August 2 - Live from Jericho!
August 2
Live from Jericho!
Bible Reading: Joshua 6:1-20
1Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. 3You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 4And 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. 5It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.” 6Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7And he said to the people, “Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord.” 8So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 10Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.” 11So he had the ark of the Lord circle the city, going around it once. Then they came into the camp and lodged in the camp. 12And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually and blew with the trumpets. And the armed men went before them. But the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 14And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did six days. 15But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. 16And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city! 17Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.” 20So 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.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding;
NEWSCASTER WITH MICROPHONE appears on screen before the smoking ruins of a city, visible in the background.
"Dan Rathernot here, on location in Canaan, where the mighty city of Jericho has just been conquered by a ragtag band of warriors led by one Joshua ben Nun."
Camera angle widens to reveal a robed man standing beside the newsman.
"Here, for an exclusive interview with us, is the mastermind behind this astonishing military victory." Dan Rathernot turns, points microphone at Joshua. "Joshua ben Nun, thank you for agreeing to talk with us."
"Uh, thank you, Dan, but I have to say, I'm not the mastermind of this victory. It was God's strategy."
"Yes, well..." Dan Rathernot clears his throat. "Rumors are already flying around about your victory." He laughs nervously. "Some say that Jericho's city walls were destroyed with a shout."
"That's absolutely true, Dan. God told us to march around the city once every day for six days. Then, on the seventh day, our army marched seven times around Jericho. On the seventh time around, the priests blew their rams' horns, the people shouted, and the walls crumbled into piles of dust."
"That's, uh . . . heh, heh . . . quite a story." Dan Rathernot's left eyelid starts to twitch. "Didn't, uh, God's instructions seem kind of-well, er, silly to you?"
"I could see how you might think they were silly, but you've got to understand one thing, Dan. I spent forty years in the wilderness of Sinai with Moses, hearing God speak and watching him work. I learned that it's best to do what God says, even if you don't understand it. If I had depended on my own understanding--" Joshua turns and points to the pile of rubble that used to be the city of Jericho--"the walls of Jericho would still be standing."
Dan Rathernot smiles; camera zooms in for a close-up.
"There you have it. An incredible story of one man, one God, one army, and one big mess for Jericho's street crews to clean up."
REFLECT: God's instructions for conquering Jericho are recorded in Joshua 6:2-5. Do you think it was easy for Joshua and the Israelites to follow God's instructions? Why or why not? Do you think they would have conquered Jericho if they had not followed God's instructions? Why or why not? Do you always understand God's commands? Do you think you should follow them even if you don't understand them? Why or why not?
ACT: Walk around your house and make note of the things you use or obey without understanding all about them (electricity, gasoline engines, radio and TV waves).
PRAY: "Lord, help me to trust You, even when Your commands seem hard to understand."