Marching To A Different Drummer

MARCHING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER

Joshua 6.1-27

S: Warfare

C: Destruction of sin; extension of grace

Th: A People with Purpose

Pr: WE FOLLOW A HOLY, WARRIOR GOD WHO EXTENDS FAVOR.

TS: We will find in our study of Joshua 6 how the Israelites were able to overtake the formidable fortress of Jericho.

Type: Narrative

I. SITUATION (1-2)

II. INSTRUCTION (3-5)

III. PREPARATION (6-14)

IV. DEVASTATION (15-21)

V. SALVATION (22-25)

VI. CONCLUSION (26-27)

PA: How is the change to be observed?

Version: ESV

RMBC 30 July 06 AM

INTRODUCTION:

ILL Fight

One night, Tim was walking home when, all of a sudden, a thief jumped on him. Tim and the thief began to wrestle. They rolled about on the ground and Tim put up a tremendous fight.

However, the thief managed to get the better of him and pinned him to the ground. The thief then went through Tim’s pockets and searched him. All the thief could find on Tim was 25 cents. The thief was so surprised at this that he asked Tim why he had bothered to fight so hard for 25 cents.

"Was that all you wanted?" Tim replied, "I thought you were after the five hundred dollars I’ve got in my shoe!"

Well, Tim doesn’t sound like the brightest guy in the world when it comes to conflict.

But it does bring a question to my mind…

1. Are you ready for the conflict coming to you?

As Christians, we know that we are in a battle.

It is why, in Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul tells us to be prepared:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

We are to be prepared and ready.

And as we come to the text of our study today, ready is how we find the people of God.

For…

2. The nation of Israel was ready for battle.

They have miraculously made it across the Jordan.

They have made memorials of stone to remember the miracle of that day.

The men have been circumcised, to establish their difference from the men of Canaan, a physical mark that they were God’s.

And they celebrated the appropriate feasts.

Now it was time to take Jericho.

So…

3. We will find in our study of Joshua 6 how the Israelites were able to overtake the formidable fortress of Jericho.

OUR STUDY:

So here is the…

I. SITUATION (1-2)

Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.

4. Jericho had to be taken.

The strategy was clear.

Jericho had to be the first city taken in order to create a geographical wedge between the northern and southern sections of Canaan.

Besides, they just could not bypass it.

They could not afford to have a large military force at their rear.

They had to deal with Jericho.

But for the moment, their was no military force to deal with.

The king of Jericho had shut up the city.

No one was getting in or out.

Jericho decided they were not going to surrender, but neither were they going to get into a fight.

Instead, they would stay behind those grand, formidable walls that were probably about forty feet in height and six feet thick.

The people of Jericho were going to wait Israel out.

By the way, the chapter break here is uninspired and unfortunate as the Lord is still speaking to Joshua.

He tells him that Jericho is his to take.

The verb form is a prophetic perfect tense.

It is a future action that has already been accomplished.

Jericho was theirs for the taking.

But first they needed to hear the…

II. INSTRUCTION (3-5)

You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him."