Transcript 'By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down'

“By Faith The Walls Of
Jericho Fell Down”
Text: Joshua 6:1-5; Heb. 11:30
Scripture Reading: Is. 55:8-9
Intro
Joshua 6: The Fall of Jericho:
 Children of Israel crossed the Jordan River and encountered a fortified city.
 Jericho stood opposite Mt. Nebo on the Western side of the Jordan.
 It was ruled by a king (Josh. 2:2), and its walls surrounded the city.
 The site has been excavated several times with the most complete work
done by the Garstang expedition in 1930-1936, followed by Kenyon in
1952-1958.
 Evidence of fire and great stores of remains of charred grains were found.
Remains of two walls, fourteen feet apart with beams running across them,
which dwellings were constructed atop these, were also found.
 Archaeological findings report that the ruins appear as if a mighty blast had
been set off in the midst of the city that forced the walls outward!
 One of the oldest cities; Lowest city: 853’ Below Sea Level
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
Intro
Joshua 6:1-5
1. Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out
and no one came in.
2. The LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with
its king and the valiant warriors.
3. "You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once.
You shall do so for six days.
4. "Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the
ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times,
and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
5. "It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and
when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a
great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will
go up every man straight ahead."
There are 4 outstanding lessons from the Fall of Jericho!
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
Is. 55:8-9
8. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are
And My thoughts
than your thoughts.
By human wisdom, this wasn’t strategic!
 Where were the siege engines of war?!
Jer. 10:23
23. I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his
steps.
God’s ways: require faith!
 Ex. 12:22: Blood on the doorposts would cause death to pass by!
 II Kings 5:10-14: Dipping 7 times in the Jordan would heal Naaman of
leprosy!
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
Is. 55:8-9
8. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are
And My thoughts
than your thoughts.
The coming of Christ:
 Lk. 2:7: Laid in a manger.
 The circumstances of His birth were opposite what might have been
suggested by human wisdom. (Mt. 2:2, 11; I Tim. 6:15)
Some still struggle to accept it!
The Plan of Salvation:
 I Cor. 1:18, 21, 22-24, 27: The wisdom of God is not understood by
man, and is sometimes considered “foolishness” by the wise.
 What man would have come up with baptism as the saving act of
obedience? (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Gal. 3:27)
Some think it too simple…like blood on doorposts,
Jericho, Naaman…
These originated in the mind of God! (I Cor. 1:21)
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
Meaning of Grace
Joshua 6:2
The LORD said to Joshua, "See,
Valiant warriors.
, with its king and the
The city was a gift from God!
 Yet, God told them how to take it – it required obedience to have the
grace!
Our daily bread is a gift from God – Mt. 6:33 (6:24-32)
 II Thess. 3:10: We must work to procure food (Gen. 3:17-19). Part of the
gift of God for daily bread is our jobs, our means to work and provide!
Our salvation is by grace (gift of God) – Rom. 6:23
 Eph. 2:5: By grace we are saved!
Acts 22:16
16. 'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His
name.'
Salvation is a gift, though there are certain conditions to be
met in order to receive the gift of grace! (Jericho, Heaven)
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
Meaning of Faith
Heb. 11:30
30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down
they had been encircled for seven days.
 After they were “encircled for seven days” the walls came tumbling down!
 After they were obedient to God, the gift of God was obtained!
We are also saved “by faith”:
 Rom. 5:1: Faith justifies us before God
 The walls of Jericho fell by faith after
obedience!
 We are saved by faith – but when? Before or
after obedience?
(Js. 2:20; Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16) After obedience!
Rom. 5:1
1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Faith saves when it moves one to obey God’s commands!
(Doorposts, Jericho, Baptism)
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
God’s Way Will work
Joshua 6:5
5. "It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the
trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and
, and
the people will go up every man straight ahead."
By faith they did what was commanded and though
against human wisdom, the walls came tumbling down!
(Heb. 11:30)
God’s way will work!
 When God gives a command, and attaches a promise
to it, He will fulfill the promise –we may not see the
connection between the command and the promise!
 We should not stumble just because we fail to see the
connection between God’s instructions and His
promises (As many do in relation to baptism).
Let us learn from the things “written in former days”
that God’s way will work! (ESV: Rom. 15:4)
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
Conclusion
I Cor. 1:21, 27
21. For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did
not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the
foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
27. but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the
wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame
the things which are strong,
God’s ways may seem as “foolishness” to us at times
(I Cor. 1:21, 27), but we need the faith to know His
way will work!
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
Conclusion
Imagine the outcomes if God’s way wasn’t obeyed in:
 The blood on the doorposts (Ex. 12:22)
 Jericho (Josh. 6)
 Naaman (I Kings 5)
Imagine your outcome if you have not obeyed God
concerning salvation! (II Thess. 1:8)
Let us learn the lessons of Jericho
and be obedient to God in God’s way!
"By Faith The Walls Of Jericho Fell Down"
“What Must I Do To Be Saved?”
Hear The Gospel (Jn. 5:24; Rom. 10:17)
Believe In Christ (Jn. 3:16-18; Jn. 8:24)
Repent Of Sins (Lk. 13:35; Acts 2:38)
Confess Christ (Mt. 10:32; Rom. 10:10)
Be Baptized (Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16)
Remain Faithful (Jn. 8:31; Rev. 2:10)
For The Erring Child:
Repent (Acts 8:22), Confess (I Jn. 1:9),
Pray (Acts 8:22)