From Jericho to Ai

Joshua 6, 7

Joshua 6:1–10 NASB 95

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!”

Introduction

Today is going to start with a bit of geographical history

Many obstacles faced Israel once they crossed the Jordan. The first two were the cities of Jericho and Ai

Jericho and Ai stood approximately 4 miles (+-) apart

Map — “Exodus Route into Canaan”

Similarities

Both were fortified cities in strategic areas

Map — Jericho artist rendering”

Jericho was @ 10 miles west of the Jordan (6 miles north of Dead Sea) and guarded the passage between the Jordan valley and hill country to the west. Jericho actually had two walls as concentric rings. Due to its terrain, the two looked as one impregnable wall from outsiders.

Ai sat in the high hill country, taking the high ground. It too was fortified and defended, although smaller than Jericho.

Both were standing in the way of God’s people

God had told them to march in and take the land, and that he would go before them and strike them with fear

Differences

Jericho they followed God’s leading; Ai they did not

God told them precisely how to take Jericho. Bottom line: God leveled the walls due to their faithful obedience

For Ai they didn’t even ask the LORD’s direction. They half-heartedly and lightly-manned marched up in their own power and were embarrassingly routed.

Had Joshua—or one of their leaders—inquired of God perhaps he would have revealed Achan’s sin

Jericho, they had a victory that they should not have; Ai, they took a defeat they should not have

Conclusions

Both Jericho and Ai remind us of our victories and defeats. In some things we were victorious only because of God’s might. Otherwise, we should have been defeated. Some defeats should not have happened but were due to our own sin.

When we are faithful and obedient to the LORD we are unstoppable. However, when we defy his commands, even small matters can utterly destroy us.

Which will it be?