Into Action

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Loving Father, I thank You that the truth of the Gospel makes me free for wonder, love and praise.

Read Joshua 6:12–19

^[12] Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. ^[13] 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. ^[14] So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. ^[15] 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. ^[16] The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! ^[17] 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. ^[18] 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. ^[19] All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.”

Meditate

Obedience means we are to be God-directed rather than self-directed. That was what Joshua and the Israelites had to learn. And so do we.

Think Further

The attack started (8,9)—seven days of literal obedience, puzzlement, fear

and ultimate triumph. With trumpets blasting, priests and soldiers marched all the way around

Jericho. No doubt the besieged inhabitants thought that the end had come. And then they stopped

(11). The next day they did it all again, then went back to camp (14). Four more days were

exactly the same. Did the residents think the Israelites had gone mad? Did they think they were

trying to starve them out? Did they begin to get used to the ritual?

The seventh morning was different. They didn’t stop after one circuit. They carried on. Seven

priests, seven horns, the seventh day (traditionally the Sabbath but that didn’t stop them), seven

times. Seven is the number representing completion, perfection. Were the people in Jericho

counting? Did they get the hidden message? Or had they been lulled into a false sense of

security, thinking that perhaps the Israelites wouldn’t attack after all? Only now did Joshua give

the final instruction, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!” (16). For Jericho this meant

judgment, but for Rahab and her family it would mean rescue (17). As for the Israelites, there

was a word of warning (18). Brutal and violent though the attack was, this city was not theirs to

plunder. They were a part of something bigger. This city was to be devoted to the Lord, and

everything precious belonged to him (19).

This episode (and tomorrow’s too) can leave many of us uncomfortable with God’s involvement

in the whole conquest of Canaan. There are no easy answers—the text won’t let us, or God, off

the hook. Perhaps for now we can be careful of jumping to conclusions, and recall everything

else we know about God’s love, mercy and grace.

The attack started (8,9)—seven days of literal obedience, puzzlement, fear and ultimate triumph. With trumpets blasting, priests and soldiers marched all the way around Jericho. No doubt the besieged inhabitants thought that the end had come. And then they stopped (11). The next day they did it all again, then went back to camp (14). Four more days were
exactly the same. Did the residents think the Israelites had gone mad? Did they think they were trying to starve them out? Did they begin to get used to the ritual? The seventh morning was different. They didn’t stop after one circuit. They carried on. Seven priests, seven horns, the seventh day (traditionally the Sabbath but that didn’t stop them), seven times. Seven is the number representing completion, perfection. Were the people in Jericho counting? Did they get the hidden message? Or had they been lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that perhaps the Israelites wouldn’t attack after all? Only now did Joshua give the final instruction, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!” (16). For Jericho this meant judgment, but for Rahab and her family it would mean rescue (17). As for the Israelites, there was a word of warning (18). Brutal and violent though the attack was, this city was not theirs to plunder. They were a part of something bigger. This city was to be devoted to the Lord, and everything precious belonged to him (19). This episode (and tomorrow’s too) can leave many of us uncomfortable with God’s involvement in the whole conquest of Canaan. There are no easy answers—the text won’t let us, or God, off the hook. Perhaps for now we can be careful of jumping to conclusions, and recall everything else we know about God’s love, mercy and grace.

Apply

What seemingly crazy battle plan is the Lord calling you to carry out? How do you feel about it and how will you persevere in it?

Closing prayer

“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” (Jas. 3:18). Lord, today I remember the victims of war. May they be aware of Your presence in their need. Prosper the work of peacemakers.

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