BIDDULPH AOG FUSHON 3 AUG 07 Joshua and the battle of Jericho.

Place: Biddulph AOG.           Date: Sunday, pm 3RD August July 2007.

Text: Joshua 6:5.                             Theme: Joshua and the battle of Jericho.

Introduction:                          Reading: Joshua 6:1-27.

          “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valour. You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.

And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

          Then 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.” And he said to the people, “Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord.”

          So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets.

Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, 'Shout!' Then you shall shout.” So he had the ark of the Lord circle the city, going around it once. Then they came into the camp and lodged in the camp.

          And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually and blew with the trumpets. And the armed men went before them. But the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did six days.

          But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!

Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”

So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

          But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, “Go into the harlot's house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her.” And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel.

But they burned the city and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, “Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.” So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country.”

Remember: God's supplies the power for His work.

Miracle: When God does something that is impossible for man or nature.
Lesson: Read text. 

Craft: build a wall of empty cereal or packing boxes. Have students re-enact story. Knock the “wall” down at the end.
Activity: play a Simon says game of “Joshua says.”
1) Joshua says blow your trumpet.
2) Joshua says walk in a circle.
3) Joshua says shout hallelujah!
4) Clap your hands
5) Joshua says stomp your feet.
6) Turn around.
7) Joshua says blow your trumpet.

Discussion Point: God's instructions to Israel were:

1.     Very precise.

2.     Were not normal for a battle.

Was it important for Israel to remain quiet the first 6 days and shout the 7th? It was, if only because that was how God wanted it done. What would have happened if the Israelites had marched around like God said, but had shouted each day? Would God have rewarded their disobedience? Sometimes, God tells us to handle our problems in a way totally different from how we think it should be done.

Sometimes we try to mix our ways with His, and then blame Him when it does not work. We have to totally submit our ways to His. When we do, we are amazed at how He does incredible things.
Memory verse: Joshua 6:5 “It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

“It shall come to pass, when [the priests] make a long blast with the ram's horn (hands in front of mouth like a horn),
and when you hear (hand cupped to ear)
the sound of the trumpet (hands in front of face "gripping" a trumpet),
that all the people (spread hands around you)
shall shout with a great shout (say this part loudly and raise hands above you);
then the wall of the city will fall down flat (bring hands down sharply, palms down).  And the people shall go up every man straight before him. (Walk in place).”

True or False

1.     No one would go in or out of the city of Jericho while the Israelites were camped at Gilgal.                                               T     (Joshua 6:1).

2.     God told Joshua what to do to capture the city Jericho.                                                                 T     (Joshua 6:2-5).

3.     God wanted six priests to carry six trumpets in front of the Ark of the Covenant as the Israelites marched around Jericho.  F (7 - Joshua 6:6).

4.     Joshua told the people to make lots of noise each time they marched around Jericho.                                                               F (they were to be silent the first 6 days, and only to shout the 7th day when the priests blew the trumpets - Joshua 6:10).

5.     The walls of Jericho fell flat when the Israelites shouted after the priests blew the trumpets with a long blast.                         T   (Joshua 6:20).

6.     The Israelites destroyed everything in the city of Jericho except Rahab and her family, and what Joshua told them to put into the treasury of the Lord.                                                                T (Joshua 6:21).

7.     Rahab and her family were taken safely out of Jericho.   T (Joshua 6:23).

BATTLE OF JERICHO (JOSHUA 6:1-26)

2 ACROSS “And the LORD, said to Joshua: 'See! I have given _______ into your hand, its king, and

the mighty men of valour' ” JOSHUA 6:2

3 ACROSS "Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, 'You shall not shout or make any noise

with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you,

"________"! Then you shall shout.' ” JOSHUA 6:10

6 ACROSS "And Joshua spared ________ the harlot, her father's household, and all that she had. So

he dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy

out Jericho." JOSHUA 6:25

7 ACROSS "You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go around the city once.

This you shall do _______days." JOSHUA 6:3

1 DOWN Joshua told the priest, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven

trumpets of rams’ _______before the ark of the LORD.” JOSHUA 6:6

2 DOWN "So the LORD was with ________, and his fame spread throughout all the country." JOSHUA 6:27

4 DOWN ’’But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priest shall

blow the _______.’’ JOSHUA 6:4

5 DOWN "So the people shouted when the priests blew their trumpets. And it happened when the

people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that

the ________ fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before

him, and they took the city." JOSHUA 6:20