“By Faith the Walls of Jericho Fell”

 

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”                                                     – Hebrews 11:30

 

No man’s ministry lasts forever. The best of prophets, pastors, and leaders will soon die and their ministries will come to an end. When the prophet dies, he needs to be buried, preferably buried in obscurity, lest his garnished sepulcher hinders his successor.

 

                God’s cause is not wrapped up in a man; and we must not wrap it up in a man – any man. God’s church and kingdom does not depend upon a man; and we must not make it, or act as if we made it, dependent upon a man – any man.

 

Moses

 

Under the leadership of Moses, God accomplished great things for his people, Israel. He had revealed to Moses what he was going to do for his people, and Moses acted upon the divine revelation by faith. He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt by a mighty hand. They crossed the Red Sea as upon dry ground; and God slew the armies of Pharaoh in that same body of water. Because of Moses’ intercession the children of Israel were fed with manna from heaven. Because of his earnest prayer in their behalf God preserved the nation. Still, throughout his ministry, he had the heartache of a grumbling, discontent, and rebellious congregation.

 

Joshua

 

God raises up specific men for specific purposes. When the servant has accomplished the purpose for which the Lord raised him up, God takes him. When Moses’ work was done, God took him and raised up another man, a new leader for the congregation of Israel, a man like Moses, yet altogether different from Moses, a man trained by Moses, but a man trained by God through Moses, a man to take the place of Moses, but a man standing in his own place to do his own work for the glory of God. Joshua was God’s chosen servant to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

 

Faith Displayed

 

Hebrews 11:30 displays the triumph of faith under the leadership of Joshua. In verse 29 we saw what faith accomplished during the exodus from Egypt. Now we see what it achieved as Israel entered the land of promise. The yoke of cruel bondage was broken asunder by faith, and by the same faith the people of God obtained the blessings of the Promised Land. “By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.”

 

The Life of Faith

 

By these two things, we see again that the believer’s life is from beginning to end a life of faith. Without faith no progress can be made, no victories can be obtained, and no fruit can be brought forth for God’s glory. It is written, “The just shall live by faith.” “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” “Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.” (Isa. 45:25; John 1:29; Heb. 12:2; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 22:4).

 

40 Years

 

It is solemn to note that an interval of forty years duration comes in between Hebrews 11:29 and 30. Those years were spent in the wilderness. They were years of judgment from God because of the unbelief and disobedience of the people. The Lord gave them a sentence of forty years of wandering in the wilderness, one year for every day the spies were in the land. They roamed about in the wilderness until every unbelieving rebel had died. That generation could not enter into and take possession of Canaan because of unbelief. They are forever a reminder of the importance of believing God and obedience to his revealed will. Nothing is more dishonoring to our God than unbelief; and nothing brings greater trouble and sorrow into our lives than that disobedience that arises from it.

 

Joshua 6

 

Hebrews 11:30 is an inspired commentary on the sixth chapter of Joshua, which begins by telling us, “Now Jericho was straitly shut up, because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.” Israel had reached the borders of Canaan. They had safely crossed the Jordan River; but they could not enter the land because of Jericho, which was a powerful fortress barring their way. This was one of the cities which had frightened the spies, causing them to say, “The people is greater and taller than we: the cities are great and walled up to heaven” (Deut. 1:28). To their eyes of unbelief the cities appeared impregnable, and far too secure for them to take.

 

Jericho was a frontier town. It was the gateway to Canaan. Its capture was absolutely necessary before any progress could be made by Israel in conquering and possessing their promised inheritance. Failure to capture Jericho would not only discourage the Israelites, it would give strength to the Canaanites. It was the enemies’ leading stronghold, their most invulnerable fortress.

 

Yet, it fell to a people who possessed no artillery, and without them fighting a single battle. All they did, in obedience to God’s Word, was to march by faith around the city once each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. On that seventh day (The Number Of Grace – The Number of Salvation – The Number of Completion), the trumpets of rams’ horns were blown and when the people shouted the walls collapsed before them. By faith they destroyed Jericho and obtained their promised inheritance.