The Battle Belongs To The Lord
Steve W. Reeves
stevereevesoutlines.blogspopt.com
INTRODUCTION:
A. The
teacher of the 4 year olds had spent several weeks teaching the story of Joshua
and the walls of Jericho; A few weeks later
she decided to see how much the children
remembered. “Children,” she said. “Who
brought down the walls of Jericho?” There
was no answer. Again she asked, “Who can
tell me who tore down the walls of
Jericho?” There were only blank stares. She
was so upset that no one remembered
that she asked her assistant to take the
class for a few moments while she stepped
outside to regain her composure. The church
treasurer happened to see her and
asked “Can I help you?” The exasperated
teacher said, “I’ve been asking my class
who destroyed the walls of Jerisho and no
one seems to know.” “Don’t worry,” said
the treasurer. Find out how much the
damages are and we will write them a check.”
B. Of
all the events in the book of Joshua this one is probably the most familiar. It
is
uch more, however, than a Sunday school
story. This is a dramatic demonstration
of God’s faithfulness, righteousness and
strength as well as the trust and obedience
of Joshua and the Israelites. .
1. This event also has significant meaning
for each of us.
2. All of us face obstacles in life thqat
are just as significant as the walls of Jericho. I
may be a wall of poor health or
disability. It may be a wall of fear or fqailure. It may
be a wall of marital strife of family
conflict. It may be an obstacle posed by your job.
All of us face situations that appear
just as daunting and discouraging to us as the
Jericho walls were to Israel.
C.
Background.
1. The nation of Israel had been freed from
slavery in Egypt by the miraqculous
power of God. Under Moses’ leadership
they had crossed the parted waters of the
Red Sea, and been given God’s provision
and protection in the desert. As they
prepared to enter the promised land of
Canaan at a place called Kadesh, Moses
sent twelve spies into the land to
investigate. In Numbers 13:28 ten of the twelve
spies said, “The land where you sent us
does indeed flow with milik and honey, but
the cities are fortified and very
large.”
a. I believe it is likely that Jericho
was one of the cities they saw.
b. They were so intimidated by the size
and strength of this city that they turned the
entire nation against Moses.
2. God was so displeased with their lack of
faith that He pronounced judgment on that
faithless generation and told them they
would never enter the land of rest. Instead,
they would die in the desert (Numbers
14:32-33).
3. Now, in the book of Joshua a new
generation has entered Canaan to receive
God’s promise. God miraculously stopped
the flooding flow of water in the Jordan
so th people could cross on dry
ground. They set up camp at a place known
as
Gilgal and turned their attention
towards the first great city they would face.
Jericho.
a. Jericho was a large city.
b. Jericho was a strong city. It is estimated that the city walls were six
feet thick
and fifteen feet high.
c. The people of Jericho were hideously
wicked.
D.
Even with its great strength, Jericho was no match for the power of God. From
Joshua 5 and 6 follow the events that led
to the conquest of Jericho.
I. PREPARATION
A Public
victory is always preceeded by private vigilance. Jericho’s defeat actually
begin with the events described in
Joshua 5. Without the evenets of Joshua 5
there would have been no conquest in
chapter 6.The principle is still valid.
Consecration before conquest. Worship
before warfare.
B The events in chapter 5 fall into thee
categories.
1, Obedience
a. Before Israel began itss
conquest there was the need to renew the covenant
God had made with their
ancestors. This was done through the rite of
circumcision of every male
child on the eighth day (Genesis 17 and
Deuteronomy 10:16).
b. According to verses 2-7 Joshua
was commanded to circumcise the men who
had been born in the
wilderness. Going all the way back to Abraham this had
been the sign of the
covenant. It was a symbol of being cut
off from
wickedness. Under the New
Testament circumcision is that of the heart
(Romans 2:29).
2. Observance
a. The next item of preparation was
the observance of the Passover. This was
only the third time this feast
had been observed. It was observed in exodus 12
as Israel prepared to leave Egypt.
