Written By Pastor Victor Tafoya Humility recognizes Rank
Devotion in Motion
Joshua 5:13-6:20
If I were to ask you who led the children of Israel in the battle of Jericho? You would remember the old spiritual, “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho ”, and you’d say, “Joshua” – but you’d be mistaken. The answer will surprise you! Verse 13 “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho…”
General Joshua was on a reconnaissance mission. He was scouting out the city. The walls of Jericho were enormous. There were actually two walls – the first wall was 6’ thick and 11’ high. The outer wall was 12’ thick and 35’ high. And the slope of the wall had a 35 degree incline that made it nearly impossible to scale. Joshua was thinking, “How will we ever conquer these formidable walls?” That’s when “he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand.” He was armed and ready to fight. “And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” Joshua is fulfilling the role of a good sentry. In essence he confronts the approaching soldier, and shouts, “Who goes there? Are you friend or foe?” So He said, “No, (or neither) but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.”
The Commander answers, whether I’m friend or foe depends on your response. The question is not, “Am I on your side?” But, “Are you on God’s side?” So often we hope God is on our side, but the real question is always, “Am I on God’s side?” God calls the shots, not me. God is Commander and Chief, not me. Joshua is being told here to move over. Heaven has come to help. Joshua is being replaced. God dispatches His Commander to lead the Hebrews into battle.
“And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” A humble Joshua is quick to submit. General Joshua recognizes military rank, and respects a higher command. “Then the Commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.” Notice, Joshua receives the same command God gave Moses at the burning bush. Joshua is meeting God, just as Moses met God on top of Mount Sinai. What a comfort this must’ve been to Joshua and Israel. On the eve of their first major battle – up against impenetrable walls – the Commander of the Lord’s army comes to take responsibility for the campaign. And who was this Commander?
The clue is in how Joshua treats Him – he worships Him. This precludes him being an angel. Angels are never worshipped. Only God is supposed to receive worship. That’s why I believe this Commander was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. Who fought the battle of Jericho? Jesus did! And who fights the battle in the Christian life? Jesus is also our Commander. Whether it’s a crack in the rock on Mt. Sinai, or a lookout under the palm trees near Jericho – God turns ordinary places and ordinary times into holy moments. When we face a foe God is faithful to meet us and remind us that the battle is not ours, but His… He wants us to acknowledge rank. Bow, obey, and worship.
Several years ago I ran across a humorous list entitled “The Rules of Combat”. 1) If the enemy is in range, so are you. 2) Incoming fire always has the right of way. 3) The easy way is always mined. 4) Try to look unimportant, the enemy may be firing at brass. 5) Teamwork is essential; it gives the enemy someone else to shoot at. 6) Don’t draw fire – it irritates the people around you. 7) When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is no longer your friend. 8) Five second fuses only last three seconds. 9) It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed – You won’t be welcome!” And # 10, “If it’s stupid but works, it isn’t stupid.” Number 10 is how Joshua must’ve felt after the battle of Jericho.
In chapter 6 the Commander of the LORD’s army gives Joshua really strange instructions. Ingenious generals have used unorthodox combat strategies before and since, but none have ever employed a plan of battle quite as bizarre… “Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.” With the Israeli army camped outside Jericho’s walls the city was on lockdown.
“And the LORD said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark.” But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.” For six days the men of Israel are to march around the walls of Jericho. On the 7th day they’re to march 7 times around the city. At the end of the 7th revolution the priests are to blow 7 trumpets, and the people are to “shout with a great shout”.
This is not your typical battle plan – or your Pentagon strategy. Can you imagine Joshua at the staff meeting trying to sell this plan to his generals? Verse 6 “Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.” Notice, Commander Jesus tells Joshua to break several Levitical laws in this battle plan. According to the Law of Moses, neither the Ark, nor the priests, went into the battle. At Jericho both led the way. They also fought on the Sabbath Day. On the seventh day they were supposed to march seven times around the wall. That far exceeded the limits the Sabbath rules placed on Sabbath Day travel. What’s the deal with the discrepancies? Remember, Jesus is leading the charge! And I believe the point is being made that victory over sin is never achieved by keeping the Law, but by following Him!
“And (Joshua) said to the people, “Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the LORD.” So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.” For six days the people conducted a silent march. Imagine the men of Jericho on top of the walls mocking and taunting these crazy Hebrews, but the people remained silent.
Perhaps God was teaching them that “sometimes you speak loudest when you remain silent”: “So (Joshua) had the ark of the LORD circle the city, going around it once. Then they came into the camp and lodged in the camp.” “And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually and blew with the trumpets. And the armed men went before them. But the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did it for six days.”
Verse 15 “But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times.” Thirteen times in all Israel marched around Jericho until the walls came down. I’m sure the Lord was testing their faith… It would’ve been easy if the walls had fallen after the first pass, but Hebrews 6:12 tells us it takes faith and patience to inherit God’s promises. A persevering faith is what wins spiritual victories. I imagine 13 trips around these colossal walls gave the Hebrews plenty of time to inspect them for breaches and vulnerability. After 13 passes I’m sure the people had concluded they could never take this city on their own. There are times when God has to bring us to the same conclusion before He’s ready to deliver us. “And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people:
“Shout, for the LORD has given you the city! Now the city shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things (idols, and good luck charms, and occult paraphernalia), lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.” This is a foreshadowing of trouble yet to come. “But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.”
Verse 20 “So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.” How did the walls of Jericho fall? I don’t know, but they did when the people had faith enough to obey God’s instructions. The key to victory was their faith. And guys, sometimes God’s instructions to us are just as crazy sounding to our ears as His battle plan was to Joshua. The path Jesus charts appears strange. His strategy for our spiritual victory is full of paradox and perplexity… You gain when you lose – you get when you give – you live when you die – you become great when you serve – you end up first when you’re willing to be last – you are most honorable when you’re mocked – you speak loudest when you remain silent – you become strongest when you admit your weakness…
Here’s the challenge to following Jesus… Do you have faith? This is how victories are won in the Christian life? Here’s how spiritual enemies are defeated? Fearless faith and ruthless obedience to the commands of Jesus… How does joy issue from sacrifice? I don’t know, but it does! How does abundant life flow from total surrender? I don’t know, but it does! Following God’s battle plan made Israel a laughingstock. And following Jesus will seem foolish to people around you. Just remember who gets the last laugh!
Amen
Victor Tafoya
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