THE L.I.F.E. PLAN JERICHO BLOCK 2 THEME 5 - THE CONQUEST OF THE PROMISED LAND LESSON 2 (54 of 216)
BLOCK 2 THEME 5: THE CONQUEST OF THE PROMISED LAND LESSON 2 (54 OF 216): JERICHO LESSON AIM: Show the conquest of Jericho by the Israelites. SCRIPTURE: (Joshua 6) (Joshua 6:20) 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. For some six hundred years, Israel had known of the land of promise. Generation after generation passed down the news and the hope that God had promised their father Abraham that his descendants would live in the land of Canaan. Many difficult centuries laced with slavery, persecution and despair had passed and now the children of Israel had crossed over the Jordan River into the promised land for the first time. To this point in their experience, they had seen God do many wonderful things among and on behalf of his people. Egypt had been humbled. The waters of two rivers had rolled out of the way so Israel could cross them on dry ground. Now, they stood in the shadow of the walls of their first city of conquest in the new land, the city of Jericho. God had a great plan for overtaking the city. Rahab had previously told the two Israeli spies that the whole city had lost their nerve to fight Israel, knowing that God was with them to deliver them. The captain of the Lord s host had already appeared to Joshua, ensuring him of the victory. The only thing Joshua needed was the plan by which God would bring about their first military campaign. God gave his orders to Joshua and they were very simple. Within a week, the city would be theirs. For the first six days of the week, Joshua and the children of Israel were to do one thing each day, and nothing more. For six days, they were to compass, or march around, the city one time per day. There was to be an order in their march. The armed men went first, followed by 7 priests blowing rams horns, next the ark of the covenant, and finally, an assembly of the people of Israel. The people were not to speak a word or make any noise with their voice as they marched around the city. Each morning very early, the people of Israel would form up in their order, leave their camp and march around the city of Jericho, then return to camp. On the seventh day, the orders were different. On this day, they would march around the city seven times. On the seventh lap, the priests were to blow a long blast with the trumpets and the people were to shout very loudly with a great shout. At the sound of the shout, the walls of the city would fall down flat and the Israelites would take the city. God gave the orders and Israel obeyed them. They marched in order for six straight days. On the seventh day, they marched seven times, blew the trumpets and
shouted. The walls fell and they took the city. There has been much speculation about how the walls of the city fell down around Jericho. Some say the walls fell apart stone by stone and crumbled to the ground. Others say the walls simply fell over from vertical to horizontal. Still others say the ground beneath the walls opened up and swallowed them into the earth. The latter sounds like the best explanation since Rahab s house was on the top of the wall. Regardless of how it happened, the point is, that it did happen and Joshua and the children of Israel won their first victory in the promised land in their first attempt at taking a city. God s people took other cities in Canaan but apparently not in the same way they took Jericho. God does not always do things in the same way so that we learn not to think we have him figured out. The Bible tells us that his ways are past finding out. God wants us to walk with him daily so he can order our footsteps each day in the direction and through the experiences he wants us to pass. While God s methods of accomplishing his will may be different, the basic pattern is always the same: God gives the orders, God s people obey the orders, and Godintended results take place. This was not only true in the experience of ancient Israel, but it is true in our lives today as well. If we want the results that God wants to bring about in our lives, we have to obey his orders. God s orders are primarily given to us in the Bible. As we live and walk with God in fellowship, he leads and guides us by his Holy Spirit according to the Word of God. Our part is to trust God and to obey him. As we do, walls of obstruction can fall down before us as we advance into the territories where God is leading us to go. As it is with every story in the Bible, there are many great truths we can extract from the story and apply in our lives today. Three important truths are on display in this story. The first one is that the judgement of God is coming upon man. The people of Jericho realized this as we are told by Rahab in her conversation with the two Israeli spies. She said that they had heard of how God dried up the Red Sea for them as they came out of Egypt, and how they had won victories over other nations and kings. Because of this, they knew they were in line for his judgement, too. Another truth we see concerns the longsuffering of God toward man. Even though God was going to overthrow the city, he gave the people six days to prepare for coming judgement. They could have surrendered to Israel but they did not. They remained in the city, ignoring the judgement that loomed over their heads. Last, we see that God s judgement will eventually come. Israel took the city and destroyed every living person except Rahab and those who were gathered in her house. Once the walls had fallen, there was no opportunity to surrender. They were given to face the judgement upon them. We are living in a time when God s longsuffering is on display. While he is giving men time to repent and surrender to him, his judgement will eventually come. All those who have not surrendered to Christ before judgement comes will be left to bear the penalty of their own resistance. A final note in this story is the preservation of Rahab. More than this, through her, we have the preservation of the lineage of the Messiah, God s Savior, whom he was sending to redeem fallen man and destroy the works of the devil.
LESSON OUTLINE BLOCK 2 THEME 5: THE CONQUEST OF THE PROMISED LAND LESSON 2 (54 OF 216): JERICHO Overtaking the city of Jericho: I GOD S ORDERS A. Days 1-6 B. Day 7 II ISRAEL S OBEDIENCE A. They followed God s orders B. They took the city III SPIRITUAL LESSONS A. God s judgement is coming B. God is longsuffering C. God s judgement will eventually come IV A FINAL NOTE A. Rahab s preservation B. Messiah lineage preserved SCRIPTURES TO BROADEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING 1. Rahab in the Messiah s lineage Matthew 1:5 2. Rahab s son Boaz, the kinsman redeemer Ruth LINES OF THEOLOGICAL CONNECTION 1. CHRISTOLOGY The genealogies of Christ 2. THE DOCTRINE OF GOD Longsuffering Judgement Salvation
QUESTIONS ANSWER KEY 1. What was the first city encountered by Joshua in the new land? Jericho 2. What unusual thing happened in overtaking Jericho? The city walls fell so Israel could take the city 3. What pattern do we learn from this concerning the work of God? God gives the orders; we obey; God-intended results take place 4. Name the woman who survived the taking of Jericho. Rahab 5. What important thing happened because Rahab was saved? The lineage of the Messiah was protected and preserved 6. How does God reveal his plans to his followers today? In the Bible through the Holy Spirit 7. Is there a spiritual Jericho in your life today? Student response 8. If you answered yes to the previous question, what do you think God s plan is for you to conquer it? Student response
BLOCK 2 THEME 5: THE CONQUEST OF THE PROMISED LAND LESSON 2 (54 OF 216): JERICHO QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE THOUGHT 1. What was the first city encountered by Joshua in the new land? 2. What unusual thing happened in overtaking Jericho? 3. What pattern do we learn from this concerning the work of God? 4. Name the woman who survived the taking of Jericho. 5. What important thing happened because Rahab was saved? 6. How does God reveal his plans to his followers today? 7. Is there a spiritual Jericho in your life today? 8. If you answered yes to the previous question, what do you think God s plan is for you to conquer it?