Joshua: When the Walls Fell

1The Battle Plan for Jericho: Shout

• The battle plan for conquering Canaan is renown – and .
• There is a major passage through it running north to south – high country.
• Joshua’s strategy: drive to the high road and take it – divide the country.
• In order to divide the land, had to be dealt with.
• Jericho was strategically located as a stronghold against western invaders.
• Jericho would have been strengthened and fortified with formidable walls.
• Typical attack techniques: Pre-Roman civilizations
• Attack – force your way into the city and accept losses.
• Advantages:
• Problems:
  • Lay – wait out your opponent.
  • Dam up water supply and hijack food coming into the city.
  • The city will eventually surrender due to lack of sustenance.
  • Construct a – come over the walls.
  • This was a good solution if the people could hold out for a long time.
  • See illustration of Masada.
• Joshua chose none of the typical attack scenarios. Joshua 6:2-5
• Six days in , the seventh day – ! Joshua 6:6-20
  • Note verse 20: Shout “…for the Lord has given you the city!” (past tense)

  • What do you think the significance of the six days was? Why not just march once around on one day and then shout?

2The Victory over Jericho: Obedience

• Obedience has been the preparatory path leading up to the walls of Jericho.
• Joshua and Caleb have been prepared and learned to obey God above what they could see.
• The people have been prepared by stopping their march after the Jordan parted to observe rites of circumcision and Passover.
• The obedience of the people would be tested in making an outrageous request of them: march in for days.

• Would they have been taunted by those in Jericho?

• They certainly must have wandered back each day wondering how silly this practice really was.

• What instances do we see in Scripture of obedient faith?

• Why does God ask us to do things that stretch our faith and are (often in our own opinion) not necessary?

• Can’t God do a miracle without asking us to march around a city 7 times?

• How does this translate into our lives?

• “Seeming failure did not warrant them in adopting other measures;
• They must adhere strictly to the divine directions unto the end.”

3-Arthur Pink

• The obedience of the people was more outstanding because they did not know the along the way.
• Their faith in God is what made the difference. Hebrews 11:30
  • God simply asks for daily obedience from His servants.
  • "But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22, NIV)
  • Prologue: This makes the sin to come after Jericho fell all the more grievous.
  • Achan was not fully obedient after the lesson learned at Jericho.
  • God was testing the Israelites for full obedience and dependence in the lessons learned at Jericho.

4Israel’s military campaign: Divide and Conquer

5Masada: Arial View