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June 18, 2017 - “The Disastrous Sin: The Sin of Achan” Joshua 7:1-26

Click KEEP READING to read the full sermon.

Introduction

We owe ourselves to care for our souls. We should never take for granted the ground rules in the war zone of spiritual battle. The battle is the Lord’s and we must yield to his command. It breaks our hearts for those who do not take God at his Word. Those who had fallen crumbled from the inside. Here is a clear message we can learn from anyone’s painful downfall. In the midst of temptations, the best safeguard for us to stand on our moral ground is to befriend ourselves in the fear of God. Guard our hearts. Embrace what is noble. Spurn what is disgraceful.

We continue our spiritual journey with the Hebrew nation in claiming their inheritance of the Promised Land. The conquest of Canaan was the Lord’s warfare and at his direct command. Israel must take to heart this great truth. In conquering Canaan, it was not simply a military battle but essentially a spiritual warfare. The Israelites must engage into war in the name of the Lord and in obedience to his command.

The first battlefield was Jericho. God commanded Joshua that the whole city was “devoted to the LORD.” This meant the total destruction of all its inhabitants including the animals. Every Hebrew was given a stern warning. No one should take anything and keep it as his or her own. Everything belongs to the LORD. Anyone who would disobey will be totally destroyed and the sin would bring serious trouble for the entire community of the Hebrew people. If anyone would disobey, he or she would be condemned with the same judgment decreed for the wicked Canaanites. Judgment begins within the people of God.

At the Lord’s command, for six days the Israelite army marched in silence around the city of Jericho led by the Ark of the Covenant with seven priests sounding the trumpets on the frontline. On the seventh day, they circled around the city seven times. The silent march ended. At the long blast of the trumpets by the Levite priests followed by the loud war cry of the Hebrew warriors, the great wall of Jericho crumbled to pieces.

The army of the Lord conquered the city. All the inhabitants were put to death. Only Rahab and her household were spared. The whole city was burned. Joshua put Jericho under curse. The dread of Joshua fell across Canaan. And Israel was jubilant.

The next battlefield could have been an easy onslaught over the small town of Ai. Unfortunately, Israel faced a great disaster! An outrageous sin was committed within the Hebrew nation (7:1). The hidden sin brought devastating consequences to Israel (7:2-9). Achan was singled out and was stoned to death together with his entire household (7:10-26).

The Word of God is a double-edged sword. It pierces the heart and stirs the conscience. Let us fear the Lord. Let us be true to ourselves and to one another. Beware not to make fool of ourselves by wearing a mask and become a stranger to one’s self. The Lord has his own way to expose who we really are. And he knows how to deal to each one of us.

A.  The Hidden Sin (7:1)

Who would ever think that the great victory of Israel over Jericho would be followed by a bloodshed defeat from the neighboring small town of Ai? The hopeful wildfire jubilance of the Israelites was suddenly put out of fire. The Hebrew people were dazed to the ground.

1. The Unfaithfulness in Israel

Unknown to the Hebrew community, at the height of their triumphal conquest, a hidden sin was committed in Israel. Consequently, after the victory over Jericho, there was an astounding reversal of event.

a.     The Sin of Achan

The sin of one man became the corporate guilt of Israel.

“But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them.” (7:1a)

The head of a family from the leading tribe of Judah secretly took some of the “devoted things.” How could Achan dare to have defied the Lord’s command? He might have thought that his sin would not be discovered. For sure, this man knew there was nothing hidden from the watchful eyes of the LORD. Yet he deliberately disobeyed the command of God and had not seriously considered the gravity of his sin and its staggering consequences.

b.     The Lord’s Indignation

The LORD was grieved. And he was filled with righteous indignation. For the sin of one man, God was angry over the Hebrew people. “So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel” (7:1b). This outrage of God demonstrated his zeal for his covenant people. Any sin was a great offense against God and an outrageous disgrace among God’s people. A personal sin would always have a social consequence. Every Hebrew was accountable both to God and to his or her fellowmen. The LORD God would never tolerate any sin within his own people. And every Hebrew and Christian must take this to heart.

