JOSHUA: GOD IS SALVATION (PART SIX)

"Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.  And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour." (Joshua 6:1, 2).

 

Jericho was Israel's first real test of faith after God delivered them across the swollen waters of the Jordan River.  Considered to be the oldest inhabited city in the world, it sat just west of the Jordan River on an ancient trade route that led to Damascus.  It was strategically situated at the pass that led up to the central highlands which ran north and south along the heart of Canaan, and was well fortified against its enemies.  It had a double wall that was 30 feet tall.  The outer wall was 6 feet thick, and after a space of 15 feet, the inner wall was 12 feet thick.  These walls were massive and virtually impervious to frontal assault.  Once Jericho was conquered, Israel would be able to ascend up the pass and divide the native city-states that were to the north from those that were to the south.  This would effectively split the Canaanite tribes in half and give the Jews an opportunity to focus their campaign first in one direction, and then in the other.  Without question Jericho was the key to taking, and holding, Canaan. 

 

God's words to Joshua before Israel even began their siege of Jericho were very important.  He said, "See, I have given Jericho..."  Notice that He said, "I have given," and not "I will give."  The tense used here is important.  To God the thing was already as good as done.  It was dependant on nothing but the faith and obedience of His people.  The outcome was certain because God said it was done.  The Jews didn't have to wonder or stress over whether they could pull it off - God had already promised it. 

 

God is the One "Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that <He has foretold and promised> as if they <already> existed." (Romans 4:17b Amp).  When He promised Abraham a son, He said, "I have made thee a father of many nations."  He did not say "I will make thee..."  The promises that God has made to you and me are the same.  He has spoken them as though they have already been fulfilled because they have already been fulfilled in Christ.  "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Whom we proclaimed among you...was not Yes and No, but in Him it is always Yes.  For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him [Jesus] that we utter our Amen to God for His glory.  And it is God Who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and Who has also put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Corinthians 1:19-22 ESV).  None of our spiritual goals are based on whether we can, or we can't achieve them - God has already achieved them for us in Christ.  Our whole duty then is to believe and to walk in obedience to the Lord's instructions to us.  The thing that we focus on in our life is critical.  If we focus on God's promise and keep our eyes on Jesus, our faith will get the victory; but if we focus on circumstances and take our eyes off Jesus, we will get discouraged, give up the quest, and sink in the mire of despair.    

 

God's strategy to take Jericho was simple: march around the city every day for six days and on the seventh day march around seven times.  How tempting it would have been for the Israelites to think after the first day, "Well, the walls are still standing, nothing happened."  And what about after the second day?  Or the third, fourth, and fifth days?  They were just going around in circles and nothing was happening!  All the time, their faith was being tried.  Would they be like their fathers who could not enter the Promised Land because they refused to believe that God had given them the land?  Would they give up too soon in despair and be sent back out into the wilderness to perish like the previous generation?  It is easy to imagine that these types of doubts may have crept into their thoughts; and, by the way, God had commanded that they keep silent as they circled the city each day.  No complaining, no whining, no talking of defeat, or of the futility of their efforts - nothing but silence and knowing that God was God.  They were expected to trust and wait for Him to do as He said. 

 

It is so easy for us to focus on what is not happening in our lives rather than what God has promised to us.  At times it seems as though we, too, are just going around in circles, and not making any progress spiritually.  We see walls and barriers before us that impede our progress, and we know that we cannot proceed until they come down.  Sin, self-doubt, and fear all stand before us appearing as impregnable as Jericho's walls, and after several times around the city we begin to despair.   We live as though everything depends on what we must do and not on what Christ has already done.  It is just a matter of believing and following His instructions if we want to see the victories.  "But thanks be unto God, which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57).  "Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ." (2 Corinthians 2:14).  "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13).  God’s promises in Christ are always the bulwark of our faith.  They give us hope during the times when we must circle the city waiting for the walls to fall, and that hope is an anchor for our soul!

 

BUT WE SEE JESUS

In the second chapter of Hebrews, Paul refers to the writer of Psalm 8 when he says, "One in a certain place testified, saying, 'What is man that You are mindful of him?'" (2:6 NKJV).  He then goes on to describe how God made man lower than the angels in might and strength, but then crowned him with glory and honor by setting him over all the works of His creation and becoming so involved in man's affairs (v. 7).  But then the psalmist writes, "You have put everything in subjection under his feet."  This is a powerful statement.  When God says everything, He excludes nothing.  God has said that everything is in subjection to you and me.  There is nothing that we do not have power over in Christ Jesus!  Verse eight continues, however, by saying, "But now we see not yet all things put under him [man]."  These verses so remind me of Joshua and the Israelites' plight.  God said Jericho was theirs, but they did not yet see the city put under them.  So they circled the city one more time until God fulfilled the thing that was His will all along. 

 

Not everything has been made subject to us yet.  There are many enemies that we have yet to face and to conquer.  We must yet overcome the devil and see him cast into the Lake of Fire, and death and hell must yet be vanquished.  There are walls that we have not yet seen collapse before us, but there is one thing that we do see.  We see Jesus!  "But now we see not yet all things put under him [man].  But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone." (Hebrew 2:8b, 9).  The Word of God became a man and experienced everything that we do, yet without the sin.  He embraced every promise, and overcame every foe.  He was victorious over sin, the devil, death, and hell so that He could be the Savior of all mankind.  Because He overcame, our victory is now assured.  There is no wall that can stand before us, and no enemy that can defeat us if we trust in the might of our Commander and King!  Our focus must always be on the Lord Jesus, and not on the circumstances at hand.  If God has said it, and we believe it, then the outcome is always certain.  We must never struggle in our own power or will, but we must fight the good fight of faith.  Faith is the victory that overcomes!

