“And The Walls Came Tumbling Down” Mini-Series (Part 1 of 2)
Joshua 5.13-6.5
January 11, 2015 CFBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A The text takes place 40 years after Moses had freed God’s Chosen from Pharaoh’s Egypt.
1 It’s interesting that our protagonist has a past of faithfulness.
a Moses, upon leaving Egypt, had send 12 spies into Canaan and only 2 came back with ready to take it, Caleb & Joshua.
b Because the Hebrews feared going into Canaan, God made sure none of the generation who left Egypt would enter the Promised Land.
Joshua 5:6 (NASB) 6 For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD, to whom the LORD had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
aa The only exception was Caleb & Joshua.
Numbers 26:65 (NASB) 65 For the LORD had said of them, "They shall surely die in the wilderness." And not a man was left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
bb God blessed Joshua with His Presence like He had for Moses.
2 The first thing this post-wilderness generation did was get right with God. (Resume circumcision, observing Passover)
Joshua 5:8-9 (NASB) 8 Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
B Joshua 5:13-15 (NASB) 13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" 14 He said, "No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" 15 The captain of the LORD'S host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
Joshua 6:1-5 (NASB) 1 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 The LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. 3 "You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 "Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 "It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead."
1 (ETS) Joshua was reminded by the Lord that he, Joshua, was second in command.
a (ESS) We will never know the full true measure of victory until we realize there is a God and we’re not Him.
b (Obj.) I hope you’ll discover the victory that only comes by unconditionally surrendering to the Lord.
2 (PQ) Who is the decision maker in your life?
a Let’s look at the first of four results that we can expect if we’ve unconditionally surrendered to the Lord.
b Pray.
Joshua’s showed that his heart trusted in God’s promises to lead the children of Israel into their inheritance: The Promised Land.
1 40 years before Joshua had this encounter with the “Captain of the Host of the Lord,” Joshua had been selected as one of a group of 12 spies that Moses had sent out on a reconnaissance mission into Canaan just after the Israelites left Egypt.
a Of the 12 that were sent, only Joshua and Caleb came back encouraged by what they had seen.
I The first result we can anticipate when we’re unconditionally surrendered to the Lord is . . . Our hearts are truly revealed.
Joshua 5:13-15 (NASB) 13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" 14 He said, "No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" 15 The captain of the LORD'S host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
A Joshua was near Jericho, with his eyes down, presumably in prayer.
1 When he reached the top of the hill he saw the great walled city of Jericho.
a The walls were tall & thick, gates were closed and tightly secured.
aa Perhaps on top a hill across from the city & just thinking, praying.
bb I believe he was reflecting back to something his mentor, Moses, had said to the Lord after finding the golden calf, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here”.
Exodus 33:15 (NKJV) 15 Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.
b Joshua knew the promises that God had made to Israel, Moses, & himself.
aa The Promise of the Land
bb The Promise to the man; Like his predecessor, Joshua refused to move until he was sure God’s presence was with him.
Joshua 1:5 (NASB) 5 "No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
2 As Joshua is praying, the Lord Jesus appears to him.
a One of preincarnation appearances of the Lord Jesus in the OT.
aa I believe the Lord appeared to Abraham, the traveling pilgrim, in the form of a traveler, to share a meal.
Genesis 18:1-8 (NASB) 1 Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth, 3 and said, "My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by. 4 "Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree; 5 and I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant." And they said, "So do, as you have said." 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes." 7 Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it. 8 He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.
bb I believe the Lord appeared to Jacob, a man who was a schemer, He came as a wrestler (Triple H) who brought him to place of submission.
Genesis 32:24-32 (NASB) 24 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But he said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." 28 He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." 29 Then Jacob asked him and said, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved." 31 Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. 32 Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
cc I believe the Lord appeared to the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace as their companion
Daniel 3:25 (NASB) 25 He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"
cc Joshua didn’t Triple A (AAA) like Abraham, beaten into submission like Jacob . . . He doesn’t need a wrecker, wrestler . . . he needs a wall breaker.
b The Lord appears to Joshua, in response to his faith, as a warrior complete with sword & kung fu grip.
aa Joshua asks the Lord, “Are you for us or against us?”
bb The Lord answers, “NO.” Huh?
cc The question wasn’t if the Lord was on Israel’s side, Canaan’s side, but the real question was “Who is on the Lord’s Side?”
dd Joshua was reminded that he was second in command.
