The Walls of Jericho

“The people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed.” — Joshua 6:20

The city of Jericho was shut up tight. Its gates were locked and barred, and its walls were high and strong. Nobody went out and nobody came in, because the people of Jericho were afraid of the Israelites.

How could the Israelites ever get inside? They didn’t have ladders tall enough, or machines to knock down walls.

But God told Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hands.” And God gave him a very strange battle plan.

“March around the city once a day for six days, with all your soldiers,” God said. “Seven priests are to carry trumpets made of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear a long blast on the trumpets, all the people must give a loud shout. Then the wall of the city will fall down flat.”

It must have sounded like a very odd way to fight a battle! But Joshua told the people exactly what God had said.

So on the first day, the soldiers marched around the city, with the priests blowing their trumpets and carrying the ark. “Don’t shout,” Joshua told the people. “Don’t say a word until the day I tell you to shout.” So round they went, once, in silence except for the trumpets. Then they went back to their camp.

On the second day, they did the same. And the third day, and the fourth, and the fifth, and the sixth. Can you imagine the people of Jericho, peeping over the walls, wondering what was going on?

On the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city. Once, twice, three times, four, five, six, seven times! On the seventh time round, the priests blew a long blast on their trumpets.

“Shout!” said Joshua. “For the Lord has given you the city!”

The people gave a great shout. And the walls of Jericho fell down flat! Every soldier charged straight into the city and took it.

Jericho was a wicked city, and God had said it would be destroyed. Its people died in the battle. But there was one house that was kept safe: the house with the red cord hanging from the window. Joshua sent the two spies to Rahab’s house, and they brought out Rahab and her whole family, just as they had promised. Rahab trusted God, and God saved her and everyone who came into her house.

The Israelites didn’t win the battle of Jericho by being strong, or clever, or by having better weapons. They won by trusting God and doing what He said, even when it seemed strange.

Read it in your Bible: Joshua 6

Dear God, thank you that nothing is too strong for you. Help me to obey you even when I don’t understand why, and to trust you to keep your promises. Amen.