The Humpty Dumpty Wall

PRAY

Y’all know the old nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty?…

It’s really a dumb story…

Well tonight we are looking at a story from the Bible not where there were probably a whole lot of people who fell off of a wall because the whole wall fell down. And there was a curse for anyone who put the wall back together again.

I tried to think of a clever way that I could make a connection between Humpty Dumpty and what God is teaching through this story in Joshua 6 and I couldn’t come up with anything! So, here’s what’s going on in this passage:

Active faith and trust in God brings his blessings.

read Josh 6 through

1 Kings 16:34 ESV

In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

Real faith is active. It’s not just a statement. It’s followed with evidence.

James 2:26 ESV

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

We see a few examples of faith in Joshua 6.

The faith of the leader

If you want to be a good Christian leader, lead by faith in God. If you are going to follow a Christian leader, make sure they are walking by faith in God!

Joshua showed his faith 40 years ago when he went to spy out the land. He shows it again now as he leads God’s people to take possession of the promised land and follows the instructions that God give him.

Galatians 1:10 ESV

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Joshua knows his calling is not to please the people but to honor God. He also knows that the best way to lead the people is by obeying God. So that’s what He does.

If you want to be a godly leader, whether that’s in church, in FCA, in your club, on your team, the way to you do it is by showing your faith in God. Acting upon your faith that his Word is true and best and inviting others to do the same. That’s what Joshua does and God doesn’t disappoint!

The faith of the people

Have faith in God, even if it seems crazy. He won’t let you down!

You ever think about the things you put faith in? Any thrill ride people in here? Roller coasters? Bungee jumping? That’s crazy! Yet so many of us will show more faith in things like that than we show in God.

The people of Israel followed Joshua’s directions exactly because they trusted Joshua, but more than that their faith was in God. They had experienced what not trusting God got them and they didn’t want more wandering in the wilderness.

2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

for we walk by faith, not by sight.

There will be times in your life, lots and lots of times in fact, where God’s Word tells you to do one thing and the world tells you to do something different… Will your faith be in God or in the world? Who will you believe?

Joshua 24:15 ESV

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Years before Joshua gave this challenge to the Israelites, they had chosen to put their faith in God and march around the city of Jericho like some loons. But they weren’t they only ones there who put their faith in God.

The faith of an outsider

God receives everyone and anyone who puts their faith in Him.

Several of you are probably familiar with the story of Rahab, but for those who are not…

Rahab told the spies that she knew that the Lord was giving them the city. Not that they were mighty. Not that her people were week. But that the Lord was giving them the victory.

She was not a part of God’s people, but God brought her in because she put her faith in him. It didn’t matter about her history… or her ancestry…, all that mattered was she put her faith in God.

Psalm 145:18 ESV

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

There is one more picture of faith we need to see, the most important one. The faithfulness of God towards all these. He is faithful bring crumble the walls of the city. He is the one who did that…

He is faithful to protect Rahab and her family who was with her, even though the wall fell down around them, He still saved them in the midst of it.

God is still faithful to save all those who put their faith in Him today…