blowing priests and the ark carrying priests.
Especially, the ark of the Lord was at the center of the array. The ark of the Lord represented God himself. God was in the center of their march. In fact, Joshua, all priests and his army were walking with God.

2-3, Why did he caution them not to say a word? (10)

10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!”

This is a command with triple emphasis: complete silence training for six days. They could have been tempted to complain at following the unrealistic and unreasonable command repeatedly in the same situation.
Complaint could have spread like a CA fire. Then the whole community would collapse before the destruction of Jericho.
38 years before, Joshua and the people experienced this terrible consequence in the desert. Now each one of the people had to fight inwardly against Satan’s doubt and complaints rising in them.
In our times nothing seems to work without complaints. But the spiritual world is quite different. It is a wonderful thing that complaining or troublesome topics can be prayer topics.
As they marched around the city silently and quietly according to General Joshua’s direction, each one’s heart could be prayerful.
Then this would be the powerful united prayer in absolute silence. Their silence marching around the city having the ark of the LORD in the centre of their marching band would be a very powerful factor for the battle.
Prayerful marching army of God’s people in deep trust in God is truly great and mighty, for God abundantly blesses their complete silent prayers.
We believe that a prayerful heart in quietness wins over oneself and can win the violently shaky and noisy world.

Isaiah 30:15 says, “In quietness and trust is our strength.”

2-4, What did they do on each day for six days? (12-14)

12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

Joshua got up early the next morning. And the priests took up the ark of the Lord. On the first day, they must have been tired to follow the Lord’s command through Joshua meticulously. But early the next morning, they were willing to obey again.
On the second day, Joshua and his army did the same thing. They did this for six days.

2-5, What did they do on the seventh day? (15-16)

15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!

Their march on the seventh day is more than all 6 days’ marching. They had to march the whole day.
Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!” Always, final finishing is very important. The final blow finishes the work.
How difficult it must have been to march around the city seven times! They had to march the whole day. But they did it.
Our God is the God of the start and the God of the finish. He wants us to finish strong, even making seven times more effort.

3. Read verses 17-27. What was Joshua’s command regarding all things in the city and Rahab? (17-19) Describe how the city wall collapsed. (20) How did the people devote the city to the Lord and spare Rehab and her family? (21-25) What curse did Joshua pronounce on anyone who attempted to rebuilt the city? (26-27)

3-1, Read verses 17-27.

17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted[a] to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.” 20 When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. 21 They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. 22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. 26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.” 27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

3-2, What was Joshua’s command regarding all things in the city and Rahab? (17-19)

17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

Joshua had to command the people of Israel to stay away from the accursed things. By this he means the idols and things associated with the demonic and depraved worship of the people of Canaan.
Joshua is careful to take care of Rahab. Her faith in the living God would find support by God's people.
The severe judgment that is brought against Jericho, and all of Canaan didn't come because they were in the "way" of God's people.
It came because this was a people who were in total rebellion against God and in league with the occult, as the artifacts recovered from this period demonstrate.
But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD: All the valuables belong to God.
Jericho is the "first fruits" city of Canaan, and so the valuables are set apart to the treasury of the LORD.

3-3, Describe how the city wall collapsed. (20)

20 When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.

The wall of Jericho fell down at the loud shout! How? Hebrews 11:30 says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.”
When the Israelites followed God’s strategy with obedient faith, God made the walls of Jericho collapse. The walls of Jericho fell with loud sound and rising dust.

3-4, How did the people devote the city to the Lord and spare Rehab and her family? (21-25)

21 They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. 22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

According to this promise, miraculously Rahab’s house did not collapse. The scarlet cord was still there in the window as a sign of salvation.
The two spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.
One woman of faith was precious in the sight of God. God saves the people of faith in the midst His judgment.
The heart of many campus students are shut tightly due to the prejudice for the gospel.
But only those who open their heart to the gospel would be saved. God called us soldiers of Christ who are carrying out this special mission for God’s name.
May God enable us to walk on campus with prayerful heart and be used for saving perishing souls on campus.

3-5, What curse did Joshua pronounce on anyone who attempted to rebuilt the city? (26-27)

26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

This was fulfilled in 1 Kings 16:34, which says In Ahab’s days, Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun.
It seems that Ahab wanted to challenge the prophecy of Joshua after the destruction of the city.
If Ahab did think that he could rebuild Jericho without being affected by this curse, he was wrong.
Archaeological excavations have uncovered evidence of a practice in ancient biblical times called ‘foundation sacrifices’ in which children were buried, maybe alive, in the foundations of buildings.
This was a merciful warning to Ahab that he ignored. Yet Ahab did not take this warning seriously.

Conclusion

We can learn from the things that marked their victory. Joshua and Israel believed God’s battle plan. Joshua and Israel followed the battle plan exactly according to God’s commands. Israel followed the battle plan, even when it seemed that nothing was happening in 6 consecutive days. Israel did not rely on carnal scheming and worldly methods; their trust was in the LORD. May the Lord help us to learn their example in forming one unity of prayer and praise and obedience until we may experience God’s victory in God’s way. Amen.

One Word: See, I have delivered!