By faith
the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven
days.
Heb. 11.30
Moses had led
the Israelites victoriously through the Red Sea and across the desert. Then his
successor, Joshua, led them into the Promised Land. One of the obstacles they
faced was the city of Jericho. God told Joshua to march around the city with
all the armed men once a day for six days. On the seventh day they were to march
around the city seven times, with the priests blowing trumpets. When they
sounded a long blast, all the people were to give a loud shout. Then the city
wall would collapse and the city would be taken. Joshua was obedient to God’s
command. The prophesied action came to pass in reality.
The writer
here declares this to be an act of faith. Joshua was the leader so, presumably,
he had the faith to follow through in what God had asked of him. But he could
not achieve success on his own. He needed the army, the priests and, indeed,
all the people. The narrative in the Book of Joshua (chapter 6) tells us that
Joshua gave the instructions, and everyone complied.
I see here a
proliferation of faith. This is more than the faith of one man. At Jericho a
whole people group exercised their faith acting as they believed their Lord
wanted them to. Were the instructions they were given sound and logical? There doesn’t
seem to be much logic in an invading army marching around its target playing
trumpets. The key to this victory is not the logic of the plan, but the
obedience of the people, in faith.
Lord God,
May I never doubt or question what You might ask of
me, but may I rather be obedient to You in the fullness of faith. Amen.
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