Joshua 6 (1)

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 valor. 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, andwhen 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.” Joshua 6.1-5

Reflect.
1.  What were the normal tactics for besieging a city in those days? Why didn’t the Lord just use normal tactics? 

2.  The number seven occurs several times in this passage. Is that significant?

Think about it.
Joshua trusted the Lord and was ready to obey His every command. But I can’t help thinking the Lord’s strategy for besieging Jericho must have struck him as peculiar. Nevertheless, he didn’t question the Lord, but went straight to work on the Lord’s instructions.

Leaders who think they can improve on what the Lord has revealed should not be followed.

Four times the number seven comes up in this passage. Seven is the Biblical number of completion. It is also the Biblical number for rest, and entering the Lord’s rest was the goal to be realized in the land of promise. We should pay attention to this symbolism, for it is yet another way of the Lord’s people learning to obey His Word, whether they understand it or not, and of being assured of His presence with them.

We note, too, that this first battle is to involve all the people – every person (“man,” v. 5). Laying hold on the promises of God is not just a job for leaders. Those precious and very great promises, by which we partake of Christ and God (2 Pet. 1.4), are for all God’s people, and all God’s people must take their place in the work of the church to obtain those promises. Everyone has something to contribute and something to gain. This is a lesson Joshua will have to learn the hard way, as we shall see.

Meditate and discuss.
1.  We have seen that God relies on symbols of various kinds in leading His people into His precious and very great promises. Do you think we should make more of the role of symbols, images, and metaphors in our walk with and work for the Lord? Explain. 

2.  How would you describe the role of trumpets in this strategy? Where else in Scripture do we see trumpets playing a similar role? 

3.  Describe the order of things and people as they process around the city of Jericho. Should we attach some significance to that order? Explain.

“Observe who had the better protection—those enclosed in a city girded by great walls but without God, or those defended by God’s strength and friendly support but without city walls. I refer to the city destroyed by the eager Joshua, whose own name was changed to delineate his power. He did not subdue it in the usual military way, by conducting the regular long and weary blockade. No, through God’s help his army in sacred symbolism performed a lustration, brandishing its weapons without using them.” Paulinus of Nola (355-431 AD)

Help me to understand Your Word, O Lord, and to obey it faithfully. I may not always see Your reasoning, but…

Pray Psalm 97.
Thank and praise God for His sovereignty and His salvation. Call upon Him to light your way today and to give you gladness and rejoicing in obeying Him.

Psalm 97.1-8 (Darwall: Rejoice, the Lord is King!)
Rejoice, the Lord is King! O earth, lift up your voice; 
Be glad, you islands, shout and sing: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Refrain v. 9
Beyond, above
All gods and nations be exalted, God of love!

His just and righteous throne ‘mid clouds and darkness stands; 
His fiery wrath consumes His foes in every land.
Refrain

Earth trembles at the sight of Jesus’ holy face; 
The mountains melt before His might and praise His grace.
Refrain

The heav’ns above declare His glorious righteousness; 
And tribes and peoples everywhere His Name confess.
Refrain

While Zion gladly sings, let all be brought to shame
Who to vain idols worship bring and scorn His Name.
Refrain

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).