It had been observed one year later
according to Numbers 9. However, during the 40 years of wilderness
wandering it was not observed.It
is important to notice how God wanted to
restore and remind Israel of
their identity through these ancient rites before
the conquest of the land.
b. They ate a meal that came from
the produce of the land (vs. 11). Prior
to this
they had been eating manna.
This was their first meal from the produce of the
land of Canaan. Verse 12 says
that the manna ceased the next day.
3, Omnipotence
a. In verse 13 Joshua saw a man
standing nearby with a sword in his hand.
What would you do if you
saw a man standing with a sword in his hand?
Joshua said, “Are you for uss
or against us?” The answer was surprising.
b.Notice the word “MAN” is
capitalized. It is the commander of the army of the
Lord. Joshua responded by
calling Him LORD and fell and worshiopped
much as Moses had worshipped at
the buirning bish. The ANGEL OF THE
LORD. This was a Theophany or
appearance of Christ in the Old Testament.
C. Public victories of faith are preceded
by private visits with God. John Knox was
one of the great leaders of the
reformation. On once occasion Mary, Queen of
Scotts, reportedly said, “I fear the
prayers of John Knox more than all of the
aqrmies of Europe.” Remember, without
the preparation of Joshua 5 there could
have been no victory over Jericho in
Joshua 6. .
II, PLANNING
A. Have you ever made plans only to realize
the God had a different idea? Have you
ever said, “I will always…” or “I will
never…” only to eat those words? It would be
interesting to know what Joshua had in
mind as he thought about the upcoming
battle at Jericho.
1. According to 6:1 the city was shut
up tightly so no one could go in or go out.
What was Joshua thinking?
2. Have you ever faced a wall or an
obstacle in your life and tried to face it with
your own strength and straqtegy?
How did that work for you?
B. Whatever Joshua was thinking, God had a
different idea.
1. In verse 2 God said, “I have given
Jericho to you along with its kings and valient
warriors.” God said, “Joshua, I
don’t wqant you to think that itis your strategy or
Israel’s ability that will conquer
the city. I have given it to you.
2. If this seems strange, consider
God’s instructions in vss. 3-5, “ You shall march
around the city, all the men of war
circling the city once. You shall do so for six
days. 4 Also seven
priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the
ark; then on the seventh day you
shall march around the city seven times, and
the priests shall blow the
trumpets. 5 It shall be that when they make a long blast
with the ram’s horn, and when you
hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people
shall shout with a great shout; and
the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the
people will go up every man
straight ahead.”
C.
What do you do when God commands you to do something that makes no earthly
sense? Do you demonstrate human reason
or Divine respect?
1. Some construction workers were
trying to lift a large beam into place. It’s weight
was so heavy pulled with all of
their might but lacked abn inch having it high
enough to fit into place. Their
foreman instructed a bystander, “wet the ropes.”
This made no sense to him but he
did as told. The wet ropes chrank just enough
to provide the extra inch needed.
2. Does God know things we do not know?
Can we trust Him? When He
commands us to come to Christ
through faith, repentance, confession and
baptism so that the walls of sin
and death might be toppled should we obey
Him?
3. What did walking around the city
have to do with destroying the walls? It was
God’s command. In an episode of the
1970’s TV series, “The Waltons,” there
was a revival taking place at the
little country church. People were being
baptized. Olivia, the mother was
urging her husband to be baptized. He replied
by saying, “I just don’t see what
being dunked in water has to do with it?”
D. Israel had witnessed the power of God.
They had crossed the Jordan on dry
ground. When God told them to do this
they obeyed with precision. They did not
cut corners or add their own ideas. They
did not grow discouraged when nothing
happened after the second, third or
fourth day. They didn’t let the jeers of the
people deter them. They kept on
marching. The respected the plan of God.
CONCLUSION:
A. An
old spiritual is entitled, “Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho.”
1. It wasn’t much of a battle because of
God’s power. In Joshua 6:20 after the people
had done as God commanded the walls
fell flat.
2. A documentary I watched about the history
of Jericho described how evidence
reveals how the thick walls of the city
hat been destroyed and burned
coincidentally about the same time as
Israel entered the land. Really?
B.
When you do things God’s way there are no coincidences and even the greatest
walls and obstacles of life will fall
before you.
