A Great Cloud of Witnesses: Joshua

We are continuing our series, “A Great Cloud of Witnesses”. Hebrews 11 has 17 individuals, mentioned by name, that serve as witnesses or testimonies of faith. Several more are referred to by the things they experienced or endured, because of their faith. The great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11 testify about the power, love and faithfulness of God.

20 times in the 40 verses of this chapter we are told these witnesses lived “by faith”.

Hebrews 11:1 (NASB)

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith is only as good as its object. These witnesses in Hebrews 11, trusted what God said and trusted Him enough to act out it. And we too are called to live be faith, to trust the Lord Jesus with our lives. Loving, worshipful faith is what God desires from us...

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

6 ...without faith it is impossible to please Him...

Faith is pleasing to God. The Great Cloud of Witnesses confirm it. We don’t please God by trying harder or doing better. Instead, by faith, we deny ourselves, trust Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, and follow Him in the strength of the Holy Spirit. That’s faith. That’s what God wants. Faith.

So far we’ve covered the first 27 verses in Hebrews 11, looking at the witnesses found in the book of Genesis, namely, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph and now we have entered into the book of Exodus and examine the faith of Amram and Jochebed, the mom and dad of Moses, and last week, we took a look at the witness of Moses. This morning is Moses part 2.

Hebrews 11:30 (NASB)

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

Joshua 6:1–21 (NASB)

1 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. 3 “You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 “Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 “It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.” 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7 Then he said to the people, “Go forward, and march around the city, and let the armed men go on before the ark of the Lord.” 8 And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp. 12 Now Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them and the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 14 Thus the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did so for six days. 15 Then on the seventh day they rose early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same manner seven times; only on that day they marched around the city seven times. 16 At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. 17 “The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 “But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. 19 “But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.

When you have a problem…

Find God’s prescription.

(v. 1-5) 1 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. 3 “You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 “Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 “It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.”

Joshua 5:13–15 (NASB)

13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” 14 He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” 15 The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Find God’s prescription for your problem by spending time with Jesus!

Seek God in prayer and spend time searching the pages of scripture. God’s word has something to say about any and every problem we will ever face in this life. (Give examples…)

Isaiah 55:8–9 (NASB)

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)

21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Psalm 33:11 (NASB)

11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

Follow God’s plan.

(v. 6-13) 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7 Then he said to the people, “Go forward, and march around the city, and let the armed men go on before the ark of the Lord.” 8 And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp. 12 Now Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them and the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while they continued to blow the trumpets.

Matthew 6:33 (NASB)

33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

John 12:26 (NASB)

26 “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Luke 6:46 (NASB)

46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

Give God His portion .

(v. 17-19) 17 “The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 “But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. 19 “But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.”

Romans 12:1 (NASB)

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Malachi 1:8–9 (NASB)

8 “But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts. 9 “But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts.

Exodus 23:19 (NASB)

19 “You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the Lord your God...

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NASB)

7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Remain patient and persistent.

(v. 14-16) 14 Thus the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did so for six days. 15 Then on the seventh day they rose early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same manner seven times; only on that day they marched around the city seven times. 16 At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city.

Joshua 5:6 (NASB)

6 For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness...

Consistent is about constant behavior.

Persistent is constant behavior, especially in the face of opposition.

Psalm 37:7 (NASB)

7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him...

Psalm 37:9 (NASB)

9 ...those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land.

Lamentations 3:25 (ESV)

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

James 1:12 (ESV)

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Galatians 6:9 (NASB)

9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

Have faith God will prevail.

(v. 20-21) 20 So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.

Psalm 37:5 (NASB)

5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

1 John 5:4 (NASB)

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Joshua 1:7–8 (NASB)

7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

John 16:33 (NASB)

33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Joshua 1:9 (NASB)

9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Memory Verse of the Week:

Joshua 1:9 (NASB)

9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Bible Study Questions:

What does this Scripture teach us about God?

What does this Scripture teach us about ourselves?

What does this Scripture teach us about the world?

Do you see any commands to obey or principles to apply?

Do you see any promises to claim or blessings to enjoy?

Do you see any truths to meditate on or Gospel messages to share?

Did anything else in the passage stick out to you?