SAMPLE39. Lesson 5 Pentecost 18 September 30, Preparing the Lesson. The Fall of Jericho Joshua 6. Key Point. Law/Gospel. Context.

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1 UPPER GRADES Preparing the Lesson The Fall of Jericho Joshua 6 Key Point Through His servant Joshua, God gave the Israelites victory over Jericho by causing its fortress walls to fall. Through Jesus Christ, God gives us victory, causing the fortress of sin and death to fall and assuring us that we are His people. Law/Gospel Prideful, I trust in walls of self-made security, but my works and my accomplishments are weak and crumble around me. God delivers me from the ruin of my sin and provides me a mighty fortress in Christ. Context Under Joshua, the nation said adios to the desert, crossed the Jordan, circumcised their children, celebrated Passover, and now stood ready to attack the ungodly cities whose iniquities had polluted this sacred soil. High-walled Jericho was the first target of divine justice. Archaeology has unearthed impressive defenses where this city once stood. It was seemingly impenetrable, the Fort Knox of Canaan. But down came its walls. Other victories would follow, but also defeats, such as the humiliating one immediately following, when Israel attacked Ai. The message was clear: follow God s Word, and victory is sure, no matter how much the underdog you seem. But break that divine Word, and defeat is just as sure, no matter how much of an upper hand you may suppose you have. Commentary The Lord didn t ease Israel into a war; He plunged them headlong into it. Jericho was hardly Pushoveropolis. Ancient military strategists would have advised Joshua that there are two ways to conquer a walled city: (a) lay siege and slowly Pentecost 18 September 30, 2012 starve them into submission, or (b) find a hidden entry point and ambush them. No sane strategist would have counseled that they march around the city seven days, once per day, then, on the seventh, blow down its walls with sheer lung power. But God doesn t play by our rules. What were the people of Jericho thinking as they watched this peculiar display of Israelite military maneuvering? No doubt some trembled in fear as rightly they should while others shook with laughter. The latter found security in their defenses. They were as snug as a bug in a rug or perhaps smug is a better word. Their god was spelled P-r-i-d-e, with a capital P. But, as Scripture tells us, Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Fall they did, those walls of Jericho. As God had promised, so He delivered. At the trumpet blast and the Israelite shout, those walls fell like a house of cards. The proud citizens of Jericho had no ace in the hole, no god to save them. With the exception of Rahab and her kindred, everyone in the city was sent to meet their Maker. Whatever our own Jericho our piety, our successes, our spiritual résumé whatever walls in which we take pride, those walls must come down. For our own good, God takes them down. He reveals that all we need is Him. All we need we have in Him, in abundance. Christ is our mighty fortress, our defense, our shield, and He in whom we take refuge. The ancient Church saw the destruction of Jericho as a preview of the Last Day, when the trumpet blast would announce the coming of the second Joshua, Jesus. On that day, we shall be saved from destruction, for we are an ally of this Joshua. Indeed, more than an ally, a friend and fellow heir. 39

