The Fall of Jericho

Tonight i decide to talk about a very familiar story. one that everyone knows. the fall of Jericho. many people have always been amazed with the story of how the walls of Jericho all of a sudden fallen down. A little bit of Background about Joshua, we see that Joshua is the successor after Moses. Joshua is the one who becomes the next leader of the Israelites. Lets turn in our Bibles to Joshua 6:1.

Joshua 6:1–7 NKJV

1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. 3 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. 4 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. 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.” 6 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.” 7 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.”

In the first five verse here what do we see that is going on here in Joshua?

a. what do we know about the City of Jericho?

i. well for starters the city of Jericho was well know city in the land of Canaan.

ii. it was also known for its great defenses. (also know as the impenetrable city).

a. Jericho had two strong walls around the city one that when part way down the slope of the mound.

b. The other wall of Jericho was at the crest of the mound. usually this were the ramparts and some the building out walls help build up the defense system in the city of Jericho.

c. we can also assume that during the building of this city, there would towers, gates, and other kinds of defenses add to the walls in order to protect this city from invaders.

d. if Israel was able to break through the first wall. the people of Israel would have to worry about the second wall and its defenders.

e. War during this time was never easy. you had to out smart a defense system that was very complex and very well thought out.

f. Jericho was well fortified, and well supplied with food and water. The king of Jericho had every reason to believe all he had to do was wait Israelites out.

iii. Jericho was a well known trading city do to its location in Canaan.

b. what do we see God do here in Joshua chapter 6?

The King

Its mighty men of Valor

c. What kind of Battle plan does God given Joshua, and what kind of instructions does God give?

you shall march around the city, all the men of war from Israel.

you shall go around the city once a day for six days

we see in verse 4 through 5 it talks about having seven priest that shall have seven trumpets of Ram horns before the Ark.

we need to notice here that 7 priest, 7 trumpets, and on the 7th day they are to march around the city 7 times.

d. Who was really battling the city of Jericho?

a. if you notice that Ark of God was going first around the city, then you would know that the city of Jericho was at Battle with God.

b. it was God who gave the instructions to Joshua.

c. many believe that due to the vibrations coming from the people of Israel is what had help weaken the walls of Jericho. logically it was God who cause an earthquake in order to bring the walls down.

d. This was part of God’s promise to Abraham.

turn in your Bibles too:

Genesis 15:16 NKJV

16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

e. we can assume that Jericho was a city of the Amorite people.

now lets continue with the Joshua 6:

Joshua 6:8–14 ESV

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.

what kind of details do we notice here in verse 8 through 14 in Joshua chapter 6?

we should notice the Priest had front guard and a rear guard.

we should also notice here that Joshua commands the Israelites to be completely quite as they march.

they did this for six days.

Now than how do you think the citizens of Jericho felt?

what do you think was going through the minds of citizens, the guards, and the king of Jericho as they watch the Israelite people?

Lets go on to Joshua 6:15-21

Joshua 6:15–21 NKJV

15 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. 16 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! 17 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. 18 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. 19 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.” 20 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. 21 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.

what is the difference you see on the last day compared to the six days before?

well the got up early in the morning to march.

they march around the city 7 times

the people of Israel shouted

the Walls collapsed

the Israelite people were told to take nothing from Jericho

Everything was to be destroyed

what do you think what was going through the minds of people of Jericho as the walls all of sudden just collapsed?

That is right they were afraid. their city was now open to the Israelite people. the people they probably laugh because of how they were marching around the city. they made fun of “Oh look here comes the Israelites to do their silly little march, and blow those silly horns”

Who’s family is the only survivor of Jericho?

Rahab.

let’s continue with the story of Joshua 6.

Joshua 6:22–23 NKJV

22 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.” 23 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.

Now we know the story of how Rahab saved the lives two certain spy’s. Rahab also had belief in the God of Israel. it was because of this belief and the fear of God of Israel that is what kept her and her family safe from the destruction of Jericho.

Lets Look at Joshua 2:8-14

Joshua 2:8–14 NKJV

8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, 13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

Here in Joshua 2 what do we see about Rahab?

we see that She had heard about the Israelite and their God

she believe and fear the God of Israel

She confess to God (look verse 11 in chapter 2 of Joshua).

She makes a deal with the Israelite people.

Now let go back Joshua to 6:24-27

Joshua 6:24–27 NKJV

24 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. 25 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. 26 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.” 27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country.

at the end of this Chapter in Joshua we see that Jericho burnt to the ground. the only thing that was taken was the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron which they gave to God. so how can we apply, or what can we learn from the story about the Fall of Jericho?

1 the first thing as christian is that we need to Trust God:

2 Samuel 22:3 NKJV

3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.

2 Samuel 22:31 NKJV

31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

Just from these two verse here in 2nd Samuel we come to understand that If we trust God he is going to be our strength, he is going to be our Shield, he is going to be our stronghold and Refuge. we as Christians also understand that God knows what is right for us, for his ways are perfect, the words of the Lord are Proven.

The second thing we can learn from this is that we must Obey God. Obeying God is not easily done. even those of us who claim to be Christian still struggle with obeying the Bible and following what it tells us to do. Turn in our Bibles to Acts chapter 5 verse 29.

Acts 5:29 NKJV

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.

We see that even Peter and the other Apostles understood that Obeying God was better than following men who think of themselves as wise. we have an old testament story about this also let turn in our Bibles too:

1 Kings 12:1–14 NKJV

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. 2 So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt, for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling in Egypt), 3 that they sent and called him. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5 So he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed. 6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist! 11 And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’ ” 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.” 13 Then the king answered the people roughly, and rejected the advice which the elders had given him; 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!”

in this story about King Rehoboam. we see why God had an order of thing set in place. The king in this story shows the reason of listening to man foolish ways sometimes. but we as christian’s need to understand that God looks out for his people who obey him. this will lead to our last and final point for the night. the last thing we can probably learn from the story of Jericho is that the Battle will always belong to the Lord. lets go ahead turn in our bibles too:

Jeremiah 51:20 NKJV

20 “You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: For with you I will break the nation in pieces; With you I will destroy kingdoms;

Here in Jeremiah we come to understand that God is the one who is giving the nations into the hands of the Israelite like here in Joshua Chapter 6 the fall of Jericho. when we as Christians come to trust in God and obey, it is comforting to know that a God would go and battle for us. how this apply’s for us is that God fight for us spiritually. we can also look a Eph 6:12

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

if you read farther down the passage in Ephesian we see the armor of God, which prepares us for Battle against this world and the evil one.

if you are struggle with anything to night know by coming tonight you will have comfort tonight knowing God is fight for you, and if your are not prepare come and we can get you prepare for the spiritual battle.