Joshua-Victory God's Way

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. Joshua 6:20

This past summer, the world was caught up in soccer as they saw the legends of the 2026 World Cup.  Since my blog is read all over the world, some of you may have been following your countries team.  I live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and many of the games were being hosted in Seattle, a city a few hours drive from where I live.  My town also hosted a “fan center,” a place where people could gather to watch and cheer.  Though I didn’t attend any of the games in person, my husband has been planning logistics for the event for a few years before the games occurred.  

No matter your connection to soccer, if you attended in person, watched on TV, or attended a fan zone experience, you were probably affected by the cheer of the crowds.  Globally, people spent time and money to attend in person.  To take the time and money to be there shows a level of fan-commitment that is extraordinary.  All the games had massive crowd participation, waving scarves, cheers and chants.  The noise and vocal participation was tremendous.  Now imagine you attend soccer on the world’s biggest stage and it’s silent.  The fans sit quietly waiting and watching their team without noise.  During COVID, American football teams played televised to empty stadiums.  The first match was silent and they just had the sound of the players on the field.  Without the soundtrack of fans cheering, something was lost.  After that first week, stations piped in fan noise from previous games so the sound would match the visual. 

It’s hard to imagine sports without sound.  In the same way, it’s hard to picture a battle without noise, yet in this chapter, God directs His soldiers to fight their first major battle in silence.  In chapters 6 of Joshua, God gives instructions to His people after crossing the river for their first military victory.  In the last post, We looked at the holy procession of Israel who followed the ark across the Jordan, parting the waters similar to the crossing with Moses as Israel fled Egypt.  The waters parted, the people crossed in safely to the other side.  This time, the purpose of crossing was to face an enemy, not escape from one.  They were entering the promised land and their first military conquest was to happen in Jericho. 

Through every step of their campaign, God would guide and direct their steps.  We saw in the first week of the book, God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous as He will be with him.  The presence of God is practically realized through being part of every battle.  Not only imbuing Joshua and the people with divine strength as they fight, but giving special instructions on how to engage the battle. 

At the beginning of chapter six, God tells how the city, which He has given into his hand, will be captured.  The full army of men will march around the city for six days, while the priests hold rams horns.  On the seventh day, the army will march around seven times. All this is to be done in silence. Imagine what it is a like for an army to march silently around the city.  Like the sports example of playing football to an empty stadium, noise is part of an army’s intimidation.  In every movie, the leader of a force makes a rousing speech to the men dressed for battle.  At some point they always cry out, lifting their weapon before the charge to give courage to their men.  Think of Israel, who has not fought a battle yet, decked out in full battle gear walking silently.  

In Joshua 2:9, when the scouts spying out the land met Rahab, she confirmed that the people were very afraid of the army to come.  Their hearts were “melted, and there was no spirit left in any man…for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath” (v.11).  The testimony of the Lord destroying Egypt through the miracles of a wall of water had reached their ears.  But what would happen when all they say was an army marching silently and never attaching.  Would their fear have turned to arrogance?  Would their hearts become hardened to the glory of God? 

Day seven was coming.  On this day, God commanded the priests to blow the trumpets as they marched around seven times.  On Joshua’s signal, the army shouted and the walls fell down. The warriors entered the city and saved Rahab the prostitute and all who were in her house.  

Israel followed the Lord’s instructions and the walls came down.  God’s people experienced their first victory in the promised land.  But what would have happened if they would have planned the battle on their own?  Would it have been successful?  In a commentary by Mosley and Bergen, they describe the fortification of Jericho.  The city was encircled by a wall made of stone with gates and guard towers, some ten acres in area.  A freshwater spring came down into the city, so people that had food prepared could withstand a prolonged siege.  What would Israel do against this fortification, a wandering nomadic people without formal training, tools or experience? They had to follow God’s instructions to fight and win this battle.  

The book of Joshua is symbolic of God’s people today entering the promised land.  At salvation, we are justified before God, our sins are no longer counted against us and our eternal home awaits in heaven.  Yet like Joshua and Israel, we have entered the promised land yet enemies still surround us and there are battles to fight, our sanctification.  These enemies may be strongholds in your life and like the stone walls of Jericho,  the battle would be lost if not for the divine intervention God offers us.  Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers and authors of a spiritual nature.  We need God’s help to fight our enemies.  As when Joshua faced Jericho, we need to listen to God’s plan for us in how to live victoriously. 

There are many New Testament passages that describe the warfare of the Christian against their enemies. Believers are to adorn themselves with the armor of God (2 Cor 10:3-5), putting on the spiritual armor Christ has won them—truth, righteousness peace with God, faith, and salvation, as they walk in the Word of God in prayer.  When we submit to God and His word, the devil ceases to attach us (James 4:7).  We remember the words of Romans 8:37-39, that because Christ loves us, we are more than conquers and that because God dwells in us through His Spirit, we are strong than anything that opposes us (1 John 4:4). 

The name Jericho means fragrant and is meant to remind the reader of the incense in the tabernacle, the worship of the saints continually rising to God.  Worship is a weapon against our enemies.   On the seventh day the trumpets blew and the people shouted, a cry of faith in God’s promise.  If they obeyed His plan, the walls would come down.  We must continue to march to God’s heavenly city, in faith.  One day, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the last trumpet will sound, the dead raised with undying bodies, and we will be forever changed (1 Corinthians 15:52). Let us continue to fight every battle until heaven in submission to our wise God who knows how to bring us victory.  He already has in Christ—we can trust Him to bring us home.  

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