Taking Jericho

Josh. 6:1-5, 20 & 21 TAKING JERICHO I. The Sanctity Of ISRAEL'S PURPOSE Deuteronomy 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. Joshua 1:11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. God had Found them, (In Egypt) God had Freed them (From Egypt) God had Fed them (In the Wilderness) God had Formed them (For Canaan) So Christ has done for his church. 2.The Significance Of ISRAEL'S PROBLEM v.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 is known as the oldest city in the world, in Joshua's day, it was surrounded by a system of 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. Israel's problem was that they had a city to conquer, but there were some extremely huge walls in the way. B. The Hindrance Of The Walls They were preventing The Will of God, The Work Of God, The Word Of God. C. The Help With The Walls an opportunity for the Lord to work Zechariah 4:7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. 3. The Surety Of ISRAEL'S PROMISE v.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 Subject Of Victory See, I have given into thine hand (d) The Surety Of Victory And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given (Past Tense) The Devil Is A Defeated Foe Rev. 20 v.10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

4. The Simplicity Of ISRAEL'S PLAN v. 3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, God’s Plan Demands :- a) Faith - v. 3 And ye shall compass the city (Value Of Prayer) Faith In :- (a) The Presence Of God And seven priests shall bear before the ark (b) The Power Of God seven trumpets of rams’ horns (sounded in battle) (c) The Promise Of God v.2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho (d) The Purpose Of God Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. Their's Was A : - Daring faith. These men had faith to face the enemy they really knew their God. Doing faith. They obeyed the word of God Disciplined faith. They kept silence in the ranks when they where told. Determined faith. They waited on the Lord's timing Dependent faith. They shouted before the walls had moved an inch [v16 ] b) Fighting v. 3 - 5 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, 1.The Fighting Men . all ye men of war, 2. The Foolish Means . 2 Cor. 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 3. The Fruitless Marching Let us read some of the passage. ·Day one -no result Joshua 6:11 So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. ·Day two- no result. Joshua 6:14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. ·It's time to change the message. to change the method. to change the means. 4. The Flawless Miracle. 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. c) Fortitude They didn't Give Up v. 3 Thus shalt thou do six days. 5. The Supremcy Of ISRAEL'S PRAISE 27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country. (1) God Keeps His Promises

(2) God Controls By His Power (3) God Cares For His People