Get Out of Jericho!
Sunday, August 14, 2011 AM
By Pastor James May
Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
Joshua 6:2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor.
Joshua 6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
Joshua 6:4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
Joshua 6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
This morning I want to bring you a message for these last days that the Spirit has shown me through this Old Testament story of Jericho.
Jericho stood as a barrier to the Promised Land. It was the first great stronghold of the enemy that was intent on keeping God’s people from obtaining the promises of God. It’s walls were built to withstand anything that an enemy could throw against them. If you will notice the graphic that is displayed you will see that the wall was actually a double-walled construction. The outer wall was made of a retaining wall that kept the earthen fill in place and created a wide area of ground. It was on this area that many of the homes were built including that of Rahab.
The outer edge of brick extended above the retaining wall and all of it together measured from 32 to 41 feet in height. Then, after crossing the ground there was a secondary wall which was far greater and a more formidable obstacle than the outer wall. This wall was made of brick, stone and mortar and at its base, it was 46 feet above ground level, then extended upward from there. It was at 6 feet thick and even more in some places. The people of Jericho had built their city to stand forever.
Those who lived inside these walls were steeped in idolatry; living in constant fear of attack, but for many years had felt safe and invincible behind their great walls. The city remained well stocked with food and water and was prepared for long sieges if an enemy were to threaten.
The important thing to notice here is that in spite of their great walls of protection and in spite of their great number of mighty men of valor, the people of Jericho were cowering in fear, shut up inside their own city and afraid to venture forth. They had heard of the great and awesome power of the God of Israel. Word had spread far and wide about the God of Israel that dried up the waters of the Red Sea; destroyed the entire war machine of the Egyptian Empire in a single battle; led the Jews through the wilderness by a cloud and pillar of fire; had brought earthquakes, fire and caused thunder and lightning upon the mountains to signify his presence.
Now came the news that these Israelites had crossed over Jordan on dry land and were now bearing down on the city of Jericho.
No matter how many men of valor, or how thick their walls, the people of Jericho were afraid. Who can fight against God? Who can defeat the God who rains down fire from Heaven, feeds 3 million people for over 40 years in the wilderness, destroys the power of Pharaoh and then sets his sights on your city?
This was a dark time in Jericho. There simply was no way out! Defeat, death and destruction of their great city was imminent, and though they would fight to the last man to defend it; defeat was inevitable. It was also a time of literal darkness for the gates were shut up so that none could get in or out of the city. On the inside of the gates there was a brass bar holding the gates closed.
Brass is a representation of judgment and certainly the time of judgment had come to Jericho. They were about to be called into account for all of the sin of idolatry and their blocking of God’s plan for his people.
I was thinking about this and the thought came to me that Jericho’s predicament is much like that of the world today. The whole world is caught up in a time of gross darkness. There is a spiritual darkness that keeps the minds of men from seeing the light of the Truth. There is a feeling of dark hopelessness as mankind watches the things that are coming upon the earth over which he has no power to control. Not only does it seem that nature has gone wild, but the nations are in great perplexity over their economic woes and fear the full collapse of their governments. It doesn’t take a whole lot of understanding to see that mankind is on the very edge of some very great calamities. The whole world cowers in fear, trying to find a place of peace and safety from the coming storms, yet knowing that because of our own sinful nature, there are no long term answers.
While the worldly crowd refuses to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, they are constantly reminded and aware that Jesus has said that he is coming soon. The world may cry out that God is dead; that Jesus was nothing more than a man; and that the Bible is just a fairy tale; but the every present voice of the Holy Spirit is whispering in their hearts that its all true.
How many programs today are predicting great catastrophes on the earth? You can’t watch the History Channel or just about any channel on the TV for a whole day without seeing something that talks about the dark days ahead and all the possibilities of man’s demise. There is a constant effort to disprove the prophecies of the Bible and yet the efforts to disprove only serve to remind us even more that it could all be true. That’s what really disturbs the world – the knowledge that God’s word could be true, no matter how much they try to prove that it isn’t. No matter how much we may try to ignore what’s happening or to deny that God’s word is coming to pass, every day the events of life only serve to confirm what it says.
The world is “Shut Up” within its gates of fear! There is a great sense of impending doom; but no one is willing to just give up and surrender to the will of God. Mankind, like those people in Jericho, are living without hope of deliverance; knowing that something terrible, dark and deadly is just ahead; but refusing to give up and let God be God in their lives. Somehow, the devil keeps them believing that they will be all right, until the day comes when they will die in their sin.
