Marching to a Different Drumbeat
Text: Joshua 1:1-3
Introduction: Are you ready for the coming conflict? As Christians, we face spiritual struggles and battles on a daily basis. That is why Paul was so emphatic in the words he used in Ephesians 6:10-13. He said:
"Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand."
Paul is speaking of readiness - preparedness. Being ready in advance rather than being blindsided by the evil one. As we come to our text, we find God’s people in a state of readiness. The 40 year journey they had endured through the wilderness had brought them to a state of preparation for whatever may lie ahead.
Their final preparation for the battle that lay ahead of them was marked by the miraculous crossing of this mighty nation across the Jordan River. They followed this crossing by placing memorials of stone in remembrance. The men had gone through the rite of circumcision to establish their difference from the Canaanites they would soon encounter. The Israelites were coming to understand that they would be marching to a different drumbeat in the conquests that lie ahead. Now, it was time to take Jericho.
Turn with me over to Joshua 6. As we begin our study of this battle, may our hearts be open to glean from it the necessity of readiness, preparedness and obedience. We begin with the:
1. Situation
- vv. 1-2 - "Now Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites--no one leaving or entering. The LORD said to Joshua, Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its fighting men over to you."
A. Jericho had to be taken.
1. This was a strategic move orchestrated by God.
a. Taking Jericho would create a geographical wedge between the northern and southern sections of Canaan.
b. Jericho also had a large military force that needed to be dealt with right off.
B. The problem lay in the fact that for the moment, their was no military force to deal with.
1. The king of Jericho had shut up the city.
2. No one was getting in or out.
3. Jericho had decided they were not going to surrender, but they didn’t want to fight either.
4. Instead, they would just remain behind those grand, formidable walls that were about forty feet tall and thick enough for houses like Rahab’s to be built into it.
5. The people of Jericho intended to wait Israel out.
C. It is important that we understand the flow of conversation occuring here.
1. Back up to chapter 5, verses 13-15 and we read:
"When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, Are You for us or for our enemies? Neither, He replied. I have now come as commander of the LORD’s army. Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in worship and asked Him, What does my Lord want to say to His servant? The commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy. And Joshua did so."
2. Chapter 6 is a continuation of the instruction of the Lord.
3. Note in verse 2 the past tense verbage: "I have handed..."
4. Jericho was theirs for the taking.
But before they advanced any further, they needed to hear the Lord’s:
2. Instruction
- vv. 3-5 - "March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the trumpets. When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the people will advance, each man straight ahead."
A. Definitely not your ordinary war strategy.
1. God’s plan was highly unusual and practically unreasonable.
2. It was definitely unmilitary.
3. No weapons, no battering rams, no scaling ladders.
B. God’s plan was to march.
1. As they marched, they were to blow the ram’s horn.
2. As they marched, they were to carry the Ark of the Covenant.
3. As they marched, they were declaring that the Presence of God was with them.
C. Through their obedience, the God’s people would witness the power of God to conquer and overcome the most formidable of enemies.
With God’s instructions in hand, Joshua now proceeds with the battle:
3. Preparation
- vv. 6-14 - "So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven trumpets in front of the ark of the LORD. He said to the people, Move forward, march around the city, and have the armed troops go ahead of the ark of the LORD. After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven priests carrying seven trumpets before the LORD moved forward and blew the trumpets; the ark of the LORD’s covenant followed them. While the trumpets were blowing, the armed troops went in front of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard went behind the ark. But Joshua had commanded the people: Do not shout or let your voice be heard. Don’t let one word come out of your mouth until the time I say, Shout! Then you are to shout. So the ark of the LORD was carried around the city, circling it once. They returned to the camp and spent the night there. Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests took the ark of the LORD, and the seven priests carrying seven trumpets marched in front of the ark of the LORD. While the trumpets were blowing, the armed troops went in front of them, and the rear guard went behind the ark of the LORD. On the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days."
