Joshua and the Battle of Jericho~Joshua 6

Battle of Jericho~Jean Fouchet

It seems so funny that the background is like a European Village.

I guess if you've only seen your sort of scenery, that's all you know to paint. But it's a lovely painting.

The story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho found in Joshua 6 are miraculous and simple. They followed God's instructions to go round the city each day, carrying the Ark of the Covenant and only the sound of seven horn's blasting. The seventh day was different. They marched around the city seven times, blaring the horns. Confusing and frustrating the army of Jerico, the army of Israel lured the fighting men of Jerico into a death trap on top of the walls. This time however they also shouted unto the Lord. Like the children's song says, the walls came a tumblin' down. Only Rahab, who had hidden the spies, who had served God's servants, was saved alive with her household and kinsmen. Everyone and everything else, was put to death.

I used to wonder about a merciful God, who would command this sort of slaughter. These incidences always seemed so contradictory and confusing. This year I'm studying the Old Testament with a few other resources. One in particular opened my eyes on this point. All these civilizations came from one family, the children of Noah. At one time, they all knew and followed God only to turn towards Satan's evil plan as Cain did. Many of these civilizations planted groves, where they practiced ritual fornication (pedophilia, homosexuality, forced virginal prostitution, and other abominable, unnatural sexual practices) and human sacrifice (especially of infants and children to Baal). Satan hates that we have bodies and he does not. Therefore, he does all he can to diminish the true meaning of human sexual relations and the sanctity of life. The point was made by Skousen that God heard the Innocent blood crying from the dust. God simply cannot turn His back on sin. Additionally, whenever the children of Israel lived near idolatrous peoples they "failed in their calling and allowed themselves to be conquered by the very elements they were supposed to cleanse from the land."

"They did not destroy the nations concerning whom the Lord commanded them; but were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood." Psalms 106:34-38

"And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves." Judges 3:5-7

Eventually, all who break the commandments of God will receive their consequences. Thus the fact that God commanded the children of Israel to wipe out perverted cultures is not surprising and makes perfect sense.

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days." Hebrews 11:30 When the armies of Israel followed God's command, one that seemed terribly odd, they were faithful. Does God still give commands today that don't make sense? Should we follow them? Would they make sense if we would take the time to study and ask for clarification? I think yes to all these questions.