Joshua 6:8-27: "Obedience: So They Did"
Joshua 6:8-27: "Obedience: So They Did"
"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 told the people exactly what the Lord had instructed. The armed men went ahead, followed by seven priests carrying ram's horns and blowing them as they walked. The ark of the covenant followed behind them. The people marched in silence. They circled the city once each day. On the seventh day, they circled seven times, then blew the trumpets and shouted. At that moment, the mighty double walls collapsed.
What must the people of Jericho have been thinking?
They had heard the stories of Israel's exodus from Egypt, how they crossed the Red Sea, and what happened to the pursuing Egyptian army. They knew how Israel had defeated the Amorite kings. The people of Jericho were trembling with fear. Their hearts were filled with dread. They must have known their city would soon fall.
But what they saw was quite different from what they'd heard. The Israelites were simply circling their city daily, blowing trumpets. They were just walking around with trumpets and the ark of the covenant, doing nothing else.
The people of Jericho probably knew why Joshua and the Israelites were circling their city. They likely knew the Israelites believed the walls would fall on the seventh day.
They must have mocked them. They probably jeered and ridiculed the priests blowing trumpets, the people carrying the ark, Joshua, and all Israel. How could they believe these thick, double-fortified walls would fall just by shouting? The priests must have blown their trumpets and carried the ark while enduring this mockery. Joshua and the people followed behind, facing the same derision.
This is obedience.
"So they did as commanded."
It means doing exactly what God commands, even when people mock, ridicule, and jeer.
Prayer: Faithful God, help us to obey Your promises boldly. Even when those who don't understand mock, ridicule, and jeer, help us obey Your word with courage. Holy Spirit, make us strong and courageous. Amen.