Joshua 6 v 1- 21
God had planned that Israel should possess the land. - Deut 1:8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.
The Battle of Jericho was with the Israelites, not the Canaanites.
1. The Difficulties For Victory 1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
A. The Height Of The Walls Jericho was surrounded by two massive stone walls. The Outer wall was 6 ft. thick and about 20 ft. high. The Inner wall was about 12 ft. thick and was 30 ft. high. Between the walls was a guarded walkway about 15 ft. wide. B. The Hindrance Of The Walls They were preventing The Will of God, The Work Of God, The Word Of God. C. The Help Of The Walls - An Encouragement To The Canaanites.
(b) Their Defiance Jericho was straitly shut up
(c) Their Determination none went out, and none came in
2. The Demands For Victory 2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
(a) The Source Of Victory See, I have given into thine hand Jericho
(b) The Scope Of Victory Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
(c) The Surety Of Victory And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given (Past Tense)
(d) The Summons To Victory 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. - Called To :-
The Courage of Faith - And ye shall compass the city
The Adventure of Faith – all ye men of war
The Obedience of Faith – and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
Joshua’ word from God – walking - Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Naaman in Jordan
The Discipline of Faith – 10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.no speaking
The Patience of Faith – no evidence of change in 6 days
Isa 30:18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
Unanswered yet? The prayers your lips have pleaded
In agony of heart these many years? Does faith begin to fail, is hope departing,
And think you all in vain those falling tears? Say not the Father hath not heard your prayer:
You shall have your desire, sometime, somewhere,
Unanswered yet? Though when you first presented, This one petition at the Father’s throne,
It seemed you could not wait the time of asking, So urgent was your heart to make it known.
Though years have passed since then, do not despair;
The Lord will answer you, sometime, somewhere,
Unanswered yet? Nay, do not say ungranted; Perhaps your part is not yet wholly done;
The work began when first your prayer was uttered, And God will finish what He has begun.
If you will keep the incense burning there, His glory you shall see, sometime somewhere,
Unanswered yet? Faith cannot be unanswered; Her feet were firmly planted on the Rock;
Amid the wildest storm prayer stands undaunted, Nor quail before the loudest thunder shock
She knows Omnipotence has heard her prayer,
And cries, “It shall be done,” sometime, somewhere,
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl. One, an optimistic soul,
the other took a gloomy view, 'we'll drown' he said with much ado.
And with a last despairing cry, he flung his legs and said 'goodbye'.
The other frog said with a grin, ' I can’t get out, but won't give in!'.
'I'll swim until my strength is spent, then I will die the more content'.
Bravely he swam to work his scheme, as his struggles began to churn the cream!
The more he swam, his legs a flutter. The more the cream turned into butter!
On top of the butter at last he stopped, and out of the bowl he happily hopped.
What is the moral? It's easily found, If you can't hop out, keep swimming around!
The Shout of Faith 20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
The people shouted – before the walls even cracked
The Victory of Faith – walls fell
3. The Directives For Victory
(a) The Victory Of Faith was Divinely Taught 2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
(b) The Victory Of Faith was Divinely Sought 3 And ye shall compass the city - walking
(c) The Victory Of Faith was Divinely Wrought Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
4. The Delights In Victory 20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
(a) The Supremcy Of Their God
(b) The Subduing Of Their Enemies
(c) The Surety Of Their Cause
(d) The Solving Of Their Problems
A. Faith Reckons. 2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
B. Faith Responds. v.6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.
C. Faith Receives. 20 and they took the city.
D. Faith Rejoices.