B Every father, mother, pastor, and Christian leader is second in command to the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 When we forget that we’re second we start to move towards defeat & failure.
a One way you can tell if He’s first or not is how you make choices:
aa If you make your own plans and carry them out to the best of your ability (He’s not first).
bb If you make your plans and ask Him to help you (He’s still not first.)
cc If you ask God what His plans are and offer yourself to Him to carry out His purposes (Winner winner, chicken dinner: He is now first and you are second).
b Watchmen Nee said, “Not until we take the place of servant can He take His place as Lord.”
aa The Lord ALWAYS comes to us when we need Him and in the way we need Him.
bb The Lord came to Joshua that day not to just to help, but to lead.
cc “Without Me you can do nothing”.
John 15:5 (NKJV) 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
dd It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a Christian, educated, experience that makes the difference, determines success . . . the difference maker is His Presence.
2 When are hearts are right with God, wherever we step is “holy ground”, so behave accordingly.
a IL. Walking barefoot on rocky terrain is challenging.
aa Hurts on sharp rocks, slows us down, watch were we step.
bb Holy Grounded people walk deliberately, carefully, and don’t get in a hurry.
b It’s tempting to put back on our old shoes, go back to a former way of living.
aa That’s what Israel wanted to do (Take us back to Egypt so we can some garlic, onion, leeks.)
bb It was easy to take the people out of Egypt, it was a bit more difficult to take Egypt out of the people . . . if our hearts are right, His presence will reveal it.
T.S.: Surrendering to the Lord will result allow us see our own hearts, surrender also allows to know God’s Will for us.
II The second result we can anticipate when we’re unconditionally surrendered to the Lord is . . . Reaffirms His Will.
Joshua 6:1-5 (NASB)1 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 The LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. 3 "You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 "Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 "It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead."
A The Lord tells Joshua that Jericho has been given into his hands even before the first stone from the walls hit the ground.
1 I imagine Joshua looking across the field into Jericho, seeing her great walls, and maybe wandering, “You’ve seen the walls are still up, right?”
a As Joshua is thinking that, the people inside the walls are scared to death. (Shut the gates, turned off the lights, nobody comes in or gets out)
Joshua 6:1(NASB)1 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in.
aa The occupants of Jericho had heard about the people whose God dwells amongst them.
bb Heard about Jordan river crossing, mass circumcision, . . . these people scare us to death!!
b The Lord tells Joshua what has to go down for the walls to come down.
aa First, the armed men were to march around the city once a day for six days, followed by seven priests carrying seven trumpets, followed by priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant. The ONLY sound that was to be heard was the sound of the trumpets.
bb Not the silver horns, but rams horn. (Celebration, Victory)
cc They weren’t blowing the battle horn, attack horn . . . it was a horn blow of victory.
2 Israel acted as if the victory had already been achieved even before the victory had actually came.
a God promised the walls would come down and His promises never fail.
Joshua 21:45 (NASB) 45 Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.
Joshua 23:14 (NASB) 14 "Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.
b God’s people never have to fight to get victory, they already have it because the Lord has already won the victory.
B As soldiers in the Lord’s Army, He has made His plans for us to be known to us.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NASB) 11 For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
1 Irregardless of how hard the challenge before may appear, nothing is too difficult for our God.
a When Jesus say the 5,000 hungry listeners He asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, theat these may eat?” John adds, “But this He said to test him; for He Himself knew what He would do.”
aa God always knows what He’s going to do.
bb Our responsibility to is wait upon the Lord to tell us what we need to know & then obey it.
b His will for us is to stand in a position of victory because Jesus has already defeated every spiritual enemy.
John 12:31 (NASB) 31 "Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
aa Jesus defeat the enemy in the wilderness,
bb during His earthly ministry, on the cross, in His resurrection and ascension.
cc Today He intercedes for us in heaven for us to mature and accomplish His will.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (NASB) 20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
dd Romans 8:31 (NASB) 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
“ . . . if God be for us, who can be against us?”
2 Matthew 16:18 (NASB) 18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
It’s the will of our Lord to take hell by force.
a My fear is that most Christians/churches are more concerned about following rules than following His Will.
aa Instead of being the Church Triumphant we’re the church impotent.
bb IL. In the 1500's, Queen Mary Tudor of Scots was quoted as saying she feared the prayers of John Knox (a great preacher of that era) more than all the assembled armies of Europe.
cc Society isn’t afraid of God’s People mainly because we haven’t don very much to display the power of God to a skeptical world. (In fact, most times there is no difference between the world & the church.)
b We are on the side of the Lord, whom shall we fear?
Conclusion:
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