This is not a time to point fingers to one another. Instead, we bow our heads. We search our hearts. In solitude we confess our hidden sins.

B. The Disastrous Consequences (7:2-9)

Israel thought everything was going well. God was on their side, so they believed. The LORD was fighting for them, so they thought. With God on their side and the LORD fighting for them, no one among their enemies could ever stand before them—so confident they were.

1.  The Defeat from Ai

Israel would soon find out a heartbreaking truth.

a.     Israel Took on Ai Presumptuously

The powerful conquest over Canaan began. Jericho had fallen. The neighboring town was Ai. Joshua sent spies to watch over the land.

Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, ‘Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.’” (7:2-3)

The surveillance team gave their report. Ai was an easy target. Only a few people inhabited the land. Don’t bother to send the whole army of Israel. Two or three thousand Hebrew fighting men would be enough. Israel expected for another victorious battle over Ai.

b.    Israel was Routed by Ai

If military battle would be measured by numbers and might, victory no doubt was on the side of Israel. They were confident that they could easily conquer Ai. The mighty Jericho had fallen. The weakling Ai would be no problem. It seemed that at this stage, Joshua and Israel did not seek the LORD and confidently put things in their own hands. They marched with their spears and swords without the Ark of the Lord.

“So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes.” (7:4-5a) 

The triumphal march of Israel to Ai ended a death blow for the Hebrew fighters. The underdog Ai soldiers routed the mighty Israelite army. Thirty-six Hebrew warriors were swiftly slaughtered.  

The commander of the army of the LORD who appeared to Joshua was true to his word. When Joshua asked him on whose side was he, the man with a drawn sword in his hand answered, “Neither.” This meant, the LORD would not take side to any party, including his own people, if they themselves would disobey God. Israel, at this point of bloody defeat, was not yet aware that there was a hidden sin in her own ranks.

This was the Lord’s battle. The Lord had sided with the Ai fighters rather than the Hebrew warriors. We ask, were not the Hebrew army, at least, more upright than the wicked Ai army? Yes, they were. The Hebrew people must realize, however, that as a covenant nation, divine judgment always begins among his own people and God must first deal with them before he deals with other nations. Moreover, this was the LORD’s holy war. The Israelite army must not fight in their terms but upon the moral ground laid by the Lord for them. For them to break their covenant with God would guarantee their defeat and downfall.

As Christians and as a body of Christ, may we remind ourselves that our spiritual battle does not depend on our hands and in our own terms. Rather, we make our moral stand in the power of the Lord and in our obedience to his commands. If not, God will not be on our side and all our labors would be in vain. This is an undeniable hard fact of life. No matter how zealous we are in our service in the name of the Lord, there could be seasons that our Christian ministry seems burdensome and fruitless. And we may wonder why. We may be disheartened why our prayers seem unanswered and God does not bless the works of our hands. This calls for much searching of our souls.

2. The Devastation of Israel

What was the impact of the defeat of the Hebrew army to Israel? It was devastating! The glory and hope of Israel crumbled like the walls of Jericho.

a.     Israel was Devastated

The devastation of Israel brought them down to their knees. In resignation, they saw the Promised Land as their national burial site.

“At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads.” (7:5b, 6) 

The dread of God over the Canaanites found its way home to Israel. The drawn sword of the commander of the army of the Lord was pointed against them. The Lord abandoned them. This thought broke their spine. And they trembled before the Ark of the LORD.

Like the Hebrews, we have our own breaking points. When we see our world slowly tearing apart and we conceive this as the work of heaven against us, who among us would not be devastated and tremble before the presence of the Lord our God?

b.     Joshua was Unsettled

Joshua, the great leader of Israel, saw himself as a mourning priest leading a massive funeral service for his own people into their graveyard in Canaan.

