Jericho
Joshua 6
Joshua 6
Joshua 6. Jericho represents the world as the stronghold of Satan and the enemy of the believer. The chapter gives us practical lessons that help the believer deal with the world as an enemy. Egypt is a type of the world as a system to keep the believers away from God. Jericho is a type of the world as a system to be a snare to the believer to distract them from their true inheritance. The first city was built by Cain; a system in independence of God, often connected with the world. Hebrews gives us the key to this victory: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days” (Heb. 11:30). Every Christian has to face, at some time or another, a stronghold like Jericho; some colossal fortress blocking their path. Israel’s only hope of success against Jericho was to take the directions directly from the Lord, even though the instructions required them to do things that made no logical sense. It required faith. So, as John reminds us, “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). It is significant that this first stronghold of Canaan be defeated in a manner that required no physical weapons. In this way, Israel would learn that victory is in the power of God, and through faith in Him, not in human wisdom or intelligence; “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:5).
Divine Instructions Given (6:1-5)
CHAPTER 6
1 Now Jericho was shut up and was barred, because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
v.1 Jericho shut up. The city of Jericho doubled as a fortress with its thick walls. The Canaanites were afraid of the people, and therefore locked the city down completely, blocking all traffic into and out of the city. Evidently the people of the city were trusting in the strength of the walls to prevent the army of Israel.
2 And Jehovah said to Joshua, See, I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the valiant men. 3 And ye shall go round the city, all the men of war, encompassing the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4 And seven priests shall carry before the ark seven blast-trumpets; and on the seventh day ye shall go round the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5 And it shall come to pass when they make a long blast with the blast-horn, that all the people on hearing the sound of the trumpet shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall flat, and the people shall go up, each one straight before him.
vv.2-5 Instructions. The fear of the people was a testament to Joshua that Jehovah had given Jericho into his hand. The Lord gave Joshua specific instructions that Israel must follow. The men of war were to circle the city once per day for six days, followed by the ark led by seven priests blowing trumpet blasts. On the seventh day, the formula was to be repeated seven times. Then at the long blast of the trumpet, the people were to shout, and the walls would fall down. This was not a logical way to defeat a fortress. There were no battering rams, trebuchets, or siege towers. But faith is not reason. It would require faith to act on these instructions.
The Instructions Followed (6:6-19)
6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Carry the ark of the covenant, and seven priests shall carry seven blast-trumpets before the ark of Jehovah. 7 And he said to the people, Pass on, go round the city, and they that are armed shall pass on before the ark of Jehovah. 8 And it came to pass when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests carrying the seven blast-trumpets before Jehovah passed on and blew with the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went after them. 9 And the armed men went before the priests who blew with the trumpets, and the rearguard came after the ark; they blew with the trumpets in marching. 10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, Shout; then shall ye shout. 11 And the ark of Jehovah went round the city, encompassing it once; and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
vv.6-11 The First Day. The instructions given to Joshua were rigidly followed by the people and the priests. Obedience and dependence were the keys to Israel’s victory. Again, the “ark of the covenant of Jehovah” which represents the presence of God is prominent in this second great manifestation of His power on behalf of His people. The arrangement was very specific. First would come part of the men of war, followed by seven priests with trumpets, then the ark, and after the ark would be a rear guard. The Ark and the presence of Jehovah would be in the midst of the procession. This really highlights the importance of the presence of the Lord. Christ is the center of the army! It has been suggested that these seven trumpets were the rams horns of jubilee, as the very word translated “trumpet” is also “jubilee” (Lev. 25:10). They speak of praise as well as testimony. The presence of the Lord is the center, and the outflow of praise is a result!
12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests carried the ark of Jehovah. 13 And the seven priests carrying the seven blast-trumpets before the ark of Jehovah went on and blew continually with the trumpets; and the armed men went before them, and the rearguard went after the ark of Jehovah; they blew with the trumpets in marching. 14 And on the second day they went round the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did six days.
vv.12-14 The Next Five Days. For the next five days the formula was repeated. It is interesting that nothing Israel was to do had any military intent or effect. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Cor. 10:4). Instead of rushing in to make contact with the walls and gates, the people were to go around outside the city walls. The trumpets might speak of praise and testimony. Victory over the world requires separation while maintaining our testimony, while the presence of the Lord in the midst is the source of power. The march around the city was “an odour from death unto death” for the unbelieving Canaanites, “but to the others an odour from life unto life” for those in Rahab’s house (2 Cor. 2:15-16).
