June 16, 2023

This is what persistent obedience looks like.

Joshua 6

Peyton Hasse
Friday's Devo

June 16, 2023

Friday's Devo

June 16, 2023

Friday's Devo

June 16, 2023

Friday's Devo

June 16, 2023

Big Idea

God's definition of success is faithfulness.

Key Verse | Joshua 6:20

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

Joshua 6

The Fall of Jericho

1 Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2 And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, 1 6:5 Hebrew under itself; also verse 20 and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.” 7 And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the LORD.”

8 And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the LORD went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD following them. 9 The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” 11 So he caused the ark of the LORD to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

12 Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13 And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets blew continually. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days.

15 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city. 17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. 2 6:17 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 18, 21 Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21 Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.

22 But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute's house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. 24 And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the LORD be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho.

At the cost of his firstborn shall he
    lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest son
    shall he set up its gates.”

27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

Footnotes

[1] 6:5 Hebrew under itself; also verse 20
[2] 6:17 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 18, 21

Joshua 6:21 "Devoted to destruction?"

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Joshua 6

From the beginning of this chapter, you see a people group marked by persistent obedience. God calls, and they follow—no questions asked. Their hearts are filled with such a deep trust in their God that second-guessing doesn't even have a moment to try to sneak its way in. And in the midst of this submission, we see a God who is faithful to fulfill His promises (Joshua 6:20) and who rewards those who are faithful.

As we look at the obedience of Joshua and his people, we are reminded that this is not a one-and-done action. It is a discipline that is developed through persistence, patience, surrender to God's will, and trust in who our God is. We are called to live a life marked by obedience to God and His Word at all times, no matter what He is inviting us to do. And as we go on this journey, we walk along with others, just as the priests and armed men did around the wall.

We rejoice with each other in the destruction of evil that opposes God and shout with great joy in reverence of God's authority. So my question to you, brothers and sisters: What is God calling you to obedience in today?

This month's memory verse

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

– 1 Corinthians 15:58

Discussion Questions

1. We witness here six days of repetitive obedience—and increased repetition on day seven. Do you find yourself being obedient in the repetitive moments of life? Moments of change? Both? Neither? In what ways can you practice daily obedience in both the repetition and change?

2. In what ways are you bringing community in to walk alongside you in obedience?

3. We see a God who is faithful to fulfill His promises as His people walk in obedience. What promises have you seen God fulfill in the midst of your walk in obedience?

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Hugh Stephenson

Good morning, Peyton! Love your point about obedience as a discipline that is developed. There are many times that I struggle with what obedience means for me in each situation. Q1. I do not do well in repetitive moments. Nor in ones of change. My usual “go-to” is either control or withdrawal. The part of obedience that is hardest for me is the “no matter what”. Q2. I’m fortunate to have a great CG that walks with me and knows how to give wise and biblically based counsel. They love me enough to dig in when they see the warning signs in my words and actions. Q3. One of the key truths I pursued aggressively post salvation was a much deeper understanding of the Sovereignty, Supremacy and Sufficiency of God.
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Hugh Stephenson

What is it about the trumpets? -Trumpets blasts in Exodus 19 to announce that the LORD has arrived to complete Hs covenant and establish His kingdom. -Trumpets at the start of the Sabbatical month that He might grant Sabbath rest -Trumpets to announce the Jubilee But there is another role for trumpets, “But when the Lord comes to found, to build up, and to perfect His kingdom upon earth, He also comes to overthrow and destroy the worldly power which opposes His kingdom.” Announcement of judgement. It seems that the trumpets and the parading was to announce judgement on the people and the city. And even to give the people and the King time to consider and repent, (see also Pharoah). https://www.gotquestions.org/seven-trumpets-Revelation.html And this is where chapter 6 gets very interesting. Thinking back on Jericho. Clearly the entrance into the Promised Land is a huge event. But why wipe out Jericho, (devote it to destruction)? The note indicate that Jericho was among the most heavily fortified cities in the ancient near east. Further, the structure of their defenses was such that it would be among the most challenging and difficult to attack and defeat. Joshua and his leaders had no training against these types of defenses. Moreover they had no armaments or weapons that would be suitable. But isn’t that just the point…as noted in Joshua 6:2, (I have given Jericho into your hand)? And what about the whole parading and what about the trumpets? “The emphasis on the number seven (fourteen times in this chapter [cf. Exodus. 24:16; 2 Kings 3:9; Job 2:11-13; Ezekiel. 3:15]), the use of ceremonial trumpets (made from ram's horns), the presence of priests, and the prominence of the ark all indicate that the conquest of Jericho was more than a military campaign; it was a religious event. Israel must always remember that the land was God's gift to them." “The revelation of the grace and mercy of God to His children, goes ever side by side with the revelation of justice and judgment towards the ungodly who are His foes. If therefore the blast of trumpets was the signal to the congregation of Israel of the gracious arrival of the Lord its God to enter into fellowship with it, no less did it proclaim the advent of judgment to an ungodly world."
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Hugh Stephenson

