Walls

TITLE: WALLS

SCRIPTURE: JOSHUA 6:1-5

(Some text used from Rev. Shawn Drake message and expanded upon)

The narrative of Joshua leading the Israelites to bring down the walls of Jericho is a powerful account that demonstrates the faithfulness and might of the lord. This narrative is part of the fulfillment of the greater promise that God made to the Israelites that they indeed would enter the Promised Land. Before Moses died, he declared that Joshua would be his successor and lead the Israelites into this land Flowing with Milk and Honey. Upon crossing the Jordan, Jericho is the first city the Israelites conquer with Joshua as their leader.

• This ancient biblical passage is full of relevance for believers today

The name Jericho means “Fragrant.” It is also called “The City of Palms.” Jericho is located 5 MILES WEST OF THE JORDAN RIVER AND 7 MILES NORTH OF THE DEAD SEA. Jericho stood opposite of Mount Nebo. It was surrounded by a wall and ruled by a king. Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world. In the winter it became a resort town for people fleeing the colder weather of the Palestinian Hill Country. The presence of many springs made Jericho a very green and plush area.

Jericho was the gateway city to Canaan that the Israelites came to when they entered the Promised Land. The city of Jericho was surrounded by walls so that no one was able to get in, and the walls served as solid protection against enemy attacks. Here in our text, the gates are now found to be locked to keep the Israelites out.

God had given Joshua very specific instructions on what to do to cause the walls of Jericho to collapse, so the Israelites would defeat Jericho and claim the city as their own. faith in God is essential to salvation, to those who would do God’s work, to the Christian life. We must believe that God is powerful, and God acts in mysterious ways. This was the first place Joshua and Israelites had attacked; and God’s method of fighting did not make any sense.

• Joshua had to trust God in faith and the Israelites had to have faith in following Joshua

• Not only did God tell them to do something strange; but He also stretched it out over 7 days

• Many times, God takes much longer to work than what we think He should

• God is on His own time – He is not subjected to ours

• We like to sing that old song – “He May Not Come When We Want Him To, But He Is Always Right On Time”

• But we don’t really believe that

• When God does not show up according to our timetable we catch an “attitude” with God!

Can I tell you this morning, follow God, even if the journey seems impossible or unexpected. The walls of Jericho should have been impenetrable. What Joshua and the Israelites were up against may have seemed impossible to overcome. But they followed God anyway with full trust and hope in His promise, and faithfulness that He would indeed fight for them to claim the land that was promised to them. All believers can rest assured that even if the path seems impossible, or is not what we expected, when we prayerfully follow God’s good plans for us, it will be worth every step of the way. This biblical narrative reminds us how crucial it is to lean on God and put our trust in Him, because that is when the impossible can happen.

When we listen, we can hear God speaking to us. A radical component to this biblical narrative is God spoke to Joshua. and Joshua listened. Because Joshua took the time to listen to God and seek His direction, he heard clearly from the Lord what steps to take. Christians today learn a valuable lesson about the importance of making the space to hear from God. When we stop and take the time to listen – READING SCRIPTURE - SPENDING TIME IN PRAYER - BEING STILL - WORSHIPPING - AND JOURNALING – we may hear from God and discern how the Spirit is guiding our steps.

• PSALM 119:105 - “THY WORD IS A LAMP UNTO MY FEET, AND A LIGHT UNTO MY PATH”

God is purposeful, not random. God did not instruct Joshua and his army to storm the city upon arrival. He had meticulous steps for them to take to achieve the desired outcome of victory. God was very specific and purposeful in how He orchestrated the walls of Jericho falling. If God is that purposeful about helping the Israelites claim the city, we can be confident that god is also that purposeful in each of our lives. The ups and downs of life may feel unexpected and catch us off guard, but God knows what is coming and will make good out of all circumstances for those who love Him.