So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”
When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. (Joshua 6:14-21)
Along the Jericho walls:
Day Two: Here they come again. This time all of Jericho is on the walls, watching. Someone brings out a charcoal grill. Tailgating ensues because they have to eat. Maybe the story is being told that Israel's God has abandoned them, and the men of Jericho have begun to mock. "Maybe their God did those things in Egypt forty years ago. Yeah, the Jordan dividing was impressive but look at them, those guys in front with the horns, maybe they should play a livelier tune, wake their God up.
Day Three: Here they come...again. Yesterday it was funny. Today, it's boring. Yep, there they go.
Day Four: Here...they...come...a...gain. The crowds on the walls aren't as big. The snacks aren't as plentiful. It's hard to maintain a high level of energy or interest. Who's their strategist? Bozo the Clown?
Day Five: Oh, for the love of...well, someone... will they please get it over with or go away. We're bored, we're tired, the anticipation reached its peak and is headed down the other side.
Day Six: Is this a joke? If something actually happens, wake me up, will you?
Day Seven: Somebody, please, just shoot me. It's a zombie apocalypse, with them all shambling around. A bunch of processionary caterpillars, just going around and around...and around...and around...and...what was that? A shout? What's all that noise? It's getting louder. Earthquake! I guess their God woke up.
Outside the walls of Jericho:
Day Two: Five more days to go. Do you see those walls? There's no way we're getting through those.
Day Three: Four more days to go. Come on, God, what's the holdup?
Day Four: Three more days to go. Anyone know what today is? It's Hump Day!
Day Five: OK, I'm ready already. Two more days...just two more days.
Day Six: Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow - you're... only.... a day.... a-way.
Day Seven: See that hill? Take that hill! Oo-rah and Hallelujah!
I doubt that's exactly the way things went, but you get the idea. Waiting can destroy, or it can build. God took seven days to focus the attention. The stage has been fading slowly to black, then suddenly, the main floods come on, and they're all pointed at the city.
And...the...walls...come...atumbling....down.
God had said seven days. Any less or any more and it could be claimed that it was not God. The fact that it took as long as God said it would showed that it was God at work. That was one of the tests of prophecy that God taught Israel.
What would have happened if the Israelites had disobeyed? I don't know, but it wouldn't have been good. When it comes to our obeying, however, we tend to think, "Oh well, God will let it slide." The other thing that needs to be mentioned is the reminder from Peter's letter... the people of Jericho may ask where the sign of God's coming is. It's all happening the same today as it did yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that.... And then everything changed. Everything is happening just as it has for centuries... until the day that Jesus returns. Where are we in that seven day list? I'm not sure, but I think it's getting to the "Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow..." stage.
Where am I in my person "week" of tromping around any of my "Jerichos"? I don't know. I think I'm past Hump Day with some, but with others, I'm looking at the walls and asking "Do you see those walls?" No matter when I - or you - are in our week of preparation, the point it that it will come to an end.
When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. (Joshua 6:14-21)
Along the Jericho walls:
Day Two: Here they come again. This time all of Jericho is on the walls, watching. Someone brings out a charcoal grill. Tailgating ensues because they have to eat. Maybe the story is being told that Israel's God has abandoned them, and the men of Jericho have begun to mock. "Maybe their God did those things in Egypt forty years ago. Yeah, the Jordan dividing was impressive but look at them, those guys in front with the horns, maybe they should play a livelier tune, wake their God up.
Day Three: Here they come...again. Yesterday it was funny. Today, it's boring. Yep, there they go.
Day Four: Here...they...come...a...gain. The crowds on the walls aren't as big. The snacks aren't as plentiful. It's hard to maintain a high level of energy or interest. Who's their strategist? Bozo the Clown?
Day Five: Oh, for the love of...well, someone... will they please get it over with or go away. We're bored, we're tired, the anticipation reached its peak and is headed down the other side.
Day Six: Is this a joke? If something actually happens, wake me up, will you?
Day Seven: Somebody, please, just shoot me. It's a zombie apocalypse, with them all shambling around. A bunch of processionary caterpillars, just going around and around...and around...and around...and...what was that? A shout? What's all that noise? It's getting louder. Earthquake! I guess their God woke up.
Outside the walls of Jericho:
Day Two: Five more days to go. Do you see those walls? There's no way we're getting through those.
Day Three: Four more days to go. Come on, God, what's the holdup?
Day Four: Three more days to go. Anyone know what today is? It's Hump Day!
Day Five: OK, I'm ready already. Two more days...just two more days.
Day Six: Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow - you're... only.... a day.... a-way.
Day Seven: See that hill? Take that hill! Oo-rah and Hallelujah!
I doubt that's exactly the way things went, but you get the idea. Waiting can destroy, or it can build. God took seven days to focus the attention. The stage has been fading slowly to black, then suddenly, the main floods come on, and they're all pointed at the city.
And...the...walls...come...atumbling....down.
God had said seven days. Any less or any more and it could be claimed that it was not God. The fact that it took as long as God said it would showed that it was God at work. That was one of the tests of prophecy that God taught Israel.
What would have happened if the Israelites had disobeyed? I don't know, but it wouldn't have been good. When it comes to our obeying, however, we tend to think, "Oh well, God will let it slide." The other thing that needs to be mentioned is the reminder from Peter's letter... the people of Jericho may ask where the sign of God's coming is. It's all happening the same today as it did yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that.... And then everything changed. Everything is happening just as it has for centuries... until the day that Jesus returns. Where are we in that seven day list? I'm not sure, but I think it's getting to the "Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow..." stage.
Where am I in my person "week" of tromping around any of my "Jerichos"? I don't know. I think I'm past Hump Day with some, but with others, I'm looking at the walls and asking "Do you see those walls?" No matter when I - or you - are in our week of preparation, the point it that it will come to an end.
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