2 Pentecost 18 September 30, 2012 The Fall of Jericho Joshua 6 Connections Bible Words The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. 2 Samuel 22:2 (CD 19) Faith Words fortress, Joshua Hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LSB 656; CD 1) Catechism Apostles Creed: First Article 1 Begin Write the following portion of Luther s explanation of the First Article of the Apostles Creed on the board or on a sheet of poster paper: He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. You might wish to cover it with a sheet of paper until it is used in the lesson. As the students arrive, direct them to a table where various types of building blocks are available. Encourage the students to make walls using the supplies. Include items such as plastic and wooden blocks, sugar cubes, and paper cups. Ask them to predict which materials will make the strongest wall. Leave the walls standing to be used in another portion of the lesson. (Note: Alternate instructions are provided in the lesson if you are unable to create walls as described.) Worship (10 minutes) Begin with the Invocation, inviting the students to make the sign of the cross in remembrance of their Baptism. Review making the sign of the cross, if some are unfamiliar with it, touching the forehead, sternum, and each shoulder to trace the form of a cross. Say In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Recite the Apostles Creed and then, if your students know it, the explanation of the First Article from the Small Catechism. (This is printed on Reproducible Page 14A near the end of this guide. The Reproducible Pages are also found on the CD in your Teacher Tools.) Sing or listen to A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LSB 656; CD 1), using the CD in 40 Teacher Tools CD Other Supplies Supplies for building walls (optional), hymnals or song sheets, toy cannon or picture of a cannon, and an egg Teacher Tools Poster A The Timeline Poster B Tabernacle Worship Poster C Exodus to David Student Stuff Lesson Leaflet 5 Bible Exploration Guide Other Supplies Copies of Reproducible Page 5 (TG) Catechisms or copies of Reproducible Page 14A (TG) Teacher Tools Copies of Growing in Christ Puzzle 5 Student Stuff Lesson Leaflet 5 Other Supplies Copies of Reproducible Page 5 (TG) Teacher Tools Bible Review Cards (1 32 optional) CD Copies of Growing in Christ Puzzle 5 (optional) Other Supplies Copies of Reproducible Page 15A (TG) Catechisms (TG) Hymnals or song sheets Brick pavers Mural supplies

3 your Teacher Tools. Then, discuss the meaning of the word fortress. Look for other words that describe God s protecting nature as found in the hymn trusty shield, weapon, for us fights, He holds the field forever, He s by our side, and others. Humpty Dumpty In one hand, hold a toy cannon (or picture of a real one); in the other, hold an egg with a happy face drawn on it. Ask the students to join you in reciting a familiar nursery rhyme: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king s horses and all the king s men couldn t put Humpty together again. Ask them which object is being discussed in the rhyme. Some might guess that it was truly the cannon, but they may not know why. Say There may really have been a Humpty Dumpty, but it wasn t an egg. It was a cannon used during the English Civil War. According to popular belief, this cannon would always protect whoever possessed it. It was placed atop the wall of St. Mary s at the Wall Church and was used to keep enemies at bay. Unfortunately, as the rhyme states, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall in One enemy realized that if the wall underneath Humpty Dumpty were to crumble, the cannon would tumble. And that s exactly what happened. The enemy fired weapons at the wall until it crumbled beneath the cannon s weight. The people trusted in their wall and cannon to protect them. In the end, their trust was misplaced, and they were defeated. In our lesson today, the people of Jericho trusted in their wall, their fortress, to protect and ultimately save them. As we ll see, their trust was also misplaced. Faith Words fortress a large structure created to protect or defend 41

4 (20 minutes) Faith Words Joshua This Hebrew name is equivalent to Jesus; it means the Lord saves or the Lord gives victory. God s Battle Plan for Joshua Many students will be familiar with the memorable account of the destruction of the walls of the city of Jericho. Remind them that the account of Jericho is part of God s redemption plan for His people. The Israelites were moving into Canaan to claim the land God had given to them. They were also moving forward in God s plan to save not only them, but all of humankind as well. Locate today s lesson on Poster A, The Timeline, noting that it follows quite soon after the crossing of the Jordan, last week s lesson. Have the students locate Joshua 5:13 6:6 in their Bibles. Read the verses aloud or recruit student volunteers. Distribute copies of Reproducible Page 5 found at the end of this lesson. (You can also print this page from the PDF file on your teacher CD.) The title of the page is God s Battle Plans. Direct students to use Joshua 5:13 6:6 and 6:15 16 to complete an outline of God s battle plan for Joshua in the first column. (Save completing the final section, Outcome, until later.) You will have the students refer to the plan throughout the remainder of the lesson. Review their answers using the following information. Object: to deliver the city of Jericho, along with its king and fighting men, into the hands of the Israelites Commander: the Lord Himself, directing Joshua Troops: the armed men, priests, and people of Israel Weapons: the ark of the covenant, rams horns, peoples voices. You may wish to remind the students about the role the ark of the covenant played in the lives of Israel at this time, using Poster B, Tabernacle Worship. Strategy: March around the city once each day for six days (only trumpets sounding). Repeat the march seven times on the seventh day, having the people shout at the trumpet sound. Use the map on Poster C, Exodus to David, to locate Jericho. Distribute Lesson Leaflet 5 and discuss the picture on the front. Ask the students to locate various aspects of the battle plan from Reproducible Page 5 (ark, priests, horns, people) in the picture. Read aloud, or have volunteers read aloud, Joshua 6:7 27. Note how the battle plan was implemented and have the students write their notes on Reproducible Page 5. Discuss this with the students, focusing on the Israelites complete dependence upon the Lord. Note, too, that Rahab was dependent upon God. She had previously asked Joshua to spare her and her family. True to his word, Joshua ordered that those in her house be left unharmed, and Rahab joined the Israelites. Ask What was the outcome of the battle of Jericho? Was there ever any doubt as to what would happen? Allow time for discussion. Then, complete the final portion of the battle plan on the Reproducible Page. Joshua led the Israelites to victory, but it was truly God s victory. Point out that in Joshua 6:2, God refers to the destruction of Jericho as a completed fact, even though the battle had not yet begun. God was caring for His people as He promised. 42