And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?” (7:7-9)

`Joshua raised three desperate questions. First, he questioned the sovereignty of God. “Alas, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?” This was his hopeless answer to his own question, “If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!” Second, he questioned the power of God. “What can I say now that Israel has been routed by its enemies?” This was his despairing reply to his own query, “The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and their will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.” Thirdly, he questioned the glory of God. “What then will you do for your own great name?” He did not dare to answer on behalf of God. The white flag was up! Joshua lost his vision of God and resigned to lead Israel.

Like Joshua, our inner resolve can be crippled by the overwhelming pressures and demanding expectations in the ministry. And we may see ourselves the wrong person to lead and a failure to make a godly difference when the very people whom we love and serve do not become what they ought to be in the sight of the Lord. Despair is common to all.

C. The Judgment on Achan (7:10-26)

Joshua found himself back to the wilderness. Israel as a nation faced her death sentence. The Promised Land became their graveyard. The Hebrew people were good as dead. So they thought.

1.  The Intervention of God

In the hour of national mourning and resignation, the LORD God entered into the scene and reclaimed his sovereign rule over Israel.

a.     The LORD Rebuked Joshua

First, the LORD dealt with Joshua, his anointed servant.

The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?” (7:10)

What does this mean? Joshua mourned before God for the wrong reason. The loss of 36 Hebrew warriors and the defeat of the Israelite army were simply a tip of the iceberg of the hidden cause that would warrant for the national mourning of Israel. It was not a time for the Hebrew nation to pray out of desperation. Rather, it was the decisive moment for Israel to stand up and make things right with God. And Joshua must take his stand to lead his people on their knees before God for the right reason. And what was the ground why Israel was defeated by the army of Ai? The LORD God revealed it to Joshua.

“Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.” (7:11-12)

Joshua could hardly believe it. How could someone dare to break their covenant with the LORD? As the spiritual leader of Israel, Joshua was accountable for the sin of his own people. He trembled at the warning of the LORD, “I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.” It was not a time for Joshua to pray on behalf of Israel but to act in purging the sinner from his flock.

b.     The LORD Instructed Joshua

And the LORD God gave a straightforward command to Joshua.

“Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them. In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the LORD chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the LORD chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the LORD chooses shall come forward man by man. Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the LORD and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’” (7:13-15)

That day of unveiling was a day of consecration. It was a dreadful day. Every Hebrew fearfully searched his or her own soul. The great warning of the LORD was the drawn sword of judgment for the guilty one. “Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him.” The verdict of total destruction over the wicked Canaanites would be applied with the same degree to anyone who would be found to have broken the covenant.

What does this mean to us? A day of reckoning is just at our doorstep. The warning in the book of Hebrews should serve as a warning to all of us, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13). Before we take our rest for the night—and every night—take this word to heart.  

 2.  The Destruction of Achan

The judgment day came for Achan.

a.     Achan was Singled Out

The sovereign Lord and the omniscient God had his own way to uncover the guilty one. Imagine the whole community of Israelites trembling before the presence of the Lord. Joshua executed the Lord’s command.

“Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.” (7:16-18)

The thorough search was systematic. And it was under the guidance of the LORD. The whole Israel stood before the Lord. Tribe by tribe, Judah was chosen. Clan by clan, the Zerahites was set apart. Family by family, Zimri stepped aside. Finally, man by man—and Achan was singled out! Imagine the emotional turbulence breaking loose over the man.

b.     Joshua Confronted Achan

Achan moved forward. And Joshua confronted him.

Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 

Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD. (7:19-23)

This was the most dreadful moment for Israel. The sin of Achan cost the loss of 36 innocent Hebrew warriors at the expense of a beautiful robe, 200 hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold. Achan coveted the “devoted things,” took them and hid them in his tent. The whole of Israel were forced down on their knees because of one man. The destiny of the Hebrew nation was at stake because of this one man. The accursed things were spread out before the LORD. And the verdict was given.

c.    Achan and His Household were Stoned to Death

The judgment of the LORD God was staggering.

“Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.” (7:24-26a)

“Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since” (7:26b, c). Achor means trouble. The guilt was rolled away from the Israelites. And the glory of the Lord was restored upon Israel.

