From Walls to Worship
We tend to have a habit of pulling our favorite scriptures out of context and using them to prove a point or to convince ourselves that God is on our side. Don’t be concerned about my point, I firmly believe that the scriptures are inspired and fully reliable. But regularly in conversations, in social media posts, and sometimes in bible studies we seem to try to make scripture meet our point or position instead of considering that we might be wrong.
This morning I read a familiar story from the book of Joshua. It is an event that would have been amazing to witness. As Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land, it required dealing with cities and armies that were resistant to them and had already demonstrated resistance to God. In this particular situation, Jericho stood in the way.
Those from Jericho knew the stories of how God had given victory to the Israelites over other cities. Many times, the Israelites were vastly outnumbered, yet they secured victory not because of their strength or strategy but because God fought for them. Exodus 14 is a great example of the Israelites being told to simply stand still and watch God defeat the enemy.
Jericho was well fortified with an interior and an exterior wall. But this time the instructions from God weren’t to stand still but rather to march around the city for six days saying or shouting nothing. The only sounds were those of feet marching and seven priests playing their trumpets as they circled the city one time each day for six days.
I am sure the emotions on both sides of the walls of Jericho were electric. Imagine knowing the reputation of God and watching them march around the city each day as the priests played their trumpets. And what about the Israelites? They were following God’s instructions, but I suspect at some point as they walked around the walls the Israelites wondered if a flaming arrow might come over the walls or that rocks would come flying at them. The noises in the minds of those in Jericho and those in the Lord’s army must have been loud though no one yelled or attacked.
Then on the seventh day things heated up. Those inside the walls noticed that the Israelites took a second lap and then a third and on and on. Those eerie trumpets sounded all through each lap around the city with tensions mounting each time.
But let’s back up and read verse two, “And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.’” God told Joshua that he had already given them victory. I imagine Joshua had passed that message on to the troops. Yet seeing and believing are sometimes different. We know that in the past the Israelites had heard God’s promises yet seemed to rarely believe them until they had experienced their deliverance. Sometimes they even had doubts afterwards as they waited for God’s next action. Sometimes our expectations of what we think God will do or has promised is different than our preferences. We often want God to do something our way instead of waiting him to deliver according to his promises.
So what is in the walls of Jericho story for us? Should we go march around the office or the house or the city we live in seven days in a row and watch God solve whatever we think we need to happen in those places? Well, there is certainly nothing wrong with doing that, but I would leave the trumpet alone because they might just annoy the neighbors! I will confess to taking many prayer walks around different places, praying that God would solve a certain situation. And sometimes he does very quickly. But sometimes, and even right now, I find myself waiting. And like you, I don’t prefer to wait.
There is an application in this story for us. We can remember that God has already acted on our behalf. I could post several scriptures that tell us what God has already done for us. I will mention just two here:
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 ESV
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:26-27, 31-35, 37-39 ESV
Both of these passages come to us from Paul, who reminds us that we already have victory in Christ! Our labor is not in vain but rather infused by the very power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. Paul tells us that we abound in the work of the Lord.
In Romans we are reminded that God knows our weaknesses. He knows we aren’t perfect. He knows we live in a fallen world. He knows that sometimes we don’t even know how to form our prayers. So, in God’s generosity, he has the Holy Spirit praying on our behalf. We know that when the Holy Spirit and God are involved there is perfect unity and God’s will is accomplished in our lives.
So, Father, today we come to you with thanksgiving because you know our greatest needs, and you have already secured the victory for us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Today we will walk confidently around and through our homes, our offices, and in our communities, knowing that you are alive and working to bring life and restoration in every broken place. Thank you for your presence. We thank you for allowing us to be a part of your kingdom, now and forevermore. We give you glory and honor for the victories that are ours in Jesus. Amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Joshua 6:1-27 ESV
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