Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Jos 6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
Jos 6:4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
Jos 6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Jos 6:6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
Jos 6:9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
Jos 6:10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
Jos 6:11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
Jos 6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:13 And 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 rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
Jos 6:14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
Jos 6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
Jos 6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
Jos 6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Jos 6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Jos 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
Jos 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
*******
Today we'd say this was stuff of fiction. People include this sort of stuff in their fictional movies that include a supernatural element. We watch those sorts of shows and note the 'special effects', knowing some are accomplished much more realistically than others. We can appreciate really good special effects that make something seem almost real within the story being portrayed. Bad special effects just leave us shaking our heads wishing for a better quality movie.
This was NOT a special effect along the lines of fiction. There were no camera men using tricks of their trade to manipulate the filming in order to make something seem realistic. This REALLY happened.
The city of Jericho is under siege.
Within the city are the BAD guys.
Without the city are the GOOD guys.
Within the city are those who do NOT believe in GOD.
Without the city are GOD'S PEOPLE.
After God's people were given their freedom from the Egyptians, Moses led them through the wilderness and after forty years Joshua led them through the lands becoming conquerors of the land promised to them. Jericho was a part of the land promised to God's people.
Do you imagine for a single moment that Joshua would have acted on the commands of God if he didn't have FAITH in God to perform what He said He would? Seriously, you DO NOT generally do something someone tells you to do without believing what they are saying is true, without having that faith in their word.
If someone told you to go to the edge of a cliff and jump off it, that you'd really be okay, would you believe them? Automatically you want to say NO WAY, I'm NOT jumping off a cliff for anyone! I might believe that a person loves me, but asking me to jump off a cliff well that's just plain crazy. So how do you keep believing in someone if you do not believe them in all things? How can you trust in some ways but NOT others? Is it a real faith when you condition your believing upon doing only the things you desire to do? Seriously. There may have been a huge safety net filled with the softest padding ever just over that cliff but rather than believe that the person you say you have faith in would NEVER ask you to do something that would harm you, you decided NOT to believe in that person anymore.
You might quickly counter that with God asking people to go suffer through afflictions even unto death as many have and do, but the REASON those people choose to suffer is because they know the reward is so much greater than anything they suffer here and now. They believed and believe that somehow ALL things would work together for good because they DO LOVE GOD. They have the necessary FAITH in God, a FAITH that believes and acts on that belief regardless of ALL circumstances! They don't jump in with- well just this one time I won't do what I know I should do, God will understand. They DO what they know they should do and KNOW God will reward them accordingly. Their faith is allowed to GROW when they build upon it, and vice versa. A person's faith is allowed to fade away when they continuously choose NOT to live by it.
Joshua was given commands by the LORD and He relayed those commands to the people of God. The people of God FOLLOWED those commands.
Just imagine- you are told that you are going to march around a city every day in complete silence other than trumpets sounding and you are going to do this for six days. Then on the seventh day you are going to march around a city seven times and then shout. After doing all that, following all those commands the WALLS to the city you've been marching around would FALL down allowing you to enter and take over the city.
Who in their right mind would ever believe such a plan?
Joshua did.
The people of God following Joshua did.
They believed in GOD and though what was being asked of them seemed strange, they believed God would do as He said He would. The walls would fall down without any bombardment, without any attack on the walls themselves, they would simply fall down of their own accord. Of course it wouldn't truly be by their own accord, God's invisible means would bring it all to pass.
What do you suppose would have happened if Joshua didn't believe? He most certainly wouldn't have
marched around the city for six days not even once a day what would be the point?
Joshua had to have had faith in God for God's plan to work.
We need faith in God of we want God's plan for us to work. Without faith that plan won't work and it will not be God's fault, it will be OUR fault! We must LIVE by FAITH! That doesn't mean believing in God only when it suits our needs, our desires, our plans. It means believing ALWAYS even when everything inside of us is telling us not to believe, that'd we'd be crazy to believe- THIS IS FAITH.
Do we believe? Do we have faith?
BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE CAN HAVE FAITH!
We NEED FAITH.
Rev_14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The FAITH OF JESUS!
Please LORD all through YOU!
In YOUR AMAZING LOVE!
