Sermon Tone Analysis

The Command to Walk

Their Walk was An Act of Worship-

The simple act of encircling the city was obedience to the Lord’s command.

And they did what they were asked to do.

Our obedience is worship.

In addition to this there are other parts of this story that show us that they were worshipping during these Jaunts/Walks.

Taking the Ark of the Lord as the circled the city of Jericho is something that would have been done very respectfully and carefully and was indeed worship.

It symbolized God’s presence each step of the way.

In addition to the Ark of the Covenant, the sounding of the ram’s horn was something they would have included in many of the celebrations of the religious feasts and observances, which God instructed for them to include throughout the years of their lives.

Their Walk was An Act of Mercy and Grace

Notice in verse 1 it is stated that the city was shut up because of the people of Israel (it doesn’t say it was shut up because of the fear of the judgement of the Lord for their sin) My point is that it seems the people of Jericho feared the people, rather than feared God.

Notice in verse 1 it is stated that the city was shut up because of the people of Israel (it doesn’t say it was shut up because of the fear of the judgement of the Lord for their sin) My point is that it seems the people of Jericho feared the people, rather than feared God.

It is not specifically stated here in Scripture but the picture I get is that the people of Jericho were given 6 days to repent and trust in the God of Israel, but they chose to trust the work of their hands instead.

We see that repentance from sin and faith in God was possible in the testimony of Rahab, whose entire family was mercifully spared from destruction.

It is not unexpected that we might ask, “How could God allow all the people of Jericho to be destroyed?”

Borrowing from an article by John Piper, God has the right to take life, because He is the giver of life, and in this case he chose His people to act on His behalf.

The way God chose to govern or his administrative economy was different in the Old Testament than it is now.

Though there are similarities between Israel of the OT and the church in this age (NT age) we are not called to be a “nation” or a governing ruling entity.

We follow Christ’s model as serving and sacrificing for God’s glory and the good of others.

That was obviously not the case in the days of Moses, Joshua and throughout the Old Testament.

The judgment of this region was predicted 400 years earlier to Abraham as God made a covenant with him.

Gen

The Command to Destruction

Destroy the city and everything in it (except the items devoted to the Lord)

Joshua’s Command was God’s Command FIRST!

God’s Command was Joshua’s Command

Just to be clear, God the all-powerful life giver, has the right to take the life of any man He chooses to take life from, at anytime.

In this case, Israel was acting as a weapon of God as His people not as a nation acting on their own strength, in their own wisdom and for their own purpose.

God willed that they were a political body, not just a spiritual body as the church is today.

Israel was acting as a weapon of God as His people not as a nation acting on their own strength, wisdom and purpose.

God willed that they were a political body, not just a spiritual body as the church is today.

Deut

Israel was acting as a weapon of God as His people not as a nation acting on their own strength, wisdom and purpose.

God willed that they were a political body, not just a spiritual body as the church is today.

Notice in verse 1 it is stated that the city was shut up because of the people of Israel (it doesn’t say it was shut up because of the fear of the judgement of the Lord for their sin) My point is that it seems the people of Jericho feared the people, rather than feared God.

The Command to Devotion

Joshua devoted to God what God had asked for.

As with all things that exist, they are rightfully to be devoted to God for either devotion or for destruction (in each case this is for the glory of GOD).

Ps 106:32

The people of Jericho and the people of the land of Canaan in general were a wicked people.

God was just in allowing for their destruction and death.

Ps 106:34-

Today we live in a nation that sacrifices their children to idols and demons (for purposes other than devotion to God).

In the past month, a despicable law has been passed in this state, which to be honest, is simply a means to protect the already despicable practice of killing unborn children.

As horrendous as this new law is, it has been legal to commit murder in this nation since the 1970’s.

God will judge those who commit such gruesome acts.

God forbid that

We need to be bold in our proclamation of truth and love.

The behavior that is taking place is grievous to God, and the loving thing to do would be to share this truth.

A judgement far worse than what we read of in this section of the book of Joshua awaits those who die in the their sin, those who never come to the place of confessing Jesus Christ as their Lord.

Apart from receiving the gracious forgiveness of our sins by the blood and reconciliation of Christ, we will spend eternity in an everlasting torment, where there will be weeping and gnashing teeth!

This is an eternal suffering and separation from the presence of God Almighty, who alone is good!

However, because of Christ, we have hope and favour even now, because Christ has come.

We can walk and worship and live our lives, bringing glory and honor to our Heavenly Father.

We can either be like Rahab who chose to trust in the One True God, or we can choose the path that the Canaanites took, that is to die in their sins, forsaking the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.