THE FALL OF JERICHO (2)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) The fall of Jericho
(Text: Joshua 6:1-27)
1. What is the text all about?
a) God told Joshua that Jericho was already delivered into his hands - the enemy was already defeated! What confidence Joshua must have had as he went into battle! Christians also fight against a defeated enemy. Our enemy, Satan, has been defeated by Christ.
@1. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39 NIV)
@2. 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil. (Hebrews 2:14 NIV)
@3. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:8 NIV)
b) Although we still fight battles every day and sin runs rampant in the world, we have the assurance that the war had already been won. We do not have to be paralyzed by the power of a defeated enemy; we can overcome him through Christ's power.
c) Why did God give Joshua all these complicated instructions for the battle? Several answers are possible:
@1. God was making it undeniable clear that the battle would depend upon him, and not upon Israel's weapons and expertise. This is why priests carrying the ark, not soldiers, led the Israelites into battle.
@2. God's method of taking the city accentuated the terror already felt in Jericho (see Joshua 2:9).
#1) 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. (Joshua 2:9 NIV)
@3. This strange military maneuver was a test of the Israelites' faith and their willingness to follow God completely. The blowing of the trumpets had a special significance. They had been instructed to blow the same trumpets used in the religious festivals in their battles to remind them that their victory would come from the Lord, not their own military might (see Numbers 10:9).
#1) 9 When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies. (Numbers 10:9 NIV)
d) It must have seemed strange to the Israelites that, instead of going to battle, they were going to march around the city for a week! But this was God's plan, and the Israelites had a guaranteed victory if they would follow (see Joshua 6:2).
@1. 2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. (Joshua 6:2 NIV)
e) As strange as the plan sounded, it worked. God's instructions may require you to do things that don't make sense at first. Even as you follow him, you may wonder how things can possibly work out. Like the Israelites, take one day a time and follow step by step. You may not see the logic of God's plan until you have obeyed.
The End ...
0. Introductiona) The fall of Jericho
(Text: Joshua 6:1-27)
1. What is the text all about?
a) God told Joshua that Jericho was already delivered into his hands - the enemy was already defeated! What confidence Joshua must have had as he went into battle! Christians also fight against a defeated enemy. Our enemy, Satan, has been defeated by Christ.
@1. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39 NIV)
@2. 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil. (Hebrews 2:14 NIV)
@3. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:8 NIV)
b) Although we still fight battles every day and sin runs rampant in the world, we have the assurance that the war had already been won. We do not have to be paralyzed by the power of a defeated enemy; we can overcome him through Christ's power.
c) Why did God give Joshua all these complicated instructions for the battle? Several answers are possible:
@1. God was making it undeniable clear that the battle would depend upon him, and not upon Israel's weapons and expertise. This is why priests carrying the ark, not soldiers, led the Israelites into battle.
@2. God's method of taking the city accentuated the terror already felt in Jericho (see Joshua 2:9).
#1) 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. (Joshua 2:9 NIV)
@3. This strange military maneuver was a test of the Israelites' faith and their willingness to follow God completely. The blowing of the trumpets had a special significance. They had been instructed to blow the same trumpets used in the religious festivals in their battles to remind them that their victory would come from the Lord, not their own military might (see Numbers 10:9).
#1) 9 When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies. (Numbers 10:9 NIV)
d) It must have seemed strange to the Israelites that, instead of going to battle, they were going to march around the city for a week! But this was God's plan, and the Israelites had a guaranteed victory if they would follow (see Joshua 6:2).
@1. 2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. (Joshua 6:2 NIV)
e) As strange as the plan sounded, it worked. God's instructions may require you to do things that don't make sense at first. Even as you follow him, you may wonder how things can possibly work out. Like the Israelites, take one day a time and follow step by step. You may not see the logic of God's plan until you have obeyed.
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