Conclusion

Israel was in deep trouble. The Israelites underestimated the army of Ai. The Hebrew army was routed and cost them 36 warriors. Joshua was devastated. Israel was terrified. They lost their vision of God and courage to conquer Canaan. In dread they envisioned the Promised Land as their graveyard. Then God intervened. He exposed the hidden sin in Israel. Achan was singled out. He and his household were stoned to death. And the indignation of the LORD was removed from Israel. What does this tragic event mean to us?

God cannot be mocked. Achan made a mockery of God. He broke the sacred covenant and defied the Law of God. In the name of the LORD he joined the march against Jericho with a covetous heart. While the entire Hebrew army was zealous for the glory of God over the wicked Canaanites, he nurtured wickedness in his heart. We, Christians, have our own way to mock God. We confess “Jesus is Lord.” But is he the real Lord of our lives? We observe the sacred Lord’s Supper. But is our heart really right with God? A man reaps what he sows. God cannot be mocked. He discerns every motive of the heart.

Our sin will find us out. Achan secretly hid the accursed things. He thought he could do away with his evil deed. Then the day of reckoning came. And the LORD singled him out. The day of reckoning is right at our doorstep. If we despise someone in our heart, destroy a neighbor with our slanderous tongue and demean others with our pride—our sin will find us out. We will give account to God for every impure thought, careless word and misdeed.

Sin has serious consequences. Achan means trouble. He brought trouble to himself and to others. He was stoned to death together with his household. His sin cost the lives of 39 Hebrew warriors. Joshua was broken. It brought down Israel to her knees. Sin is the greatest offense against God. A personal sin has a social impact. It brings great sorrow to our loved ones and inconceivable disgrace for God’s people. Get rid of any sin from our hearts.

[updcbc]

June 11, 2017 - “The Lord’s Battle: The Fall of Jericho” Joshua 5:13-6:27

Click KEEP READING to read the full sermon.

Introduction

Joshua led the bloodiest war in the Middle East. He led the conquest of Canaan for the total destruction of all the inhabitants in the land. This was not his idea. It was the LORD God who commanded him to conquer Canaan. This was the Lord’s battle.

This can be misconstrued as a brazen injustice of heaven on earth. How could God decree the total destruction of the inhabitants in Canaan? In human perspective, this act of God is outrageous. For a mortal being to question the judgment of God and charge him to be unjust, who amongst us will make his stand in defense for the God of heaven and earth?

The first question is a charge against God. And many men and women raise their clenched fists against heaven. The second question is in defense of God. The Lord of heaven does not need anyone of us on earth to defend him.

We tremble in the presence of the Lord. The psalmist declared the absolute authority and power of God in heaven and on earth, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

For us to understand the conquest of Canaan by the Hebrew nation led by Joshua in obedience to a decree in heaven, the psalmist calls us to be still and know the Lord is God who is exalted in the world.

Whatever inward protest we may have, in light of the Holy Scriptures, may we have an open mind and heart as we reason with the sovereign Lord of heaven who rules over the whole earth.

With this open invitation, we now continue our journey with the Hebrews in the Promised Land. From Abel Shittim in Moab, Israel crossed the flooded Jordan River on dry ground. From where they had crossed the Jordan which was close to the Dead Sea, the water piled up in a heap about 30 kilometers upstream in the town of Adam. In Canaan, Israel camped at Gilgal, two kilometers northeast of Jericho.

Two significant events happened at Gilgal. First, the LORD God renewed his covenant with Israel. Every male Hebrew was circumcised as a sign that Israel was the covenant people of God. And through this circumcision, the Lord removed the disgrace of Egypt from Israel. God had rolled away the shame from his own people. Second, Israel celebrated the Passover. It was after the disgrace had been removed from them that they observed the Passover in Canaan. In observance of the Passover, the Hebrew nation remembered how the LORD delivered them from their slavery from Egypt. The God who delivered them from Egypt was the one who brought them safe into the Promised Land. Israel worshiped the LORD their God. As a covenant people, redeemed by the Lord and consecrated before God, the Hebrew nation was prepared to claim their inheritance promised by God to Abraham. 