There is only one power that can break through those great walls and locked gates that keep the world locked in darkness. There is no power on earth that can do that. It has to be accomplished through the power of God. What are walls of stone; or bars of brass or gates to the God of Israel?! When God wants to break through, nothing can stop him!
The Children of Israel, under God’s direction, and Joshua’s command began to march around the walls of Jericho every day. There was a specific progression that had to be maintained.
God always has a plan for victory. Often the ways of the Lord appear weak to the eyes of the flesh; and we just can’t see how God’s plan could ever work. But we could never know the Mind of Christ fully. His ways are far above our ways and past our understanding. We just have to trust and obey and let God fight his battles. After all, the commander of the Army of the Lord has never lost a battle.
The procession would be led by the “armed men” of Israel going before the 7 priests who blew the trumpets and then would come the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant with the rear guard following behind. I can imagine it was quite a sight to see as this progression went around the walls every day. I can only imagine the warriors and rulers of Jericho standing upon their wall, looking down at this crazy bunch of Israelites as they had their parade every day. I wonder if they thought that it was all just a show? I wonder if they were trying to figure out just what these Jews were up to? What was the God of Israel going to do?
The world looks at Christianity with a wary eye! Those who serve themselves as if they were God; and those who refuse to serve the true God, look at those of us who are Christians as though we have lost our sense of reasoning. They question how we could believe in such fantastic things that are taught in the Bible.
But we, as Christian, just keeping marching around their walls of darkness, knowing that one day, every wall is coming down!
Before the 7 priests went the armed men of Israel. I’ve thought about this and I believe what we see here is God’s plan for the spreading of the gospel in these last days. Who are the armed men? Let me ask you, “What weapons do you have at your disposal as a Christian? The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are not made of things of this earth. We have no swords and shields. We don’t have tanks and rifles and bombs. Those kinds of weapons have no impact upon the spiritual warfare that we fight every day. Our weapons are mighty through God, with the power to pull down even the wall of Jericho that we might face every day. The weapons of our warfare are the Word of God that is our two-edged sword that divides the soul and the spirit. This is our most powerful weapon and it will never fail. But we also have the weapons of faith, hope, love, trusting in God and prayer. Nothing is impossible to the Child of God who will learn to use the weapons that God has given to us.
All of us are called to march forth into a dark world of sin and compass the evil that fills the land. We are to continue marching onward at the command of the Lord, watching him drive back the power of Satan. All of you are in the forefront of the march as the church is marching on to victory.
Just like the Children of Israel in front of Jericho it may seem sometimes that we aren’t accomplishing very much for the kingdom of God; but just keep marching. This is God’s battle and he knows what he is doing. All God asks for is obedience and faithfulness to do his will.
The world around us may look at us as paper tigers, a force that is doing strange things and believing in fantasies, but the church is getting ready for the shout of victory. Just keep marching. The time will come when the walls are coming down and people are going to see that God is with you, leading you all the way!
Behind the armed men came the 7 Priests blowing the trumpets! This is a picture in my mind that speaks of the preaching of the truth of the gospel in its fullness. The number 7 is God’s number of completeness or fullness. 7 Priests tells us that God is calling forth a people who will proclaim his name and cry out for justice and truth, leading people into a life of holiness, righteousness and faith in God. There is no room for compromising the gospel if we want the walls of sin and darkness to come down. We are to proclaim God’s Word, and when the fullness of time has come; after we have marched around the walls of rejection long enough, when God’s plan is fulfilled, then will come the final march and the great shout of victory!
The priests were blowing ram’s horns. Ram’s horns in the Old Testament were called the Shofar. (Sis. Veda had one in her booth at the Vacation Bible School) This horn was a means of signaling across great distances, and it often was used to send a warning of impending trouble; or a call to worship.
As the priests marched around Jericho, they were constantly sounding the Shofar, warning the people of Jericho of God’s impending judgment upon their city. God never brings judgment without first giving plenty of warning. The people of Jericho had six days of warnings; six days that they could repent of sin and surrender to the God of Israel; six days that determined their eternal destiny. But for all six days, they remained shut up in their city and would not surrender.
