How does this victory connect to God's promises in Deuteronomy 20:4? Setting the Scene at Jericho Joshua and the Israelites have just crossed the Jordan. Jericho, with its formidable walls, stands as the first obstacle in the Promised Land. Humanly speaking, conquering this city is impossible—exactly the kind of battlefield where the Lord delights to display His power. The Victory Verse “So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet and the people’s shout, the wall collapsed. Then the people went up into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city.” (Joshua 6:20) God’s Promise Recalled “For the LORD your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.” (Deuteronomy 20:4) Threading the Promise through the Victory • Same Warrior: Deuteronomy 20:4 names the LORD as the One who fights. Joshua 6 shows Him doing exactly that—no siege engines, ladders, or battering rams, just obedient faith and divine intervention. • Same Objective: Deuteronomy promises “victory”; Joshua records it. The wall’s collapse is tangible proof that God’s objective never changes. • Same Method: The promise emphasizes God “goes with you.” In Jericho, He is literally in their midst—His ark circling the city (Joshua 6:8-9). • Same Assurance: Before battle, the priests encourage the people (Deuteronomy 20:2-3). At Jericho, priests lead the march, trumpets in hand, reinforcing that assurance audibly every day. • Fulfilled Word: What God pledged on the plains of Moab (Deuteronomy) becomes battlefield reality in Canaan (Joshua). Scripture’s seamless reliability is on display. Echoes in the Rest of Scripture • Gideon’s 300 (Judges 7:2-22) – Few men, overwhelming odds, same promise kept. • David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45-47) – “The battle belongs to the LORD.” • Hezekiah vs. Assyria (2 Kings 19:32-35) – God fights; Israel watches. • Believers today (Romans 8:31-37) – “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Take-Home Truths • Victory is God-given, never self-manufactured. • Obedience, not human strategy, positions us to witness His power. • Every fulfilled promise cements confidence that the Lord will keep every future word. • Jericho’s fallen walls preach the same sermon as Deuteronomy 20:4: the Lord fights, the Lord wins, and His people walk in the triumph He provides. |
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