The Battle of Jericho

Joshua Becomes Israel’s New Leader Joshua 1

Rahab and the Spies Joshua 2

Crossing the Jordan River Joshua 3-4

The Battle of Jericho Joshua 6:1-26

The Fall of Jericho

1 The gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people feared the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. 2 But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. 3 You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. 4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day, you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.” 6 So Joshua called together the priests and said, “Take up the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant, and assign seven priests to walk in front of it, each carrying a ram’s horn.” 7 Then he gave orders to the people: “March around the town and the armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the LORD.” 8 After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of the LORD, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant followed behind them. 9 Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns. 10 “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11 So the Ark of the LORD was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp.

12 Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the LORD. 13 The seven priests with the rams’ horns marched in front of the Ark of the LORD, blowing their horns. Again, the armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns and behind the Ark of the LORD. All this time the priests were blowing their horns. 14 On the second day they again marched around the town once and returned to the camp. They followed this pattern for six days. 15 On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. 16 The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the town! 17 Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.

18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. 19 Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.”

20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. 21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swordsmen and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.

22 Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.”

23 The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel. 24 Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the LORD’s house. 25 So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day. 26 At that time Joshua invoked this curse: “May the curse of the LORD fall on anyone

who tries to rebuild the town of Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn son, he will lay its foundation. At the cost of his youngest son,

he will set up its gates.” 27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his reputation spread throughout the land.

Memory Verse:

2 But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.

ATTENTION GRABBER!

Play a game of Simon Says.

Then go over God’s specific instructions for the defeat of Jericho from the lesson.

the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.

3 You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days.

4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn.

On the seventh day, you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns.

5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”

Make the comparison that God wants our complete obedience to His specific commands,

then He gives us the victory.

LESSON TIME!

What became of Joshua and the children of Israel after they crossed the Jordan? It was not a time of leisure. They were called to fight their enemies--in a very unusual way.

Faith, obedience, courage, and patience were necessary.

As Joshua was called into battle, so we are called to a battle-- spiritual warfare (2 Corinthians 10:1-6).

In order to win, we must trust and obey God.

The Fall of Jericho

1 The gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people feared the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. 2 But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. 3 You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. 4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day, you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”

Jericho was an important city, the first city the Israelites were called to conquer in the new land. It was a strong fortress, shut up so nobody could go out or come in.

It was also shut up against God.

God told Joshua (verse 2) that He has given Jericho into his hand, all of the city.

Joshua and all of Israel must trust and depend on God; for there was no way for them to win the battle in their own strength.

We, too, like Joshua must learn to trust and depend on the Lord.

In John 15:5, Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

No fortress can stand against God.

God gave Joshua His plan. The men of war were to march around the city of Jericho for six days, with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark.

On the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times, and the priests were to blow the trumpets.

When the people heard a long blast with the ram’s horn and the sound of the trumpet, all the people were to shout.

God promised, at that time, “the wall of the city will fall down flat” and the people could go in and conquer the city.

Even though God had given the city into Joshua’s hands, Joshua was required to do something.

We know that along with God’s provision and the absolute certainty that He will win the battle, we still have responsibilities—

we need to walk in obedience to Him.

6 So Joshua called together the priests and said, “Take up the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant, and assign seven priests to walk in front of it, each carrying a ram’s horn.” 7 Then he gave orders to the people: “March around the town and the armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the LORD.” 8 After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of the LORD, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant followed behind them. 9 Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns. 10 “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11 So the Ark of the LORD was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp.

12 Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the LORD. 13 The seven priests with the rams’ horns marched in front of the Ark of the LORD, blowing their horns. Again, the armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns and behind the Ark of the LORD. All this time the priests were blowing their horns. 14 On the second day they again marched around the town once and returned to the camp. They followed this pattern for six days.

The ark was given the place of honor, being made central in the order of the men.

First, the men of war were to go; then, the ark with seven priests in front with trumpets of rams’ horns;

and then, the whole congregation of people. The ark was symbolic of God’s presence. Its position before the people would remind them that the victory was from God.

The sound of the trumpets would perhaps put fear in the Canaanite’s hearts.

At the same time, it would bolster the courage and confidence in the Israelite’s hearts.

True to their promise to Joshua— “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go...”—the people faithfully obeyed and marched around the city without murmuring, complaining, or questioning—

God’s plan for conquering the city certainly required faith.

God often does not reveal the “why’s” to us.

He asks that we simply trust and obey Him.

We need to do so without murmuring, complaining, or questioning?

15 On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. 16 The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the town! 17 Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies. 18 “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. 19 Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.”

Now after six days of marching around the city, they were to march again.

The walls were as strong as ever, and perhaps their faith had been tested, but they remained obedient to Joshua.

This time they marched around the city seven times;

then, Joshua told them to shout for “the Lord has given you the city.”

He declared “the city doomed by the Lord to destruction.”

The people of Jericho were wicked people; they would have been spared if they had turned from their wickedness;

Only Rahab would escape God’s judgment.

In verses 18 and 19, Joshua warned the children of Israel to keep themselves from the “accursed things.

The defeat of Jericho was the “first fruits” of the promised land, Canaan;

it was fitting that it should be entirely devoted to the Lord, and its treasures set apart for Him.

20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. 21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swordsmen and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.

22 Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.”

23 The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel. 24 Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the LORD’s house. 25 So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day.

The Israelites obeyed the Lord and trusted Him despite the seeming impossibility before them.

Now, we see the fruit of their courage, obedience, and patience.

The walls of Jericho fell down. In Hebrews 11:30, we are told that “by faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”

So, faith caused the walls of Jericho to tumble down—

the obedience of faith,

the patience of faith,

and assurance of faith,

and the triumph of faith.

We also see that God’s ways are different from our ways.

Who would ever think that this mighty fortress would be completely demolished by a group of people walking around it?

God’s ways are to bring glory to Himself and to help us grow in faith.

We may not always understand God’s plan, but we know that if it is His plan, it will work.

We are simply to obey Him.

in verses 22-25, the promise given to Rahab in chapter 2:14-19 was kept.

In Hebrews 11:31 we read, “By faith, the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she had received the spies with peace.”

. 26 At that time Joshua invoked this curse: “May the curse of the LORD fall on anyone who tries to rebuild the town of Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn son, he will lay its foundation. At the cost of his youngest son, he will set up its gates.” 27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his reputation spread throughout the land.

Joshua condemned Jericho to destruction, cursing any man that at any time should offer to rebuild it.

Jericho would remain in ruins as a monument of God’s anger with a people given to sin and rebellion.

As we reflect on the battle of Jericho, we see important lessons.

One, there is no obstacle too great when God.

Two, God’s promises often still require our responsibilities; we must both trust and obey.

Three, faith holds onto the things that are “not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Trust and obedience should not require our understanding; God’s ways are not man’s ways.

Let us not complain, murmur, and question.

Memory Verse:

2 But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.

PRAYER

Lead the children in a prayer of thanksgiving that God is always on our side.