We, the church of the Living God, are marching around the world today blowing the Shofar! Oh, we may not have a literal ram’s horn to our lips, but we are proclaiming the Day of the Lord is coming! We are crying out against sin; and crying out for repentance; warning people of the impending judgments of God! Every time you witness to a lost soul you are blowing the Shofar! Every time I stand behind this pulpit, I’m blowing the Shofar! There are churches today that blow a literal Shofar at the beginning of every service. I don’t have anything against them. Let them blow it. What does it matter? It’s not hurting anything! But we don’t need a literal Shofar. Our call to worship is the sound of the music and the lifting of our voices in praise. Our call to gather for battle is a prayer meeting or message that exposes the power of the devil that is about us. Our preaching of the gospel is the sound of the spiritual Shofar! Let the world know that the walls are coming down; that judgment is coming and that God’s is about to break forth on a world of darkness and destroy the power of the enemy once and for all.
Following close behind is the Ark of the Covenant upon the shoulders of the priests. This is to let us know that there is a Promise of God that never shall fail. Jesus’ blood that was shed on Calvary’s cross and his sacrifice for the sin of the whole world is our covenant. We are to ever show forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior! We are to proclaim the power of the blood of Jesus to cleanse from sin and drive back the darkness; overcoming the power of Satan. The covenant of the Blood of Jesus must ever be with us. Without the covenant; without the blood; our marching, and preaching and blowing of the Shofar will be nothing but a parade without power!
Too many in the church today are just on parade! They look good, very entertaining, full of glitz and glamour; having an appearance of being Godly but without power; and without the presence of God in their parade! Lord help us to not just be on parade; but let us be advancing on the strongholds of the devil; bringing them down as you lead and guide us.
After the Ark of the Covenant came the rear guard. The Spirit of the Lord is telling me that this means we need to ever be on guard to keep the Covenant of the Gospel message safe and pure; never allowing anything to sneak into our doctrine that would compromise the message or water it down. We have to continue to preach against sin. We have to continue to teach people to live a life of holiness unto the Lord. We have to warn the world of the judgments that are upon us. We are to not give place to the devil in our midst. This requires a constant vigilance on all of us! Satan can attack from any direction and we all need to be on guard so that we may sound the warning!
Finally, after having marched around the walls of Jericho for six days, the seventh day dawned. This would be the day that victory would finally be won and that Jericho would be no more. God would take the riches of Jericho and put them to use in his own kingdom. The Shofar sounded a long blast, the walls fell and every man went straight up from where he stood into the city to win the victory!
It’s not hard to see where this is going! We have been marching around Jericho for a long time. Some of you may have even stayed on the wall, trying to make up your mind whether to come out and join us as we marched; or stay and be one of those who ridiculed the church or stayed with your old life of sin for a while.
Perhaps there may even be a few here right now who are still inside your walls of Jericho, hiding behind barred gates, praying that somehow you will be all right without giving up to the Jesus. Don’t just sit there watching the plan of God happen; get in and be a part of what God is doing in these last days. Don’t be caught on the wall when it comes down! Be in the Lord’s Army. Get on the winning side! Forsake your Jericho and Join God’s kingdom quickly for the Shofar is about to sound.
1 Corinthians 15:52 tells us that, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
I believe that the Church as marched around this old world of sin and darkness called Jericho long enough. We’ve not only marched around blowing the Shofar and brandishing our spiritual weapons, spreading the warning of the Coming of the Lord, but we’ve done if for 6 days and are now in our 7th round on the 7th day!
We are getting ready for the last “Trumpet” call! The final blowing of God’s Shofar! Jesus is coming soon! That Shofar of God is going to sound; not as a call to battle; but as a final call to his church to gather together with Jesus in the air; and to go and be with him and to worship him forever in Heaven! The trumpet is at the lips of the Lord of Heaven; he has taken a breath; and the next thing is the Sounding of the Trumpet! We are that close to final call and the great shout of victory!
When that trumpet sounds, there will shouting on the hills of Glory! Every born again Child of God, that is trusting in the Blood of Jesus and has been washed in his blood to cleanse us from sin, are going to go straight up from where we are at that moment in time.
We aren’t going to go look for a gate; because the walls of the sin of this world are forever gone! We are going to be changed in the twinkling of an eye; clothed in robes of righteousness; and rise to meet Jesus in the air! What a Shout will be heard on that day!
Then all of the treasures of the earth; God’s chosen people; his children whom he loves, will be taken into Glory to be forever with Jesus.
Jericho will be utterly destroyed. This world will be turned to ashes in time. The power of darkness will be broken and all who refused to get out of Jericho and get on the Lord’s side will perish right along with everything of this world and this life that they have trusted in.
It’s time to get out of Jericho right now, before the final trumpet sounds! The walls are about to fall! God’s judgment against this city; this world, is at the door! Prepare yourself now! Get out of Jericho while you still can and join us in celebrating the victory when Jesus comes again!
