Jericho collapses

Joshua Chapter 6

The gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people inside were afraid of the Israelites. But the Lord told Joshua that he had given Jericho to the Israelites, with its king and all its mighty warriors. He told Joshua to march his entire army around the city once a day for six days. Seven priests must walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram's horn. On the 7th day as they march around the city, the priest must blow the horns. When one long blast was heard, the people would charge straight into the city.

So Joshua told the people what the Lord had said and they began marching around the city with seven priests with rams' horns blowing as they marched. The priests carrying the Ark followed behind them and armed guards marched in front of the priests and behind the Ark. Joshua instructed the people to not shout or talk until he gave them the order to shout. Then in the evening everyone returned to camp to spend the night.

The next morning, Joshua got up early and the priests again carried the Ark and the priests with rams' horns, blew the horns. This pattern went on for six days.

On the seventh day, the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the city as before, but this time they went around the city seven times and on the seventh time, the priests sounded a long blast on the horns and the people shouted as directed by Joshua. He also told them the city was theirs and everything in it must be destroyed, except for the prostitute Rehab and the others in her house. Joshua ordered that the people not take anything set aside for destruction, or they themselves would be destroyed and trouble would be brought down on Israel. They were to bring everything silver, gold, bronze or iron to their treasury.

The Israelites shouted as loud as they could and the walls of Jericho collapsed and the Israelites charged into the city from every side and captured it. They destroyed everything in it- all the people and all the livestock. Then Joshua sent ment to Rahab's house and brought out her family and relatives who were with her, and they were taken to a safe place near the camp of Israel. Then the Israelites burned down the city and everything in it. Joshua invoked a curse, "May the curse of the Lord fall on anyone who tries to rebuild Jericho, At the cost of his firstborn son, he will lay its foundation. At the cost of this youngest son, he will set up its gates."

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Jericho was built thousands of years before Joshua was born and the walls were up to 20 feet thick. The destruction of this city put fear into the heart of every person in Canaan. God gave Joshua complicated instructions for the battle, perhaps because: 1. God wanted to make it clear the battle was dependent on him and not upon Israel's weapons and expertise or 2.God's methods accentuated the terror already felt by Jericho. or 3. The strange military maneuver was a test of the Israelites faith and willingness to follow God.
Why did God demand that everyone and everything be destroyed? This was judgement against the wickedness of the Canaanites. The silver and gold articles were used to beautify the Tabernacle. God did not want the people's faith contaminated by riches.

How does this chapter relate to us? God wants us to be pure and wants us to clean up our behavior when we begin a new life with him. Personal gain should not distract us from our spiritual purpose.
What strenth and faith Joshua had to follow the Lord's rather bizaare directions of marching around the walls. But he knew the Lord had his reasons and it worked.God's purpose in all this was to kekep the people's faith and religion uncontaminated. To keep the plunder was a Canaanite practice and God forbade it.
Later in 1 Kings 16:34, the curse came true when a man tried to repair Jericho. God really means business!
Yours in Christ,
Mary

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