Steps To Victory, Pt. 2
Notes
Transcript
Intro; Last week we started looking at “Steps To Victory” in Joshua 6. We talked about fearing the Lord [awe and tremble] and then about things that seem foolish and our faith [walking around a city as a battle plan and the faith it takes to carry it out].
That’s where I want to pick back up tonight, Things that Seem Foolish and Faith.
1. Seven Blowing Trumpets; 6-9
1. Seven Blowing Trumpets; 6-9
The picture we see here is armed men walking before and after the priests carrying the Ark of the Lord, blowing trumpets.
The only thing that seems logical is the armed men ready for battle, but there’s a deep meaning here we need to recognise.
Notice the repetition of the number seven in these verses. In Scripture, “seven” is the number of completion. God commanded Joshua to have seven priests carry seven rams’-horn trumpets. They and all the men were to march around the city … one time every day for six days. Then on the seventh day, they were to march seven times (6:3–4). After the final lap around the city, the priests were to blow the trumpets and the men were to shout. Then the wall would collapse in such a way that the invaders could go straight in and take care of business.
In Scripture, seven is the number of completion. God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. The seven churches of Revelation represent all churches. As Revelation continues, the seven seals are opened, the seven trumpets sound, and the seven bowls are poured out—all indicating the completion of God’s work. God was telling Joshua that he must follow His instructions completely if he wanted victory in the Lord. Faith!
Trumpets; The Jews used two different kinds of trumpets, those made of silver and those made of ram’s horns. The silver trumpets were used especially by the priests to signal the camp when something important was happening (Num. 10)
The ram’s horns were used primarily for celebrations. The common Hebrew word for “trumpet” is shofar; for “ram’s horn,” it is jobel, which is the root of the word jubilee. The “Year of Jubilee” was the fiftieth year after seven Sabbaticals, and was a special time of celebration in Israel (Lev. 25; 27:14–17). The priests blew the ram’s horns to “proclaim liberty throughout all the land” (25:10).
The priests didn’t use the silver trumpets in this event because Israel was not declaring war on Jericho, for there was no war! The Jews were announcing the arrival of the “Year of Jubilee” a celebration of the Lord for Israel in their new land. That’s why the Ark of the Covenant went before them. Victory comes through faith.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Strong (p. 74). Victor Books.Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Strong (p. 74). Victor Books.
Walking around Jericho for 7 days without advancing in battle was a test of their patience!
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
2. Be Quiet then Shout; 10, 16
2. Be Quiet then Shout; 10, 16
Now God tests the self-control of the people by telling them to be silent until they are told to shout. [No women were in the army at that time, LOL!]
Imagine the words that were cast towards the Israelites after a few days of walking around the city and then not attacking. Jericho may have begun to mock the army and most of us can’t hold our tongue when being mocked!
A soldier who can’t control their tongue [follow orders] will lose the battle and endanger his platoon. [“You just wait till day 7 when we blow the trumpets and shout, boy you’re gonna get it”]
5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
Ecclesiastes 3:7 (NKJV)
7 A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
[16] Shout- the people were not to shout to knock down the walls, their shout was a shout of praise and thanksgiving for God giving them victory!
11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.
1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3. Accursed Things and Firstfruits; 18-21
3. Accursed Things and Firstfruits; 18-21
God commanded two things of the children of Israel when they went into the city, stay clear of the accursed things and all the spoils were for the treasury of the Lord.
Accursed- banned things, devoted for destruction [people, goods, animals]
The city itself wasn’t evil, but the people in it were. They had to be destroyed or their ways would have corrupted the children of Israel.
Gleason Archer declares, “In view of the corrupting influence of the Canaanite religion, especially with its religious prostitution … and infant sacrifice, it was impossible for pure faith and worship to be maintained in Israel except by the complete elimination of the Canaanites themselves” (A Survey of Old Testament Introduction.) Chicago: Moody Press, 1994, p. 297).
Sin is desperately contagious. To compromise with evil is dangerous and invites spiritual disaster.
17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Firstfruits- the best of the crops, animals or spoils of war. It is a type of more still to come.
Those who fought the battle were given rights to the firstfruits. God won the victory so He is due the firstfruits!
Firstfruits is connected with giving to the Lord first in thanksgiving for His blessings and bounty. Tithing and the resurrection of Christ is connected to firstfruits. God is pronouncing that you give Me the firstfruits and then watch Me bless you!
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;
12 And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
4. Faith; 25
4. Faith; 25
Rahab’s faith paid off. She had to have the very same faith that Israel had to be saved.
Fear the Lord, faith over things that seemed foolish, be patient, persevere, leave her accursed life and trust the Lord.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
Israels faith paid off by being completely obedient to the Lord!
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
Close;
To be a person of faith doesn’t mean sitting around doing nothing. It requires acting on that faith—trusting that what God says, he will do.
Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory that overcomes the world.