War And Dependence

In World War II many of you know the Great Britain endured a great battle with the Germans over their skies. The new Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke these words:

"You ask what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war by sea, land, and air with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us: to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in a word: Victory--victory at all costs, victory in spite of all the terror, victory however long and hard the road may be, for without victory, there is no survival.

All of us are in a war. The question is how diligent will we fight it.

In our passage this morning, Joshua was going to war and he was against an impossible army. He chose to depend on God.

This morning we are going to talk about war and dependence. What are you going to do to trust God more with you battles this morning? Let’s find out what will happen when we do.

Passage:

2 But the LORD said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its mighty warriors. 3 Your entire army is to march around the city once a day for six days. 4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the horns, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the walls of the city will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the city."

Prayer:

The Israelite people are at the gates of Jericho.

Jericho

V1

1 Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go in or out.

Jericho was a city near the Jordan River in what is now know as the West Bank in Israel.

The city of Jericho was prepared for a siege. In fact archeologists have found large jars of grain. Stored to withstand a long siege.

The wall around the city was almost 40 feet high and around six feet thick. Humanly impossible fortress to defeat.

Jericho in Hebrew means “City of the Moon God”. The name alone suggests an abomination to God.

We all have battles in our lives. What battle does this fortress remind you of?

Is it impatience, money, marriage, relationships, or is it something else?

We see the obstacles. Sin is at the root of the battle. It is an abomination to God and it must be conquered. And the sin is guarded by walls “40 feet high and six feet thick”.

In order to fight the battle we must begin to fight on God’s terms. We must look to His commands. What were God’s commands to the Israelites?

Lord’s Command

V2-5

2 But the LORD said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its mighty warriors. 3 Your entire army is to march around the city once a day for six days. 4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the horns, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the walls of the city will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the city."

Explanation:

In this passage we see God giving explicit commands about how to win victory. These are not military commands but commands that are focused on bringing honor to God.

1. Step by step

a. March around the city once a day for six days.

b. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, carrying a ram’s horn.

c. On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven times.

d. When the priests give one long blast on the horns, everybody will give a mighty shout.

e. Then the walls of the city will collapse.

f. The people can charge straight into the city.

God is very specific in how He wants them to conquest Jericho. He says in verse 4,

4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the horns.

God says Seven Priests. Seven Trumpets. Seven Days. Seven Times.

Seven is the number of perfection. God could have used millions of people to do this work. That definitely would’ve scared and intimidated the people of Jericho, but God chose seven. It was not about the intimidation, but about giving Glory to God. It was such an easy task to accomplish.