Joshua fought the battle of Jericho-Joshua 6:1-5

The Impossible battle

Illustration: Have you ever faced a challenge that felt impossible? Maybe it was a financial crisis, a health struggle, or a situation where you felt completely outmatched. That’s exactly where Israel stood before Jericho—a massive, fortified city with no way in and no way around it.

Context: After 40 years in the wilderness, Israel finally enters the Promised Land. But their first obstacle is Jericho, a city with high, impenetrable walls.

Human Problem: Israel had no battering rams, no siege towers, no way to break through.

God’s Plan: Instead of military tactics, God gives them an unusual command: march, blow trumpets, and shout.

The Unusual Strategy

Joshua 6:1–5 ESV

1 Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”

This plan made no sense from a human perspective:

No weapons, no direct attack, just marching

Israel had to trust God’s word over human logic.

They could have questioned or resisted, but instead, they obeyed.

Three Lessons on God’s Strength

Trust God’s Plan, Even When It Seems Unreasonable Joshua 6:6-14

Joshua 6:6–14 ESV

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 bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7 And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.” 8 And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. 9 The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” 11 So he caused the ark of the Lord to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp. 12 Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days.

God’s plans often challenge Human logic.

Marching around a city for a week isn’t a battle strategy.

Naaman was told to dip 7 times, and initially refused.

God’s ways are higher than our ways Isaiah 55:8–9 “8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither 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.”

God call’s us to trust Him before we see results, just as Abraham did.

Will we follow His plan even when it challenges our understanding?

2. God works through obedience Joshua 6:15-16

Joshua 6:15–16 ESV

15 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city.

Obedience is an act of faith.

The Israelites didn’t see immediate results for six days. They obeyed before they saw God work.

Naaman had to dip seven times in the Jordan before his leprosy was healed.

The blind man had to wash in the pool of Siloam before he could see. John 9:6-7

Partial obedience is disobedience

Saul lost his kingdom because he only obeyed part of what God commanded.

God calls for full obedience, not selective obedience.

3. The Battle Belongs to the Lord Joshua 6:20

Joshua 6:20 ESV

20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

Victory is not about human effort, but God’s power.

Israel didn’t push the walls down-God did.

David defeated Goliath not with his own strength, but with God’s. “The battle is the Lord’s”

Jehoshaphat’s army didn’t fight; they praised God, and He won the battle for them. 2 Chronicles 20:21–22 “21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” 22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.”

We fight spiritual battles, not physical ones. Ephesians 6:12

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

We try to fight battles through stress, control, ad worry, but God has called us to trust Him instead.

Prayer, faith, and obedience are our weapons, not human strength.

Big Idea: Our role is faithfulness, God brings the victory

How Do We Apply This?

Israel didn’t wil because of their strength, skill, or strategy. They won because they trusted God, obeyed His word, and let Him fight for them.

Just as God brought down the walls of Jericho, Jesus removes the walls of sin that separate us from God.