The Battle is The Lord’s, The Victory is Yours!
“On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, ‘Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into His treasury.’ When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.” Joshua 6:15-20 (NIV)
The Battle of Jericho is, without doubt, the most unconventional battle ever fought in history. In fact, there was really no fight at all. God fought the battle on behalf of Israel, and they took possession of the city. God gave a specific battle strategy to Joshua that he must have found difficult to believe at first, much less explain to his generals. He was told in Joshua 6:3-5 (NIV) to “March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 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. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”
The people were told not to say a word until Joshua gave the command on the seventh day. They were to march quietly around the city once each day for six days with only the trumpets blasting. Can you imagine what the people in Jericho were thinking? According to the report Rahab, the prostitute, gave the two spies, Jericho was on high alert. Despite its fortified walls up to 25 feet high and 20 feet thick, everyone in the city was filled with fear. From its walls, their soldiers could see the miracle of the Jordan waters parting at flood stage as Israel marched across on dry ground. They had heard the stories of the parting of the Red Sea when Israel left Egypt. They had also heard how Moses and the children of Israel defeated the Kings on the East side of the Jordan River. The King of Jericho had ordered the gates of this invincible fortress locked. Surely, Israel couldn’t penetrate these walls!
Day One: The guards alert the King as they see Israel’s army approaching. Priests are blowing trumpets as they began to march around the city. I imagine the soldiers of Jericho circling their own walls from the inside as they followed the army of Israel marching around the outer walls. It must have seemed strange to them as they watched Israel complete a lap around the city and then return to their camp at Gilgal! What’s up with that? Perhaps even some of the Israelites may have thought it foolish and questioned Joshua about this strategy. If they did, I’m sure Joshua would have simply said, “I’m taking my orders from the Captain of the Lord of Host!” Joshua was blessed because he was obedient despite how foolish the command may have seemed. God chooses the foolish things of this world to confound the wisdom of the wise.
Jericho was a symbol of military power and strength. God would have Israel attack this city first to strike fear in the heart of every person in Canaan. God was about to show Himself superior to every god of the Canaanites, just as He had done in Egypt!
What gave Joshua such confidence that this unusual strategy would work? The answer is found in verse two of Joshua 7 where the Bible records, “Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.’”
Before the battle would even begin, God told Joshua that the victory was His! The battle was the Lord’s! He would show Himself mighty on their behalf if they would simply trust and obey His promise. For Joshua, it would be like betting on a game that has already been won! The enemy was already defeated and would be delivered into his hands! As Christ followers the same is true for us today! Jericho represents our fallen, sinful world. We can wake up each morning with the same confidence Joshua must have had when he faced Jericho despite its size and strength. Our enemy, Satan, is a defeated foe! The Bible says in 1 John 5:4 (NIV) “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” What are the walls that challenge you today? They may seem impenetrable! Look to your commander, the Captain of the Lord of Host! He has already won the battle. The victory is yours! You only need to take your stand and keep marching!