What role does faith play in the Israelites' victory at Jericho in Joshua 6:5? The Scene in Joshua 6:5 “‘When there is a prolonged blast of the ram’s horn and you hear its sound, all the people shall shout with a loud voice, and the wall of the city will collapse, and all the people will charge straight into the city.’ ” (Joshua 6:5) Faith in Action: Obedient Listening • Joshua relays God’s precise instructions—march, trumpet blast, shout. • The commands are militarily unorthodox, yet Israel trusts that God’s word is sufficient (Psalm 119:160). • Faith begins with ears that believe before eyes can see (Romans 10:17). Faith Expressed by Daily Walking • Six days of silent marching (Joshua 6:3–4) display patient, persevering faith. • Each circuit reinforces dependence on God, not human strength (Zechariah 4:6). • Hebrews 11:30 affirms, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.” Faith keeps walking when results are delayed. Faith Culminating in Expectant Shouting • On day seven Israel circles the city seven times, then shouts—before the wall falls. • The shout is a vocal confession that God has already granted victory (2 Corinthians 4:13). • James 2:17 reminds that “faith without deeds is dead.” The shout is the deed that completes belief. Faith Rewarded by Divine Intervention • “The wall of the city will collapse” (Joshua 6:5). God answers faithful obedience with supernatural power. • No siege engines, no battering rams—just faith partnering with God’s might (2 Corinthians 10:4). • The flat walls create a straight path for Israel to “charge straight in,” emphasizing that God’s deliverance is total and immediate. Lessons for Followers of Christ Today • God’s strategies may defy human logic; faith trusts His wisdom (Isaiah 55:8-9). • Genuine faith obeys completely, waits patiently, and declares victory confidently. • The same Lord who toppled Jericho’s walls still honors faith that hears, walks, and shouts in obedience (Mark 11:22-24). |
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