 

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

Throughout the conquest of Canaan there was one element that was at the heart of God’s strategy and played an integral role in every step of the plan that He had for Israel’s victory.  That was the Ark of the Covenant of God.  Without it, Israel would not have crossed Jordan; and without it, they could not take Jericho, or any other city or obstacle that would follow. 

 

The Ark represented the presence of Almighty God in the midst of His people Israel.  They could not see the invisible God, but they could see the Ark and know that God’s glory rested on it.  They knew also that if they followed the Ark that God would be with them and defend them.  In this way the Ark was a picture of God’s Son Jesus Christ.  As the Israelites circled Jericho, the Ark of God went before them and gave them hope and confidence that He was with them and would assure their victory.

 

As one examines the construction and contents of the Ark of the Covenant, it is easy to recognize the abundant imagery that all points to Christ.  First of all, Moses was instructed to use the wood of the Shittim tree in constructing the Ark.  This wood is also referred to as Acacia wood.  It is said to grow plentifully in the Sinai and Jordan Valley regions of the Middle East.  It is a very tough and durable wood that is impervious to insects and therefore good for use in making things that are meant to endure for long periods of time.  It is a gnarly wood and the tree produces large, sharp thorns.  The Ark was overlaid entirely inside and out with fine gold which speaks of the divinity and purity of Christ.  At the heart of the Ark however, was a common wooden box made of this gnarly, thorny wood; and that speaks of Christ’s humanity and suffering.  The Prophet Isaiah glimpsed both sides of Christ’s character when he spoke of Messiah in his book.  On one hand Isaiah saw Christ’s humanity and said, “For He [Christ] shall grow up before Him [God] as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” (Isaiah 53:2).  On the other hand, the Prophet saw Christ’s divinity and said, “Behold, My servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.” (Isaiah 52:13).

 

On the top of the Ark was the mercy seat which was framed on either side by two cherubim of gold.  It was here that the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice once a year and obtain redemption for the nation of Israel.  This of course speaks of the atoning power of the blood of Jesus as we approach the throne of mercy and confess our sins.  It is here before the Savior of our souls that we experience the presence of Almighty God in our lives.

The imagery continues as we examine the contents of the Ark.  Inside were three very important items to the Jewish people.  First of all, there was a copy of the Ten Commandments which Moses received at the hand of God on Mt. Sinai.  Contrary to what some may teach, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but rather to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-19).  The Law’s primary function from the beginning was to be a teacher.  It teaches man that he cannot keep the Law in his own strength and will power – he needs a Savior to deliver him from the power of sin and justify him by faith (Galatians 3:24). 

Secondly, there was a pot that was full of the Manna which God sent to sustain and nourish Israel as they were traveling for so many years in the wilderness.  Today, Jesus is our Bread from heaven.  He sustains us and nourishes our spiritual life by the Word of God which is our heavenly Manna.  Jesus said, “I am that bread of life.  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.   I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:48-51).

Lastly, there was a rod of an almond tree that belonged to Aaron who was the first high priest of Israel.  The Israelites at a certain point had grown jealous of Moses and of Aaron and of the ministries that the Lord had given them.  In response to that, God commanded that every tribe submit a dead almond rod to be closed up inside the tabernacle overnight.  Aaron submitted a rod also for the tribe of Levi and inscribed his name on it.  God told the people through Moses that the one rod that would blossom by morning would be the one whom God had chosen to serve before Him.  The next morning, Aaron’s rod had budded, blossomed, and even produced almonds.  This miracle also points to Christ.  It is He whom the Father has chosen to serve as our great High Priest.  His is the only ministry that can produce life and fruit because that life comes from God Himself, the source of life.

The Ark also had rings fashioned on either side of it through which long staves or poles could be passed so that it could be easily carried to wherever God directed it.  This speaks of the presence of the Lord that is constantly in our lives.  Jesus is always with us in every circumstance of life.  He said, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20).  It is important to note, however, that the Ark led Israel and went before them, not the reverse.  Some think that God is duty bound to bless us in whatever we choose to do with our lives but, in reality, He wants to lead us in the choices we make.  Our prayer should always be “Not my will, but Thine be done, O Lord.”                  

For Israel to venture forth without the Ark leading them would be to proceed without God being with them at all.  This is something that Joshua would not let happen.

After marching around Jericho the seventh time on the seventh day (it's noteworthy to mention that it was the Jews' day of rest), the walls of Jericho fell down, allowing the Israelite army to attack from all sides.  This opened the way for the subsequent assault on all of the cities that occupied the hill country.  Faith will always have its reward!  The assurances of victory that God gave Joshua before the battle were realized through the obedience of the Israelites to God’s direction, and through their trust in His word.  Our formula for success is no different today.  We must trust in the assurances of victory that God speaks to us in His Word, and then we must be obedient to that Word that we hear.  God will direct our paths if we will learn to deny ourselves and listen to His still, small voice.  Like Joshua, we too can see walls crumble before us!