The Fall of Jericho

Joshua 5:13-6:25

As Joshua drew near to Jericho, He saw a man with a sword.
Drawing near he asked the man, “Which one of us are you for?”
“Neither for you nor Jericho, do I fight this war;
I am here in supreme command of the army of the Lord.”

In that moment Joshua awoke to a flash of divine insight.
It would be the Lord above who would lead this fight.
Joshua fell down before the Lord; then he heard this sound:
“Remove your shoes, O man of God, for this is holy ground.”

“I am giving you Jericho with all of its fighting men,
But I will do it in a way that never before has been.
March around the city each day with priests sounding the horns.
The seventh day march seven times. You won’t be weary or worn.”

The first six days that’s what they did beating a path in the ground.
They marched daily, eerily silent, never uttering a sound.
The people of Jericho must have wondered what it was all about:
Six days of silence; then on the seventh, they heard a mighty shout.

What they heard was Israel’s band, crying as loud as can be.
“Now is the time by the Lord’s hand, we take this wicked city.”
The walls collapsed; Israel rushed in, destroyed the city that day.
Rahab and family were found within and rescued without delay.

They burned the city to the ground. Nothing would be preserved.
For centuries Jericho hated God; their punishment was deserved.
This mighty victory came that day by the power of God’s hand.
The fear of Joshua, led by God, spread throughout the land.

There is a lesson in this account that everyone should learn.
The truth of God we must embrace and evil must be spurned.
Don’t be a fool who lives and dies, then suffers his just fate.
The door of salvation is open wide; don’t wait until it’s too late.*

* “Behold, now is the accepted time…now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7)

© Copyright 2010 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved