Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho,
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,
and the walls came tumbling down.
God renewed His covenant with the Israelites and had the men circumcised. When the men got better, God gave them instructions on how they was to take Jericho. We all know the story. They was to walk around the city once a day for six days but on the seventh day, they was to go around the city seven times and when the trumpet let out a long blast they was to shout and the walls would come tumbling down. Don't you wish you could of seen the people of Jericho when this was going on. I can see them now nudging one another and laughing, "These are the people we're suppose to be afraid of. They must be a little touched in the head."
Rehab and her family was to be the only people saved. (Rehab was the one who protected the spies when they checked out Jericho) The city was to be destroyed except for the gold, silver, iron and brass which was to be brought into the treasury of the house of the Lord.
Joshua sent men to A'i. They came back saying, "Oh yes, we can take them. We don't even need but about 3,00 of us." Imagine their surprise when the A'is came out after them and sent them running back to safety. Joshua called out to God. "Why." God tells Joshua that someone had things they wasn't suppose to have and if God was to stay with them they would have to get rid of the person who did this. Joshua called all the people together and told them what happened. He asked the men one by one if they did this. A'chor admitted to taking the things and hiding them in the ground inside of his tent. A'chor was then taken out and stoned, burned and then a pile of stones was placed on top of him. This reminds me of the day of judgment. Many people are going to stand in front of God and admit the wrong they have done. They thought they could hide their sins and that they could get away with it. Wrong. God sees and knows everything we do. God will punish them for their sins. I hope I don't have to hang my head in shame on that day.
Once this was taken care of God did give them A'i. He told them to set up an ambush and they could take the people while they was out of the city. Then they could destroy the city. This time, they was allowed to take the cattle and the spoils of the city for a prey unto themselves.
God rewards us with good when we follow His Word and do His will. Lord help me not to be an A'chor and try to hide my sins but to admit them and ask for your loving forgiveness. For I know, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrightousness.
Boots, what an excellent post! Joshua and the Israelites heeded to God's command again. They were to walk around the wall blowing their trumpets with loud noises to bring down the wall. The anticipation and excitement of the whole situation!!! Wow!!! The action of the events in Joshua 1-4 is just amazing!!! Then to go through the wall and God had more plans for them. Stoning, burning, & ambushes, etc. God means business. He commands his people to be obedient in all things.
ReplyDeleteFor those of us who were raised in the church, the story of Jericho is quite familiar. I would challenge each one of us to look at this story with fresh eyes and a fresh mind. It is QUITE an amazing story to behold!!! Sometimes I think God does things in such an unusual way that there is NO DOUBT that HE is the one who did it and we cannot take credit for ANY of it!!! The battle of Jericho is one of those times. This is just like we heard today that we are going to possibly have a new Pastor at Oak Hill and the miracle of how this happened. Our GOD SHOWS UP!!!
ReplyDeleteGod showed up at the walls of Jericho with the Israelites and their trumpets, and God showed up for the Pastor Search Team looking for our new Pastor. It is amazing. And sometimes He shows up in the most unusual ways. At the very end of the search, He "showed up" with one resume for the Pastor Search Team that turned out to be the Candidate for Oak Hill's next Pastor.
ReplyDeleteAn archaeology tidbit - they have discovered within the walls of Jericho a number of storage jars of parched and burned grain. Grain was such a commodity in those days that people (or conquerors) would not have left them behind - too valuable. But this city was "dedicated" to the Lord, so the Israelites would not have taken anything as booty. After the walls came down from the shouts and trumpets, the town was burned. All was in rubble except for some houses that were built against the north wall of the city still standing - Rahab's house?
As Jaybrena sang yesterday, "God will SHOW UP and take you through the fire again." Amen
This passage does really reinforce that our God is a big, powerful God. Sometimes we try to "unweave a rainbow". Not that there aren't wonderful things to be learned from really digging, but this is one of those passages that I just want to stand back and say "Wow." :) And thank you Ms. Boots, for the reminder that God rewards us for following Him. What an encouragement.
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