Joshua 6:1-5 – The Divine Plan for Jericho
“Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its 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 the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.’”
In these first few verses, we are given God’s direct instruction to Joshua, laying out the divine strategy for conquering Jericho. At this point in history, Israel had crossed the Jordan and was poised to take the Promised Land. Jericho, with its high, fortified walls, was their first major obstacle. Historically, Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back to around 8000 BC. It was located just west of the Jordan River, a strategic location for controlling the trade routes in the region. The “barred gates” show the people of Jericho were well aware of the Israelite presence and prepared for a siege. But instead of a traditional military assault, God’s plan was unconventional, emphasizing divine intervention over human strength.
Joshua, as a leader, must have felt a mix of excitement and tension. This was his first significant battle after taking over leadership from Moses, and the outcome would set the tone for Israel’s conquest of the land. The priests, tasked with carrying the Ark and blowing the trumpets, were symbols of God’s presence. The whole operation hinged not on military might but on faith and obedience. It’s striking that God commands silence for six days, building tension and perhaps even confusing the enemy. My question here is: Why didn’t God just bring the walls down immediately? Perhaps the answer lies in the process of obedience—sometimes, God leads us through steps of faith that don’t make sense to us but build trust in Him. God’s timing here sets the stage for a victory that is entirely His, leaving no doubt about who truly won the battle.
Inspiration Insight: Trust in God’s plans, even when they don’t seem to align with our logic. Victory often comes through obedience and faith rather than human strength.
Joshua 6:6-14 – The March Begins
“So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.’ And he ordered the army, ‘Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.’ When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the army, ‘Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!’ So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there. Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.”
Here we see the execution of God’s plan. The priests lead the procession with the Ark, surrounded by armed guards, while the people march silently around the city. The Ark, the physical representation of God’s presence, is at the center of the march. This is a powerful reminder that it is God, not Israel’s military strength, that will bring the victory. The people’s silence is intriguing. Silence in warfare is unusual, and this would have certainly unnerved the people of Jericho. Every day, they watched this strange procession, hearing only the sound of trumpets, perhaps wondering if or when the attack would come. This must have been an enormous test of patience and faith for the Israelites, marching day after day with no immediate result.
Joshua’s leadership here is striking. He doesn’t falter or question God’s instructions, but follows through faithfully. The repetition of the march for six days builds anticipation, both for the Israelites and for Jericho. Why the six days of repetition? This question points to a deeper spiritual truth: sometimes, obedience involves waiting and endurance. God’s timing is often slower than we desire, but it’s always perfect. The Hebrew word for trumpet here, שׁוֹפָר (shofar), is rich in significance. The shofar was used in various key moments in Israel’s history, particularly in religious ceremonies and warfare, symbolizing the presence and intervention of God. The blowing of the trumpets was a constant reminder that this battle was spiritual as much as it was physical.
Inspiration Insight: Obedience sometimes requires waiting, endurance, and a willingness to trust God’s timing, even when the outcome is not immediately visible.
Joshua 6:15-21 – The Fall of Jericho
“On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise, you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into His treasury.’ When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys.”
Finally, on the seventh day, the full plan comes to fruition. After seven days of silent marching, the Israelites circle Jericho seven times, and on the final circuit, they shout as commanded. The walls of Jericho fall, and the city is taken. The emphasis here is on the number seven, which in Hebrew culture represents completion and perfection. This day of victory marks the culmination of the Israelites’ obedience and God’s divine intervention. The destruction of the city is total, with only Rahab and her family spared due to her act of faith in protecting the Israelite spies (Joshua 2).
The total destruction of the city raises difficult questions. Why such complete devastation? The Hebrew word חֵרֶם (herem) refers to things devoted to destruction, usually as a way of purging evil and dedicating the victory to God. This was not just a battle for land but a spiritual act of cleansing and dedication. God’s instructions to destroy everything and keep nothing for personal gain protected Israel from falling into the same sinful patterns as the nations around them. This event would have had a profound impact on both Israel and the surrounding nations. Israel’s faith would be strengthened, knowing that God fought for them, while the fear of the God of Israel would spread to other cities.
Inspiration Insight: When God brings victory, it is often a reminder of His holiness and our call to be set apart for Him. Victory comes through obedience and faithfulness, not through human effort alone.
As we reflect on the events in Joshua 6—the fall of Jericho and the remarkable actions of Joshua and the Israelites—there are timeless insights that we, as contemporary Christians, can apply to our daily lives. These lessons aren’t just stories from the past; they are principles for us to embrace as we navigate our own challenges, battles, and seasons of waiting. Let’s explore these inspiration insights and see how they can shape our faith, strengthen our obedience, and deepen our trust in God’s plan.
One of the first key insights is the reminder to trust in God’s plans, even when they don’t seem to align with our logic. In Joshua 6, God gave Joshua an unconventional plan to bring down the walls of Jericho. Rather than a full frontal assault, the Israelites were instructed to march in silence, with only the sound of trumpets filling the air. To our human minds, this may seem illogical, even foolish. But the lesson here is that God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). There will be times in our own lives when God’s instructions don’t seem to make sense or when His timing feels slower than we’d like. In these moments, we must remind ourselves that God sees the bigger picture and is working in ways we can’t yet comprehend. When we follow Him in faith, even when it doesn’t seem practical, we open ourselves to His miraculous power.
So, how do we apply this? When we face a situation where we don’t understand what God is doing, our role is to remain faithful in obedience. We may not see the walls falling down immediately, but God is at work. As Christians, we are called to follow His lead, trusting that His plan is perfect. We can’t base our faith on visible results but on the faithfulness of God. As Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Another insight from the fall of Jericho is that obedience sometimes requires waiting, endurance, and a willingness to trust God’s timing, even when the outcome is not immediately visible. The Israelites marched for six days without seeing any changes to Jericho’s walls. This required immense patience and faith. They had to keep moving, even when nothing appeared to be happening. Often, in our own spiritual lives, we feel like we’re doing everything right, but we don’t see any results. We may be praying for a breakthrough, for healing, for restoration in relationships, but the walls of our own “Jericho” remain standing. In these moments, God is teaching us the value of perseverance and trust.
For us, this means not giving up when we don’t see immediate results. Galatians 6:9 encourages us not to become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. God’s timing is perfect, and our role is to stay faithful, trusting that the seventh day will come. The lesson from Joshua 6 reminds us that it’s not about how fast we get results but about our faithfulness during the process.
A third key lesson is that when God brings victory, it is often a reminder of His holiness and our call to be set apart for Him. When the walls of Jericho finally collapsed, the Israelites were commanded to devote everything to the Lord and to refrain from taking any of the spoils for themselves. This was a call to holiness, a reminder that their victory was God’s, not their own. For us, this speaks to the importance of giving God the glory in our own successes and staying humble in moments of victory. When we experience breakthroughs, it’s easy to take credit or to feel entitled to rewards. However, the story of Jericho reminds us that everything we have, every victory we experience, is because of God’s grace.
How do we live this out? By maintaining an attitude of humility and gratitude, recognizing that every success is a gift from God. We can also examine our lives and see where God may be calling us to be more set apart. Are there areas where we’ve allowed compromise or sin to creep in? Just as the Israelites were warned not to take anything for themselves, we need to be mindful of staying pure in our walk with God and giving Him the credit for all He accomplishes in our lives.
Encouragement
As you go about your day, remember that your battle is not fought in your own strength. Like Joshua, your victory comes from God. Trust in His timing, follow His lead, and give Him all the glory for the walls that will fall in your life.
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