The day of battle had finally come. It was on this significant setting that the Lord appeared to Joshua and gave his warfare plan (5:13-15). Joshua relayed the Lord’s directives to his people (6:1-7, 17-19). And by the power of God, Jericho, the gateway city in the central region of Canaan, fell into the hands of the Israelites (6:8-27).

A. The Lord Appeared to Joshua (5:13-15)

The LORD was true to his word to Joshua. When God had chosen and commissioned him to lead Israel to the Promised Land, the Lord gave him this word, “As I was with Moses so I will be with you” (1:5b). Moses was dead. Joshua was the new leader of Israel. And the LORD God appeared to him in the Promised Land.

1. Joshua Met the Lord

Joshua met the Lord before Israel engaged in war.

a. A Man with a Drawn Sword

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” (5:13)

This was a historic theophany or a visible manifestation of God. The Lord appeared to Joshua. And he appeared to him as a man with a drawn sword in his hand. A sword in a hand was a sign for battle. Joshua acknowledged that he was in the presence of a warrior. And he asked him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” On whose side was this great warrior?

b. The Commander of the Lord’s Army

Joshua received a revealing answer from the man.

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” (5:14)

The man answered him, “Neither.” Did he mean he was neither for the Israelites nor the Canaanites? The man, for sure, was on the side of Israel. But his reply meant that he was impartial in his dealing with nations and in administering his justice. He was on the side of any nation who does what is true, right and just. The Canaanites were under judgment because of their wickedness. Likewise, the Israelites would also be judged if they would turn away from the Lord and disobey his commandments.

Then the man revealed who he was. On this moment when Israel was to engage warfare against the Canaanites, the man came as the “commander of the army of the LORD.” The “army of the LORD” could mean either the angelic host or the Israelite army. It could also mean both. And the man revealed himself as the “commander of the army of the LORD.” The man was in command for the conquest of Canaan.

Upon this revelation, Joshua prostrated before the Lord. And he asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” This was a crucial moment for Joshua to listen to the Lord’s final directives in leading his army into war.

2. Joshua Stood on a Holy Ground

Joshua received a strange answer.

a. Joshua was on a Holy Ground

The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” (5:15a)

These were the same words of the LORD when he revealed himself to Moses through a burning bush when he called him to deliver his people from Egypt. Now it was the same LORD who appeared to Joshua to lead his people to conquer Canaan. Joshua understood the Lord’s message.

b. Joshua Took Off His Sandals

“And Joshua did so” (5:15b). He took off his sandals. Joshua was standing in the holy presence of the Lord. What does this mean to Joshua? When the LORD confirmed his covenant to Abraham, he gave him this charge, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless” (Gen. 17:1b). This holy calling was true to Moses in delivering his people from Egypt. And this noble call was true to Joshua in leading his people to inherit the Promised Land. Joshua must worship the LORD his God and he must live and lead his people with a blameless life. And the whole Hebrew people must be a holy nation before the LORD. Israel must understand that the conquest of Canaan was not merely a military warfare. It was essentially a spiritual war. It was the Lord’s battle. The Israelite army must go to war in the name of the LORD their God.

B. The Marching Orders (6:1-7, 17-19)

The LORD God gave a reassuring word to Joshua and his unconventional marching orders to the army of Israel.

1.  The Instructions of the Lord to Joshua

When the Lord commissioned Joshua, he gave him this assurance, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life” (1:5a). The LORD confirmed this word to Joshua.

a. The Reassuring Word

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.” (6:1-2) 

The dread of God and Israel fell on Jericho. They secured themselves inside the walled city. But the Lord guaranteed Joshua of their downfall.

b. The March Around the City

Then the LORD God gave a phenomenal marching order to Joshua.

“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.” (6:3-5)

For a military strategist, this warfare plan was absurd. In ancient times, a war was fought by might and sword not of blowing the trumpets and circling around the enemy target. In human perspective, the plan of God would not work in conquering the walled city of Jericho.

