Jericho Finally Falls
Opening Prayer
Lord, you who delay judgment for repentance and also bring judgment when time is right, I trust You.
Read Joshua 6:20-27
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[20] 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. [21] 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. [22] 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.” [23] 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. [24] 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. [25] 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. [26] 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.” [27] So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What happened to Rahab?Rahab’s house was part of the wall of Jericho (Joshua 2:15). Think not of a medieval castle, with walls and a fire-step all around, but of walls built between houses to make a community into a stronghold. When the wall collapses, then so do many of the houses. All the defensive plans – formulated on the basis of defending walls and gates – are thrown into total chaos. From being fortified and strong, the defenders are suddenly at their attackers’ mercy. The Israelite warriors charge straight in to engage defenders bewildered by what’s just happened.As noted already, Israel has come as an agent of God’s judgement, accompanied by the commander of the Lord’s army, with drawn sword. As uncomfortable as it may seem for Israel to be an agent of God’s judgement, God’s fairness is shown in that he doesn’t spare his own people either when they’ve sinned in the same way (Joshua 7:24–26; Deuteronomy 8:19,20).As this judgement is about restoring right worship and the holiness of the land, all plunder is forbidden: only that which can serve right worship is to be spared (Joshua 6:18,19). Everything and everyone else is to be destroyed.
Apply
Pray for situations around the world that are grieving you. Pray that those responsible will be given an opportunity to repent.
Closing prayer
Lord, restore right worship. May we approach You with sincere hearts that bless You.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2025 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.