5 Say We speak of God s infinite care in the words of the Apostles Creed. Uncover the portion of Martin Luther s explanation of the First Article you have posted, especially, He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. Recite Luther s explanation of the First Article together, using copies of the Small Catechism or Reproducible Page 14A. Say God was the true fortress in this battle. He defended and protected the Israelites and gave them the victory over the city of Jericho. Distribute the Bible Exploration Guide. Direct the students to the article Jericho for additional information about this city s rich history. 43

6 (15 minutes) 44 Teacher Tip Allow students who might otherwise be reluctant to participate to knock down the walls. Those who might be shy during discussions can still feel a part of the process through such actions. God s Battle Plan for Jesus Say The people of Jericho placed their trust in a fortress. Obviously, that trust was misplaced. They expected to be safe, to be protected; yet, in the end, they were destroyed. Ask How are we like the people of Jericho? Allow time for answers. (We all sin by trusting in something or someone other than God to be our fortress. This is our sinful nature, in violation of the First Commandment, going back to the fall of Adam and Eve.) Give each student an index card. Ask him or her to write on the card something that people trust in for safety and security. Students might consider money, popularity, academics, social position, athletic capability, accomplishments, friends, youth, health, and other things. Gather the class around the walls they built at the beginning of the lesson. Place the cards beside the walls and review the many things the students wrote that we trust to keep us safe and secure. (Note: If you were unable to create these walls, create the image of a wall on the board by posting the cards like bricks using loops of tape.) Say In the end, all of these things will disappoint us because they are unable to save us. Our works and accomplishments fail us. We are sinners living in a sinful world and trusting in anything other than Christ as our fortress will result in such walls tumbling down. As you discuss this with the students, allow them to knock down the walls that they built. You might wish to warn them in advance that they will need to clean up the results so that they do not get carried away. (Note: If you were unable to create walls, simply leave the cards posted on the board.) Say When we trust in anything other than God for our life and salvation, we re actually trusting in idols false gods that are unable to help us in any way. Yet we have a true protector. Sing the first stanza of A Mighty Fortress once more. As the students are returning to their seats, gather the index cards. Say God has always been about the business of saving. He delivered the Israelites from Jericho, but, more importantly, He also delivers His people from their greatest enemies sin, death, and the devil. He did this by sending the true fortress Jesus Christ to defend and protect us and win the victory for us. Direct the students to the second column on Reproducible Page 5. Remind the students that God s battle plan for Joshua pointed to the greater plan of salvation to come. Complete the section called God s Battle Plan for Jesus. Have the students use the Bible passages to complete this plan. The answers are as follows: Object: to save humankind from sin, death, and the power of the devil Commander: the triune God Troops: Jesus, our fortress, who was sent to save us from destruction Weapons/Strategy: Jesus took the attacks of the enemy for us. He suffered and died in our place in order to protect and save us. Outcome: The blessed exchange occurred; Jesus suffered, died, and rose again in order to give us eternal life, giving us His righteousness in exchange for our sinfulness.

