Joshua And The Battle Of Jericho

Joshua 6:1-5 And Jericho was completely shut up because of the sons of Israel. None went out and none came in. And Jehovah said to Joshua, See, I have given Jericho into your hand, and its king, and the mighty men of war. And you shall go around the city, all the men of war. Go around the city once. So you shall do for six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram's horns in front of the ark. And the seventh day you shall go around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall be when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout. And the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up, each man straight before him.

Yes another great Bible Story from our childhood. We sang “Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho - Joshua fit the battle of Jericho - and the walls came tumbling down” (aren’t you glad that you can’t hear me!). I remember my grandmother telling us this story with such animation that you could almost feel the ground shake as Joshua and all of Israel marched around Jericho, almost hear the ram’s horns blasting and see the wall falling.

But let’s look at the “adult” meaning, God gave Jericho to Joshua and Israel plain and simple. They did not have to ram the gates or climb the walls, God just knocked them down. Then all they had to do was walk right in and take the city. They took all of the silver and gold and the vessels of bronze and iron for Jehovah’s treasury. Then they killed everyone and every thing in the city, and burned it to the ground. That is they killed everyone except for Rahab and her family; because earlier she had hidden and protected the spies sent by Joshua.

Father, We come before You again in awe of the mighty things which You have done. Knocking down walls and saving even prostitutes, You are such a loving Father. Thank You for the wonderful stories in Your Word, may we learn all that You would have us to. In Jesus’ name. Amen