Jos 6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
Jos 6:4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
Jos 6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Jos 6:6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
Jos 6:9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
Jos 6:10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
Jos 6:11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
Jos 6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:13 And 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 rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
Jos 6:14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
Jos 6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
Jos 6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
Jos 6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Jos 6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Jos 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
Jos 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
*******
Today we'd say this was stuff of fiction. People include this sort of stuff in their fictional movies that include a supernatural element. We watch those sorts of shows and note the 'special effects', knowing some are accomplished much more realistically than others. We can appreciate really good special effects that make something seem almost real within the story being portrayed. Bad special effects just leave us shaking our heads wishing for a better quality movie.
This was NOT a special effect along the lines of fiction. There were no camera men using tricks of their trade to manipulate the filming in order to make something seem realistic. This REALLY happened.
The city of Jericho is under siege.
Within the city are the BAD guys.
Without the city are the GOOD guys.
Within the city are those who do NOT believe in GOD.
Without the city are GOD'S PEOPLE.
After God's people were given their freedom from the Egyptians, Moses led them through the wilderness and after forty years Joshua led them through the lands becoming conquerors of the land promised to them. Jericho was a part of the land promised to God's people.
Do you imagine for a single moment that Joshua would have acted on the commands of God if he didn't have FAITH in God to perform what He said He would? Seriously, you DO NOT generally do something someone tells you to do without believing what they are saying is true, without having that faith in their word.
If someone told you to go to the edge of a cliff and jump off it, that you'd really be okay, would you believe them? Automatically you want to say NO WAY, I'm NOT jumping off a cliff for anyone! I might believe that a person loves me, but asking me to jump off a cliff well that's just plain crazy. So how do you keep believing in someone if you do not believe them in all things? How can you trust in some ways but NOT others? Is it a real faith when you condition your believing upon doing only the things you desire to do? Seriously. There may have been a huge safety net filled with the softest padding ever just over that cliff but rather than believe that the person you say you have faith in would NEVER ask you to do something that would harm you, you decided NOT to believe in that person anymore.
You might quickly counter that with God asking people to go suffer through afflictions even unto death as many have and do, but the REASON those people choose to suffer is because they know the reward is so much greater than anything they suffer here and now. They believed and believe that somehow ALL things would work together for good because they DO LOVE GOD. They have the necessary FAITH in God, a FAITH that believes and acts on that belief regardless of ALL circumstances! They don't jump in with- well just this one time I won't do what I know I should do, God will understand. They DO what they know they should do and KNOW God will reward them accordingly. Their faith is allowed to GROW when they build upon it, and vice versa. A person's faith is allowed to fade away when they continuously choose NOT to live by it.
Joshua was given commands by the LORD and He relayed those commands to the people of God. The people of God FOLLOWED those commands.
Just imagine- you are told that you are going to march around a city every day in complete silence other than trumpets sounding and you are going to do this for six days. Then on the seventh day you are going to march around a city seven times and then shout. After doing all that, following all those commands the WALLS to the city you've been marching around would FALL down allowing you to enter and take over the city.
Who in their right mind would ever believe such a plan?
Joshua did.
The people of God following Joshua did.
They believed in GOD and though what was being asked of them seemed strange, they believed God would do as He said He would. The walls would fall down without any bombardment, without any attack on the walls themselves, they would simply fall down of their own accord. Of course it wouldn't truly be by their own accord, God's invisible means would bring it all to pass.
What do you suppose would have happened if Joshua didn't believe? He most certainly wouldn't have
marched around the city for six days not even once a day what would be the point?
Joshua had to have had faith in God for God's plan to work.
We need faith in God of we want God's plan for us to work. Without faith that plan won't work and it will not be God's fault, it will be OUR fault! We must LIVE by FAITH! That doesn't mean believing in God only when it suits our needs, our desires, our plans. It means believing ALWAYS even when everything inside of us is telling us not to believe, that'd we'd be crazy to believe- THIS IS FAITH.
Do we believe? Do we have faith?
BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE CAN HAVE FAITH!
We NEED FAITH.
Rev_14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The FAITH OF JESUS!
Please LORD all through YOU!
In YOUR AMAZING LOVE!
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