How secure was the wall of Jericho? The German scholars Ernst Sellin and Carl Wartzinger excavated on the site of Jericho from 1907 until 1911. But it was the British archaeologist John Garstang whose excavations from 1930 to 1936 yielded significant information. Garstang believed he had found sufficient evidence of Joshua’s destruction of the city. He discovered an inner wall about 3.66 meters (12 feet) thick and an outer wall about 1.83 meters (6 feet) thick. Garstang was convinced that he had found the fabled walls of Jericho. If he was right, imagine how secure the city of Jericho was.

Joshua took God at his word. The Lord divided the Red Sea and dried the Jordan River. The LORD God could break down the great wall of Jericho.

2. The Instructions of Joshua to His People

In obedience to the word of the Lord, Joshua instructed his own people.

a. For the Priests

This was his instructions to the Levite priests.

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.” (6:6)

The Ark of the Covenant carried by the priests that led Israel in crossing the flooded Jordan River would take the lead in marching around the Jericho ahead of the Israelite army. And seven priests with each one carrying a trumpet will go before the Ark.

b. For the Army

This was the instruction of Joshua to the army of Israel.

And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the LORD.” (6:7)

An armed guard would go ahead of the Ark of the Covenant followed by the entire army.

c. For the Israelites

And this was his instruction to the Israelites, primarily to the warriors who would be on the frontline of the battle.

“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.” (6:17-19)

Joshua gave three serious commands. First was the total destruction of Jericho. “The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD.” To be “devoted to the LORD” was a Hebrew term which meant to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the LORD, often by totally destroying them. No one and nothing should be spared. Second was the salvation of Rahab, the prostitute, and her household. They alone would be spared in keeping with the oath done by the two spies. Third, the Israelites must keep themselves away from the devoted things. They should not keep anything for themselves anything that was meant to be destroyed. Joshua gave a warning. Anyone who would be guilty would be personally destroyed and the sin would bring trouble to the nation. The gold, silver, bronze and iron could be kept and must go to the treasury.

We listen to the screaming protest against the first command. Why did the LORD God command for the total destruction of the people in Jericho and all the peoples in Canaan? The Scriptures give two reasons.

First, it was the judgment of God over the wicked Canaanites. It took around 600 years before the Lord had finally executed his judgment over Canaan. This judgment had been prophesied by the Lord and he made it known to Abraham. This was the prophecy of the Lord to Abraham, “It will be four generations before your descendants come back here, because I will not drive out the Amorites until they become so wicked that they must be punished” (Gen. 15:16 GNT). The prophecy was fulfilled in the time of Joshua. In the parting words of Moses to Israel in Abel Shittim in Moab, he commanded Israel to “drive out all the inhabitants” in Canaan (Num. 34:52). What did he mean to “drive out” the Canaanites from the land? It meant total destruction without leaving any survivor. This was the commandment of the Lord to Moses. And Joshua obeyed the command of the Lord in conquering the Canaanites. “For it was the LORD himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses” (Jos. 11:20). God harden those who hardened their hearts. He gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts. It was the choice of the Canaanites to become wicked until their wickedness reached to its limit. In the fullness of the wickedness of the peoples in Canaan, the Lord executed his judgment over the wicked Canaanites. And Israel was his instrument to execute his judgment over the Canaanites. In conquering Canaan, the Lord fulfilled his promise to give Israel the Promised Land.

Second, it was a safeguard to preserve Israel as a covenant people. Moses gave this warning to Israel, “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you live” (Num. 33:55). For Israel to conquer Canaan and destroy all its inhabitants was the Lord’s way to redeem and consecrate the land for his covenant people. The Israelites must totally destroy the idolatrous inhabitants and all forms of idolatrous worship so they would not be corrupted with the godless practices in the land. The Hebrew people were forewarned by the Lord that if they would become idolatrous, they too would be judged and be thrown out from the Promised Land. The Lord God who was the Judge of all the earth was no respecter of persons.