7 Read the items listed on the index cards again. Point out how Christ s death and resurrection deliver us from these sinful ruins and He becomes our fortress. Say God delivered His people from the people of Jericho. Joshua led them to victory, destroying the wall that would have prevented such victory. The same is true for us. Prideful, we place our trust in the false walls of self-security; our works and accomplishments weakly crumble around us. God delivers us from the ruin of our sin and provides us a mighty fortress in Christ. Jesus replaces our sinfulness with His righteousness. He truly is our fortress. We do not need to fear. Satan cannot harm us. Our sins are forgiven. Eternal life is ours because He won it for us. Our fortress stands against everything that would destroy us. Complete the Jesus Conquers for Us word puzzle on the back of the Lesson Leaflet. The finished message will read, Jesus, our true Joshua, has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. Distribute copies of Growing in Christ Puzzle 5 found in the booklet in your Teacher Tools. Have the students cut out the stones and arrange them as a wall with two or three rows of stones to complete today s Bible Words, 2 Samuel 22:2. Have the students rearrange the stones according to the spots along the edges. When they are aligned by matching the markings on the stones, the verse is now in the shape of a cross. Say Christ is our fortress. He alone remains steadfast and true when all other walls come crashing down. He alone defends and protects us and keeps us safe unto life everlasting. Challenge the students to commit this short verse to memory and sing the Bible Words Song, track 19 on the CD. Lord The Is Rock Deliverer Fortress The and and Lord Is Rock and Fortress and Deliverer 45

8 Review (5 minutes) Use Bible Review Cards to review the lesson. Consider allowing two teams to divide the cards between them (without looking at the cards faces) and alternately quiz each other. Award points based on the numbers of the questions they answer one point for question 1 on a card, two points for question 2, and three for question 3. A team can continue answering questions until they answer a question incorrectly. Alternatively, play one of the Bible Review Games found on Reproducible Pages 15A C near the end of this guide. 1 Worship Sing again the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LSB 656; CD 1) in its entirety. Briefly discuss the text, noting how Christ, our fortress, protects and saves us from all sin, death, and the devil. Conclude with the Lord s Prayer and Luther s Morning Prayer. (This prayer is found in the Small Catechism or LSB, p. 283.) Evaluation Did your students grasp the idea that Christ s protection is sure, that He alone is the fortress that can save us from all our enemies, especially our spiritual enemies? Did they understand that they are protected, whether they see it or not, or whether they feel it or not? Christ s promises are certain, and they are for each of us. Lesson Expanders Provide brick pavers for each student. Allow them to decorate the bricks using paints or markers. The bricks can serve as doorstops or decorative reminders that Christ is our true fortress. Make extra copies of Growing in Christ Puzzle 5. Have the students cut the puzzle apart and place the stone images into an envelope. Have them tape or write directions for creating the cross shape on the envelope and give the puzzle to a friend or relative. Create a large mural that looks like a wall made of bricks. Within the mural, color a group of bricks so that the shape of a cross appears. Have the students write their names, as well as names of members of their families, on the surrounding bricks. At the top of the wall, write a heading such as A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Who Protects and Saves. 46

9 God s Battle Plans God s Battle Plan for Joshua God s Battle Plan for Jesus Object (Joshua 6:1 2): Object (John 6:37 40): Commander (Joshua 5:13 14): Commander (John 6:37 40): Troops (Joshua 6:3 6): Troops (John 3:16): Weapons (Joshua 6:4): Weapons/Strategy (Isaiah 53:5, 7, 12): Strategy (Joshua 6:3 6, 15 16): Outcome (Galatians 4:4 7): Outcome (Joshua 6:20): Reproducible Page 5 Teacher: This page is also available on the CD in your Teacher Tools. Growing in Christ Upper Grades 2008 Concordia Publishing House. Reproduced by permission.