The Result of Faith in God
 By faith the walls
of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for
seven days. (Hebrews 11:30)
The children of Israel are now poised on the edge of the
land that God had promised to give them. By faith, they had
kept the Passover and were spared the judgment of the firstborn that befell the
unbelieving Egyptians. By faith, they had been delivered from
bondage in Egypt. By faith, they had passed through the Red
Sea. Now, they would begin to possess the promised blessings of God, seeing
Jericho's walls fall down, by faith.
The first great challenge that Israel faced in the land was
the fortress city of Jericho. Previously, the doubting spies had discouraged
the people by speaking of these impenetrable cities. "The cities
are great and fortified
up to heaven" (Deuteronomy 1:28). Now, the Lord gives words of encouragement.
"And the LORD said to Joshua: 'See! I
have given Jericho into your
hand' " (Joshua 6:2). Although these words must have stirred hope,
the battle plan may have brought some perplexity.
"You shall march around the city, all you men of
war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. And
seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. But the
seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall
blow the trumpets." Joshua 6:3-4 (NKJV) The natural question would have
been, "How can a fortified city be taken by marching in circles and
blowing trumpets?" Yet, these unusual battle instructions were accompanied
by a divine promise. And he said to the people, "Proceed, and march around
the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord." Joshua
6:7 (NKJV)
Day after day, they marched on silently. On the seventh day,
they marched repeatedly. Many times they may have been tempted to forsake the
process as foolish and futile. Yet, patiently and obediently, they pressed on,
by faith. Finally, the seventh march was completed on the seventh day. "So the
people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened
when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a
great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the
city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20 (NKJV)
How could this be? It was the result of faith in God.
Lord God of the impossible, many times I have been as
helpless as Israel was before the impregnable fortress of Jericho. When I tried
to knock down the circumstances by my own power or thought, I was defeated.
When I trusted in You prayerfully, I was victorious. Please help me to be
patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer by Your mighty grace,
Amen.
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Rev. Telema W. Okobi, President