15 And it was so that on the seventh day they rose early, about the morning-dawn, and went round the city after the same manner seven times; only on that day they went round the city seven times. 16 And it came to pass the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people, Shout; for Jehovah has given you the city. 17 And the city shall be accursed, it and all that is in it, to Jehovah; only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 But in any wise keep from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed in taking of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19 And all the silver, and gold, and vessels of copper and iron, shall be holy to Jehovah; they shall come into the treasury of Jehovah.
vv.15-19 The Seventh Day. On the seventh day the formula was to be repeated seven times. This would have seemed as foolishness to the inhabitants of the city, but it was the only way to victory. Every Christian has to face a stronghold like Jericho. The only hope of success is to take the directions directly from the Lord. We might say, “Why not simplify the path? Why all these complications? Why go round the city every day, and seven times the seventh day? Why this procession with the ark and trumpets?” Faith does not demand a logical explanation for the means that God chooses to employ; it accepts them, and obtains the victory. The people were to shout with a great shout, which speaks of victory! Jehovah had given them the city. The city was to be completely destroyed, only those in Rahab’s house would live. The city was accursed, and all the possessions in it, and there was to be no fellowship between Israel and Jericho. God forbids the people to take of the spoil of Jericho; it is accursed. Faith makes no compromise with the world, receives nothing from it.
The Fall of Jericho (6:20-27)
20 And the people shouted, and they blew with the trumpets. And it came to pass when the people heard the sound of the trumpets, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat; and the people went up into the city, each one straight before him, and they took the city. 21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city; both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. 22 And Joshua said to the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house and bring out thence the woman, and all that she has, as ye swore unto her. 23 And the young men, the spies, went in and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had: all her kindred did they bring out, and they left them outside the camp of Israel. 24 And they burned the city with fire, and all that was therein; only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of copper and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. 25 And Joshua saved alive Rahab the harlot, and her father’s household, and all that she had, and she dwelt in the midst of Israel to this day; because she hid the messengers whom Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho.
vv.20-25 Destruction of Jericho, Rahab Spared. At the shout of the people, the great walls came down. It was in response to faith: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days” (Heb. 11:30). Jericho is a city marked for judgment, and finally that judgment fell. We too walk through a world that is destined for assured destruction. There were no exceptions in this city: all were killed, except for those in Rahab’s house, where the scarlet line hung in the window. Perhaps that part of the wall, for her house was on the wall, remained solely in tact. Joshua gave the task of bringing out Rahab and those with her to the very two men whom she had sheltered. Not only was Rahab saved, and her father’s household with her, but she “dwelt in the midst of Israel”. Rahab sought to be identified with the people of God! The Bible tells us that Salmon was the man who later married Rahab (Matthew 1:5), and she became the great-great-grandmother of King David, and was in the royal line of the Son of David, the Messiah Himself! The mighty wall “fell down flat” when the people shouted. It was a sudden and total victory! The valuable vessels were saved, not for the people, but to “put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah”. Earthly possessions are put into our hands only to further the Lord’s interests here in this world, not to consume them upon our lusts.
26 And Joshua swore at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before Jehovah who shall rise up and build this city Jericho! In his first-born shall he lay its foundation, and in his youngest son shall he set up its gates.
v.26 A Curse for Rebuilding. The promise of a curse was given on any man who would rise up and rebuild the city of Jericho. All of his children would be killed , his first born as he laid its foundation and his youngest son as he finished the city and set up its gates. This was a devastating curse to be born by whoever would be so audacious as to rebel against the commandment of the Lord. There was a man who did rebuild the city, and the curse fell on him (see 1 Kings 16:34). In a similar way, the believer is to have no part in building the world-system, which is the stronghold of Satan. Often a consequence in the life of a believer whose ambition is to build the world-system is that they lose their children in the process.
27 And Jehovah was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.
v.27 News Spreads. The Lord was with Joshua, and as a consequence of the fall of Jericho, the news went abroad to all the land.