And then there’s this- "In a letter to his missionary friend Rev. Daniel Edwards, the saintly Scottish preacher Robert Murray McCheyne wrote: 'Remember you are God's sword—His instrument—I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.'" I note with interest that it was many centuries before any part of Jericho was rebuilt. “God called the Israelites to announce bad news, and to destroy Jericho, but He has called Christians to announce good news, and to seek and to save the lost.” So what is God’s call to me in this chapter? Joshua represents a foreshadowing of Jesus. He is my model much in the way Jesus is. As I go through the days, weeks, months, and years God is calling me into full and total engagement. Many of my friends and colleagues have moved into retirement, which for many of them is a life of relaxation and leisure. I make no accusation of them or judge them of wrongdoing. All I know is that God calls me to join the battle. "Nothing can more raise a man's reputation, nor make him appear more truly great, than to have the evidence of God's presence with him." "In a letter to his missionary friend Rev. Daniel Edwards, the saintly Scottish preacher Robert Murray McCheyne wrote: 'Remember you are God's sword—His instrument—I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.'"
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Michael Sisson

Re: Jos 6:2-5 Jos 6:2 (NASB) >>>The LORD said to Joshua,<<< “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. Presumably, the L-RD in Jos 6:2 is still the Captain of the L-RD’s Host (Christophany) Who was addressing Joshua in Jos 5:15. Re: Jos 6:18 Jos 6:18 (NASB) “But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, >>>and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it.<<< Notice G-d’s warning the disobedience of the individual would have consequences for the entire nation, as we’ll read in the story of Achan (Jos 7:1).
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Shawn Foster

GM and Thank you. In answer to Q3., God has provided for our needs for physical healing, financial hardships, wisdom when perplexed, guidance when confused, encouragement when dismayed. He has never, ever failed us. I owe him my life. Actually it is his life & I am just returning it to him. Amen? HAGWOW
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Michael Scaman

The walls fell around Rahab's home but apparently when the walls collapsed enough of the wall around her home did not. A scarlet thread marked it as a 'safe house'. Rahab is related to the word 'proud one' and God defeating Rahab in the sea at the Exodus is sung about in Psalms and Isaiah as if a dragon. God defeats the storms in people's lives. God was already working in Rahab. Everyone heard of the Israelites and what happened the last 40 years with a form of faith but Rahab had a living faith that was more than being afraid. Her living faith was seen in her actions. Note on archeology There is an odd story about Jericho and archeology. There was an archeologist named Kathleen Kenyon who went to Jericho and dug (in the poor section of the city) and didn't find the expensive Phoenecian pottery she expected in that day. And so... she threw out the straightforward Biblical record and came to believe the Exodus was greatly exaggerated and the Jews came upon the ruins of Jericho already fallen, helping deconstructionist views of the Bible to spread. Years later David Bryant who had a PhD in historic pottery of the time dug in the rich section of Jericho and found the Phoenecian pottery and made many arguments favoring the Biblical record.
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Amy Lowther

1. Yes, I remain obedient in repetition and change. In repetition and change, I feel obedience can come from what you have already practiced such as attending service on Sunday, reading in the Bible, sharing faith, and volunteering in organized church events. 2. In community, we work together to help each other be successful in doing what God prefers and in being what He created us to be. 3. I have experienced that God is always with us no matter what we do or where we go. I have also experienced that we love because He first loved us.
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Sue Bohlin

Thanks, Peyton! Wbat a wonderful story of pure, unadulterated obedience that gives all the glory to God and ends well! There's no natural way that simply shouting will bring down the walls of a crazy-fortified city. What happened was supernatural . . .Yahweh just FLEXING! The latest in a string of jaw-dropping miracles, like Moses stretching out his hand over the Red Sea and God parted it, and Moses striking the rock with his staff and God caused water to flow from it. And let's not forget Moses doing nothing at all and God lavished manna and quail on the people. 30+ years ago, which I see by the dated note in the margin of my Bible, a pastor pointed out three lessons to Joshua at the beginning of his leadership of the Israelites: 1. He was not alone ("I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you," Joshua 1:5) 2. He was not in charge ("As commander of the army I have now come," Joshua 5:14) 3. He had already won ("See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands," Joshua 6:2) Good stuff!