Joshua 6:1-21 Introduction Israel has finally crossed the Jordan. They have prepared themselves spiritually and up to this point have followed God s orders to the letter. Now, they are ready to begin the conquest of the Promised Land. They are ready to claim for themselves the land that flowed with milk and honey. However, like most things in life that are worth having, it wouldn t come cheap! For Israel, Jericho would be a benchmark. It was at Jericho that they would flex their muscles and experience military victory and conquest. Now, just for a moment, try to put yourself into the shoes of the average Israelite soldier. For most of these men, Jericho was the first city they had ever seen that was surrounded by huge walls.
2 It must have looked like an absolute impossibility to many. However, they listened to the instructions they were given by the Lord and they saw those massive walls fall down flat. You may be wondering why we are studying events that took place so long ago and so far away. What does all of this have to do with our lives? How does all of this apply to my life as a believer? We are living in days of battle and spiritual struggle. We need to know how to fight. We need to know that our God is able to give the victory. We need to know how to follow Him to that victory. Our study of Joshua teaches us those valuable lessons!
3 Just as Israel faced the mighty walls of Jericho, you and I face walls and obstacles in our lives as well. We need to know how to overcome them as we march towards the victory. I. Israel Had A Problem. 1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. (Josh 6:1, NIV) A.Jericho is known as the oldest city in the world. 1. In Joshua s day, it was surrounded by a system of two massive stone walls. 2. The outer wall was 6 ft. thick and about 20 ft. high. 3. The inner wall was about 12 ft. thick and was 30 ft. high. 4. Between the walls was a guarded walkway about 15 ft. wide.
4 5. Israel s problem was that they had a city to conquer, but there were some extremely huge walls in the way. B.As we go through life, we have obstacles that we face as well. 1. Maybe you re alone. 2. Maybe you feel inadequate. 3. Family trouble. 4. Financial trouble. 5. A struggle with a particular sin. 6. Or it could be any number of a million other things! C.We must learn not to look upon our obstacles as dead-ends, but as opportunities for the Lord to work in our lives! 1. The Apostle Paul had such an obstacle. 7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
5 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:7-10, NIV) 2. This attitude is foreign to us this evening. 3. Yet, we must come to realize that the power of God is best revealed in and through us when we are unable to handle life. 4. God is more clearly visible when we are totally out of the picture! 5. In a sense, that is what He did with Israel here. 6. As we will see, He completely removed them from the equation! 7. The victory at Jericho was all God! II. Israel Had A Promise.
6 2 Then the LORD said to Joshua, See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. (Joshua 6:2, NIV) A.As Joshua and all the men of war stood looking at those walls around that great city, God had a word of comfort for their hearts! 1. Here, God promises Israel the victory before they ever attack Jericho! 2. He lets them know about the conclusion before they ever enter into their battle! B.As we face our obstacles, whatever they may be we can do so with confidence, because we have the Lord s promises as banners to march under: 1. We Have His Promise that Our Weapons Are Powerful through God 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
7 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor 10:4-5, NIV) 2. We Have His Promise that Our Battles Have All Been Arranged by the Lord. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28, NIV) 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Cor 4:17, NIV) 3. We Have His Promise that Our Ability Is Limited Only by Our Faith 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phil 4:13, NIV) 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, (Eph 3:20, NIV) 4. We Have His Promise of Power in the Day of Battle.
8 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Eph 6:10, NIV) 5. We Have His Promise of ongoing Victory 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:57, NIV) 6. We Have His Promise that We Will Never Fight Alone. 5 Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Heb 13:5, NIV C.As we face the walled cities in our lives, we need to learn to believe the Lord, to take Him at His Word and trust Him for our victories! 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (Rom 4:21, NIV) 1. Jesus did not save us for us to be defeated! 2. He saved us for the victory and He will be there all the way to help us secure it for His glory! 3. Will there be trials? Yes, but there will also be victory. III. Israel Had A Partner.
9 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in. (Josh 6:3-5, NIV) A.Israel s partner was none other than God Himself! 1. He was in absolute control of the battle, He was leading them, and He was the guarantee of their victory! 2. Remember the visit Joshua had with the Captain of the Lord's Host? 3. He told Joshua that He did not come to take sides, He came to take over! B.As we face the obstacles of our lives 1. It is a blessing to know that we do not have to face them alone 2. Or in our own strength.
10 3. No obstacle is insurmountable as long as we face it in the Lord! IV. Israel Prevailed (6:6-21). A.The context. 1. Israel marched around the city in obedience to the Lord and they prevailed! 2. Can you imagine how the people in Jericho must have reacted? 3. They saw the armies of Israel approaching their city and they probably thought that they were about to be invaded by the enemy. 4. Then, just as Israel came near the city, they turned and began to march around the walls. 5. I can see those inside Jericho as they ran to see where the Israelites would mount their attack. 6. But instead of attacking, the soldiers, and the priests merely marched around the city one time.
11 7. All that was heard was the sound of the ram's horn trumpets and the pounding of the soldier s feet upon the ground. 8. This was repeated for 6 days, and by this time, the people in Jericho were no doubt mocking and jeering the Israelites. 9. Then on the seventh day, they compassed the city seven times. 10.When they had finished that seventh lap, the priests gave a long blast on the trumpets and the people of Israel shouted with a great shout! 11.It wasn t the shout of an attacking army, it wasn t a shout of fear, it was a shout raised in praise to their God who had promised them the victory. 12.When the people shouted, the walls fell down flat and Israel ran into the city and utterly destroyed it. 13.Theirs was a great victory!
12 B.There are some reasons why Israel experienced victory at Jericho: 1. They had a Word from God - (v.2-6) 2. They believed God - (v.8-20) 3. They acted in faith 4. They did it God s way a. This is the secret to success! b. His way may seem too hard, too slow, or as in this case too foolish, but His way is always the best way! 5. God gave them the victory - (v.20-21) C.We can also have a great victory! 1. We can prevail in whatever situation we are facing right now! 2. Learn the lesson from Israel, God has promised us the victory. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:57, NIV)
13 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4, NIV) Conclusion: What kind of walled city are we facing right now? Does it seem that victory is absolutely impossible? We need only to take a lesson from Israel and start handling our Jericho s God s way. Will you come with whatever your need is? Will you bring it to Jesus right now! He is still a miracle working God! Greater than any obstacle, able to move any mountain, stronger than any barrier we might face today.