Jericho We Must Conquer
(Jos. 6:1-7)
Israelites had to destroy Jericho hindering them to enter the promised land, Canaan. Beginning with this new year, the unexpected Jericho will hinder us from completing the race. To gain the victory in the Lord, we should collapse the Jericho before us.
1. The tightly closed Jericho
Jericho grew to 40,000 square meters (430,000 square feet) and was surrounded by a stone wall, which is well known as the protective wall. It was impossible for the Israelites to collapse the city. It is impossible for us to collapse Jericho. Living our life, we will face various problems just like Jericho and the problems make our ways blocked in the world, in the family, and in the church. When we face Jericho- like problems we cannot solve, we should depend on God. It is the time for us to experience the miracle of God.
2. God’s word to Joshua
God had already promised to give the victory to Joshua before Joshua started the war. (Jos. 6:2) However tough the situations are, the problems will be solved once we are with God. God asked them to march around the city once with all the armed men. And God asked them to do this for six days. God told them to march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When they hear the trumpets, they had to shout so that the city could be collapsed. To gain the victory at the spiritual battlefield, we should be armed with the word of God. The ones who are possessed by God will be held by the power of Jesus thereby overcoming problems and gaining the victory at the end.
3. The secret to conquer Jericho
Joshua had commanded the people not to give a war cry, not to raise your voices, not to say a word until the day he told them to shout. (Jos. 6:10) People who are weak tend to depend on themselves when they face challenging situations, so they start to complain, grumble, and pour out negative words. To experience the miracle of God, we should collapse Jericho filled with disobedience and arrogance. Marching around 6 days with silence, nothing happened. On the seventh day when they marched 7 times around the city and shouted, Jericho was collapsed. When we listen to and obey the word of God, the miracle happens. Obey the Word of God and nail our selfish nature on the cross. Depend on the grace of Jesus. Then, Jericho will be destroyed at the end.