A. It is important to note Joshua’s unquestioning obedience to the Lord’s instructions.
1. God’s chief desire of His people is simple trust and obedience.
2. This was not going to done man’s way.
3. This was going to be done God’s way.
4. Joshua was coming to understand more each day that they were marching to a different drumbeat.
5. Joshua was learning a lesson Paul wrote about centuries later in 2 Co 10:4:
"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds."
B. It is important to note that the Israelite army would be there.
1. They were very present and prominent.
2. But, it would not be there military abilities that would take the city, it would be there obedience to God’s instructions.
3. They were going to march.
a. They were going to march, even though they would expose themselves to ridicule and danger.
b. They were going to march, and they were going to be absolutely silent in doing it.
c. It would be a tough exercise in patience, when what they really wanted was to fight.
d. It was going to be a tough exercise in self-control, when what they really wanted to do was knock down the Jericho gate.
4. But in obedience, they quietly marched around the city for six days as the priests blowed their trumpets.
a. Each day, they marched and went home.
b. God was instilling within them the fact that from here on out they would be marching to a different drumbeat.
Each day brought them one day closer to victory. The seventh day brought with it:
4. Devastation
- vv. 15-21 - "Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times. After the seventh time, the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua said to the people, Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. But the city and everything in it are set apart to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the men we sent. But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster on it. For all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to the LORD and must go into the LORD’s treasury. So the people shouted, and the trumpets sounded. When they heard the blast of the trumpet, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. The people advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city. They completely destroyed everything in the city with the sword--every man and woman, both young and old, and every ox, sheep, and donkey."
A. The instructions were different for this day.
1. Instead of a single lap around the city, they would take seven laps.
2. For those on the city wall looking down, this must have been quite a sight to see.
3. This time, at the signal, the men were finally going to be able to say something - they were going to shout.
B. As the shout rang out, the unexpected happened.
1. The wall of Jericho obeyed the orders of God and toppled into ruin.
2. The city was now open for the taking.
3. The people were quickly learning to march to that different drumbeat for total victory.
C. The city lay devastated before them.
1. In obedience to God, they were to destroy every person, every thing - total devastation was to fall upon Jericho.
2. Why would God’s demands be so harsh?
a. Jericho was extremely wicked.
b. Jericho was filled with sexual, idolatrous worship.
c. God always visits His divine judgment on sin.
d. That is why God commanded the complete destruction of Jericho.
But total destruction and devastation is not the whole story, for out of all of this, we see:
5. Salvation
- vv. 22-25 - "Joshua said to the two men who had scouted the land, Go to the prostitute’s house and bring the woman out of there, and all who are with her, just as you promised her. So the young men who had scouted went in and brought out Rahab and her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel. They burned up the city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house. But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy on Jericho, and she lives in Israel to this day."
A. Out of God’s love for humanity flows His grace.
B. The salvation of Rahab and her family was a miracle in itself.
C. Salvation is a miracle.
1. It is a testimony of God’s free grace.
2. It shows that God will save those that demonstrate faith.
Conclusion: Victory came because God was fully trusted and obeyed.
It was not a victory gained through human strategy, strength or expertise. All the credit belonged to God alone.
As we ponder the events that have unfolded before us today, we must come to understand that we are following after a holy, warrior God who enjoys extending His favor to all who will trust and obey Him.
There are fortresses of evil in our land, our church, and in ourselves. God wants those places of sin knocked down and destroyed. I’m not talking about a physical war here; but rather a spiritual war as Paul spoke about in Ephesians 6. A war that "is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." What it really all boils down to is the simple fact that when we enlist in God’s army, we will be marching to a different drumbeat. Our weapons become prayer, the Word of God, and the testimony of experience.
Are you ready for the coming conflict? Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? Is your life in alignment with the Father? What changes do you need to make today to be able to stand and stand firm?
Disclaimer: Not necessarily all original material. Some material contained in my sermons may be gleaned from other sermons.
