What lessons can we learn from the defeat of "the king of Jericho"? Setting the Scene “Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor’” (Joshua 6:2). With those words the outcome was settled before Israel marched a single step. The walls fell, the king was captured, and God’s people entered the city exactly as promised. God’s Promise Comes First • The declaration “I have delivered” is past tense—God speaks of future victories as already accomplished (Isaiah 46:10). • Every instruction Israel received flowed from that settled promise. • Confidence grows when we anchor our obedience in what God has already said rather than what we happen to feel. Faith Obeys Even When the Plan Seems Foolish • Marching silently for six days, then shouting on the seventh (Joshua 6:3-5) looked nothing like conventional warfare. • Hebrews 11:30 reminds us, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.” • True faith is revealed when we follow precise commands that contradict human logic (Proverbs 3:5-6). God Topples the Impossible • Jericho’s double walls symbolized unbeatable resistance; yet the Lord flattened them in a moment (Joshua 6:20). • 2 Corinthians 10:4 affirms that divine power demolishes strongholds. • No barrier—spiritual or material—outlasts the word of the Lord. Judgment Has a Deadline • The king of Jericho personified rebellion against God (Joshua 6:17). • Genesis 15:16 reveals the Amorites’ sin had reached full measure; Jericho’s fall was the long-deferred justice of a holy God. • Acts 17:31 declares a coming day when the world will be judged with the same certainty. Grace Shines Amid Judgment • Rahab and her family were spared (Joshua 6:25), demonstrating that anyone who trusts God’s message finds mercy. • James 2:25 celebrates Rahab’s faith, proving divine judgment and saving grace can operate side by side. • The scarlet cord (Joshua 2:18-21) foreshadows the blood of Christ that secures rescue for all who believe (Ephesians 1:7). The Victory Belongs to the Lord • Israel was forbidden to claim spoil for personal use (Joshua 6:18-19). • God alone received the firstfruits of conquest, underscoring Zechariah 4:6—“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts.” • Worship follows victory when we recognize the true Victor. Holiness Must Be Guarded • Achan’s later theft from Jericho’s ban (Joshua 7) shows how seriously God guards His holiness. • 1 Peter 1:15-16 calls believers to be holy in all conduct, echoing Jericho’s lesson that compromised obedience invites defeat. Looking Ahead to the Ultimate Conquest • The fall of Jericho previews Revelation 11:15, when “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” • Just as the king of Jericho was overthrown, every earthly power will yield to the rightful King, Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11). • Until that day, the church marches in faith, armed with God’s promises and assured of final victory. |
    |