Though the Israelites had defeated the Ammonite kings on the east side of Jordan, Jericho was the next city that they needed to take if they were to conquer Canaan. It was a fortified, walled city, and its king had made great efforts to prepare defenses against the Israelites who had been encamped a few miles east of Jordan for many months. It would require a miracle of God to take this stronghold.
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and it’s fighting men… March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.” (Joshua 6:1-5)
Before Joshua was even within view of the mighty walls surrounding the city of Jericho… God PROMISED him the city! All God wanted of Joshua and his army was for them to obey what He commanded and to give forth a loud shout of praise… and the walls of Jericho WOULD fall. The Bible continues on and tells us that Joshua did as he was commanded… and that the Mighty Walls of Jericho did indeed fall, when the fighting men of Israel lifted up a shout of praise to God.
Although this endeavor seemed impossible for the Israelites to accomplish, one man Joshua however, had both bold faith, obedience, and the willingness to follow the Lord into battle despite all odds. When praises go up, walls come down! In our modern day society, in the midst of confusion, troubles and poverty, following God’s word can bring those mighty walls down and lead to miracles in numerous locations! Nothing is impossible through God. As we can learn to listen carefully and prayerfully to what God is saying to us, we’ll be able to follow his leadership. Samuel 17:47: “The battle is the Lord’s.” The struggles and tribulations we experience in life are ours alone-until we surrender our lives to the Lord. At that point, and as we follow him, they become his battles, too. And he will fight for us-for his own glory- as we trust him.
Ephesians 3:20: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us
