Copyright © S P Townsend
Though we live in the world, we do not wage war like the world. The weapons we fight with are not the world's weapons. On the contrary, they have power from God to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that raises itself against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it subject to Christ.
By faith the walls of Jericho collapsed, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
The battle reminds us of God’s holiness and righteousness, and His determination to bring judgement and wrath to the wicked. We need to more fully understand how much He abhors evil, and how much we deserve His wrath. Then we will better understand the wonder of His love for us, and the extent of His grace expressed to us through Jesus.
The Israelites were a people chosen to display the glory of God before the nations, and to call all to righteousness. They were also an instrument of judgement in God’s hand, to stem the tide of godlessness and wickedness. Never forget what the apostle Paul wrote, that the awesome anger of God is revealed from heaven against all of the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness (Rom 1:18). Remember too how at the time of Noah God saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all of the time, and He determined to bring judgement through a flood (Gen 6:5-8). These people of Canaan knew of this catastrophe, and had also the historical example of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. They knew how God had worked wonders on behalf of the children of Israel, rescuing them from captivity and sustaining and protecting them through their long wilderness wanderings. For forty years God had restrained His arm of judgement, but now it was poised to fall. And even now, on the brink of judgement, with their hearts failing them for fear, none of the people were inclined to repent, except for Rahab and her family. Romans 2:5 says, “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.”
But the battle is also about salvation. Just as God saved Noah from the flood, Lot from the destruction of Sodom, and Rahab from the destruction of Jericho, so He provides salvation for all who will turn to him in repentance and faith. His greater purpose in establishing the Israelites in the land of Canaan was that through them one would eventually come, who would be called “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” One who would finally and completely destroy the works of the devil, and bring righteousness and peace.
Our battle is different from Joshua’s, and yet it is the same. We too demolish strongholds. Our strongholds are spiritual, but they have physical effects in our lives and in our society. Paul says we, “Demolish every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” What are these pretensions? Anything that resists the true knowledge of God and the Lordship of Christ. Anything that pretends to be true, but is not. Anything that contradicts what God says should be. Anything that prevents or hinders the fulfilment of God’s purposes in our lives. It can be an ambition, a philosophy, a lifestyle, a thought, a fear, a doubt. It can be anything we try to build in our own strength and for our own glory. It could be a bondage, an addiction, an illness, a grief, even death.
Now in almost every reference outside of the Bible to this episode in the history of the Israelites you will find Joshua described as the man who controls events. As the song says, “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down.”
But the Bible doesn’t say this. Hebrews 11:30 says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.” No mention of Joshua here. Why not? Well, one reason is that the walls fell down through the faith of all the people who marched round the city thirteen times, not Joshua alone. The Bible is recording and commending the faith of all the people. But there is another reason. You see, Joshua was not in command. Oh yes, he was the leader appointed by God, but he was not the commander. There is a very important distinction. Joshua 5:13-6:5 tells of an encounter Joshua had before the battle. He was close to Jericho, possibly considering how the city could be overthrown, when he encountered a man in his path, holding a sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." What did this man mean by “neither”? Was he saying that he saying that this battle was beneath him, too small a matter for his consideration? Or perhaps was he here just as an umpire to ensure fair play? No, this person had come to take command. Joshua understood this, and also realised that this was none other than a manifestation of the Lord himself, as his subsequent actions revealed. ‘Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?" The commander of the Lord’s army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.’ The Lord then proceeded to give Joshua precise instructions for the overthrow of the city.
Only the Lord’s strategy could be effective. Any other man-made strategy would have taken weeks, months, possibly years of siege. Our battle can only be won as we serve under the Lord’s command, following the strategies that He shows us. Like Joshua we need to meet with Him and hear His words of command.
Whether in each of our lives as individuals, or in our corporate life as a church, Christ alone must be in command. The Lord may provide under-shepherds to lead us, feed us and care for us, but He alone is the Head of his body. He alone has the words of command that will ensure the casting down of strongholds. He alone has the strategy that will lead us in victory. This is why, addressing the seven churches in Asia Minor, the book of Revelation says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The strategy for victory was unlike any that would be devised by an army general. Humanly speaking it was without any rational explanation. Over seven days march around the city thirteen times, blowing ram’s horns but otherwise in silence. After the thirteenth circuit a prolonged blast on the ram’s horns would signal a shout from the soldiers. At this point the city walls would collapse and the soldiers would be able to enter the city from any point on its perimeter.
It is not unusual for God to require strange responses from people as a demonstration of their faith. Moses had to strike a rock to obtain drinking water for the people. Naaman had to bathe seven times in the river Jordan to be healed of leprosy. Gideon had to smash jars to reveal torches and blow on trumpets in order to defeat the Midianites. The servants at the wedding at Cana had to fill jars with water in order to obtain wine. Paul says, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Cor 1:27,28).
Jericho was not defeated because Joshua was a good military leader. The Israelites did not win the battle because they were well-trained in military skills, and equipped with the most up-to-date equipment. They overcame because they stepped out in faith in response to the word of the Lord.
How much faith did they require? Just a mustard seed amount; just enough to keep them marching round the city for seven days without giving up. It didn’t matter what doubts they had. It didn’t matter if they secretly thought they were being totally crazy. So long as they kept on marching and then joined in the final shout.
But the collapse of the walls was not caused by their faith. The collapse of the walls happened because the Lord had given His word. When they claimed that promise by a faith that revealed itself through action, then it was impossible for the walls to stay up. Only one thing could have kept those walls standing – their unbelief. Just as their parents forty years before failed to secure the victory, so it could have happened to them had they not stepped out in obedience.
Are their any strongholds that are standing right now, and the only thing holding them up is our unbelief? Are there things in your life that need to be taken captive and made obedient to Christ? Maybe these have to do with things you read or watch. Are there things that hinder you from knowing God more fully or making God more fully known to others? Maybe there are things you do or say that you know are not honouring to Him. Sometimes the walls of these strongholds seem too immense for us to overcome. Listen, if you step out in faith, trusting God’s word then there is no power on earth that can keep them standing.
Maybe we don’t even have mustard seed faith, because we have not spent time with the Lord and heard what He wants to say to us. For, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17. Then come to Him and ask Him to speak His word to you. Whatever He says He will do, believe it without doubting. Whatever He tells you to do, do it without wavering.
Copyright © S P Townsend