The LORD God of heaven and earth is just in all his ways. For the sovereign Lord to execute divine judgment over wicked nations and to secure the divine preservation for his covenant people, God commissioned Joshua to lead the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land as their divine inheritance.

C. The Conquest of Jericho (6:8-27)

The day came for Israel to conquer Jericho in obedience to the words of the Lord to Joshua.

1. The Silent March

The Ark of the Lord, carried by the Levite priests, led the march as the seven priests who marched ahead blew their trumpets.

“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.” (6:8-9)

The army which followed behind the Ark marched in silence.

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. (6:10-11)

The silent march in deep reverence to God went on for six days.

“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.” (6:12-14)

2. The War Cry

Then the seventh day came.

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! (6:15-16)

That final day, on the seventh march around the city, the priests sounded the trumpet blast, and the Israelite army broke their silence and roared their war cry.

3. The Destruction of Jericho

And the great wall of Jericho broke down.

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. (6:20)

The army of Israel totally destroyed the inhabitants of 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.” (6:21)

And the whole city was put into flames.

“Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.” (6:24)

4. The Salvation of Rahab and Her Household

The only survivors were Rahab and her household.

Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel….But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. (6:22-23, 25) 

Joshua kept the oath of the two spies. Rahab who had believed in the Lord and yielded under the mercy of God was spared, together with her household.

5. The Curse on the City

After Jericho was destroyed, he put the city under a curse.

At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.” (6:26)

6. The Fame of Joshua

And the dread of Joshua fell upon the Canaanites. 27 Pinatnubayan ni Yahweh si Josue, at naging tanyag ang kanyang pangalan sa lupaing iyon”(6:27). The Lord kept his word to Joshua. The LORD was with him as he was with Moses. And God exalted him before Israel and before the Canaanites.

Conclusion

The conquest of Canaan was the battle of the Lord. The Lord appeared to Joshua as a man with a drawn sword in his hands. And he revealed to him that he was the commander of the Lord’s army. God was in command for Israel to conquer Canaan. In the presence of the Lord, Joshua stood on a holy ground. Joshua understood that the conquest was not merely a military warfare. It was a spiritual battle. Israel must advance to war in the name of the Lord. What does this mean to us?

We stand on a holy ground. The Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush. God appeared to Joshua with a sword in his hand. These divine appearances in the Old Testament revealed the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Triune Godhead. In the New Testament, the Incarnation was the fullness of the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, the eternal Son of God became human. The God of the Hebrews is the God of the Christians. As God was with Moses and Joshua and the Hebrew people, so the Lord is with us. In the presence of the Lord we stand on a holy ground. For us to remove our “sandals” in the presence of the Lord is for us to acknowledge his holiness and for us to turn from any form of sin from our lives. In making our stand on our moral ground, let us renew our covenant with the Lord by writing in our hearts the Ten Commandments as disciplines of grace (Ex. 20:3-17).

You shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.

You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.

Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall give false testimony against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

We are engaged in a spiritual battle. In the Promised Land, Joshua and Israel stood in the midst of idolatrous and wicked peoples. They stood on their holy ground for the Lord. Likewise, we stand in the midst of a dark and sinful world. We must stand on our moral ground to do what is true, right and just. As salt and light we ought to make a godly difference. The greatest battle is a personal one. It is a moral choice to hold on to our own will or to yield our all in submission to the will of the Lord. In our own Gethsemanes we pray, “Father, not my will but Thy will be done.”

We claim our victory in the Lord. In the time of Joshua, God was in command as the commander of the Lord’s army. And under the Lord’s command, the great wall of Jericho fell down. We, likewise, have many walls that need to be broken down. We may have built walls around ourselves for our self-imprisonment. In our fear to be discovered who we really are, we build our own ghettos by not befriending our own selves and becoming strangers to our neighbors. How can we be of real help to one another? Let us build an authentic community where each one of us can be true to ourselves and be true to each other. In all our inner wounds and hidden pains, we come to the Cross of Christ and reclaim our solidarity as brothers and sisters. Let us comfort those who are hurting, heal the wounded, seek the lost and restore the fallen.