14. Children of Israel’s Faith (2)
Hymns: RHC 323 Trust and Obey, 324 Trusting Jesus, 351 He Leadeth Me
Hebrews 11:30 (KJV)
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Children of Israel’s Faith (2)
OUTLINE
(1) An Obedient Faith
(2) A Triumphant Faith
INTRODUCTION
The Apostle Paul observed in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (KJV) “27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
The conquest of the city of Jericho was one such glorious example. The Israelites were but a company of freed slaves and not soldiers. Possessing the Promised Land was God’s plan to effect His salvation plan for all mankind. God used an unlikely people to accomplished His purpose. God’s plan was to establish Israel as a nation to be His witness to all the nations of the world. They were considered the weak, despised slaves when contrasted with the mighty strength of the Egyptian army!
The Israelites’ victory at Jericho cannot be attributed to any brilliance on their part. The strategy to take down Jericho certainly did not exalt any innate strength of the Israelites that God wanted to highlight or distinguish. In fact, it was a foolish strategy that makes any military commander feel insulted. Alas, God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts not our thoughts.
As one late pastor observed well, “What wisdom is there in dying on the cross? The Greeks couldn’t understand it, and yet that is the wisdom of God. God is so wise that the person with the highest IQ cannot figure Him out. If you could come to God with your intellect, then God is not faith because all the smart people would have head start and the rest of us would be left behind standing in the shadows. Your spirituality would be based upon your intellect. I’m so glad God has “hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes” (Matthew 11:25). God is not so high that few can figure Him out; it is that God has placed Himself at such a level few of us will get down low enough to see God revealing Himself to us. Praise God for choosing you! Praise God for His wisdom!”[1]
You recall when Moses sent 12 spies to survey the Promised Land, the report of the 10 returning spies was that there were giants in the land, fierce, powerful, just like the fortified city of Jericho. A magnificent fortress! An impossibility to take down.
When God instructed Israel to enter the land, God had to remind their leader Joshua to be strong and of a good courage, be very courageous, be not afraid. Why? Because they task seemd impossible to accomplish. First, they had to cross the overflowing banks of the Jordan River, an unimaginable physical obstacle. Secondly, they risk facing the wrath of a strong enemy with all the strength take them down, hands down.
To do God’s battle, God’s people must rely upon the Lord for victory. This was Israel’s testimony, they were obedient to the Lord’s command and they were triumphant in the Lord’s battle.
(1) An Obedient Faith
(2) A Triumphant Faith
(1) An Obedient Faith
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Joshua waited upon the Lord to provide the strategy for battle. God was at hand to guide them to conquer and inherit the land.
Davidson said well, “we have this most significant account with the angel of Jehovah. This must have been a time of special anxiety and suspense for Joshua. The Jordan was crossed, there could be no going back now. The burden of leadership lay heavily upon his shoulders. But at the very moment when he was by Jericho, anxiously reconnoitring the strong city which lay in Israel’s path, there appeared to Him the repsesentative of Jehovah, who called Himself the captain of the host of the Lord (Joshua 6:14). We believe was the Son of God Himself… Joshua was thinking of the conflict as being between two sets of opposing forces, Israelites and Canaanites, and he was anxious to know if this armed warrior (Joshua 6:14) was to be his ally in the struggle. The answer was to the effect that He was not an ally, but a leader to whose leadership and control Joshua himself must submit. Thus he is reminded again that this is a holy war in which his position is that of a servant (Joshua 6:14). The ultimate responsibility is borne not on the shoulders of a human leaders but by God Himself. The story of the conquest which follows shows this divine guidance at work influencing and controlling human stragety. It may help to make the history more intelligible if we glance at the broad outline of that strategy. There were three stages in the conquest. The first consisted in the capture of Jericho and Ai, which opened up the passes into the interior of the country. A wedge was then driven between the northern and southern sections of the country and the second and third stages in the campaign were the defeat of the southern confederacy and the northern confederacy in turn.”
This was the plan for the first stage – Joshua 6:1-5 (KJV) 1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
The strategy was simple but it required the cooperation of the Israelites to do according to God’s instruction for victory. It seemed a foolish strategy to simply march around the city. It required faith on their part for if the enemy would attack them whilst they march around in an ambush, they would be easy targets. They had to trust God to protect them whilst they quietly march around.
Naaman, was general of the Syrian army, given the permission by God to spoil His people as a judgement for their sins (2 Kings 5). And Israel was defeated in her battles with the Syrian army and the people of Israel was brought captive into Syria was slaves.
Although nation of Israel was under God’s judgement for her departure from God, there were remnant of men and women who kept their faith, and has not bowed their knee to Baal.
There was a little Israelite girl who became a servant to Naaman’s wife in Naaman’s household. It is narrated in 2 Kings 5 that though Naaman was a valiant man in battle, he was plagued with leprosy. Leprosy is the world’s oldest skin disease. It is a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities.
This little girl was a God fearer. She loved her God and understood the power of God to help those in need. And God has raised for Himself a prophet in Israel, Elisha, whom she knew, to be a man of God. She conveyed this truth, in kindness, to her master in hope that Naaman might be helped.
She was confident in the power of her God to show forth His glory in helping Naaman. Not an easy suggestion to give because her people are now Syrian captives and it may be misconstrued by Naaman that she was trying to insult her master to mock him in his helpless condition.
Wherever God may send us, we can be a witness for Him, in whatever environment and circumstance that God places us in. This girl witnessed to her master that there is a true God in Israel and recommended him to seek audience with His prophet.
We can convey to the people around us in need who are outside His kingdom that there is help with God. God will show Himself faithful as we witness for Him according to His Word.
We are also reminded of the man who came to Jesus for healing plagued with the disease of leprosy. Jesus healed him!
Matthew 8:2-3 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
This little girl though young has faith in God. And she conveyed that faith to her master with the hope of helping him.
We share with our loved ones and friends that we have the best Friend in Jesus for He can save us from the greatest disease of sin. When Jesus has cleansed them from their sin, He gives them power over sin and death and eternal life. What a great privilege to be an ambassador for Christ.
Elisha saw the awkward situation of the king of Israel. Why should the king be so troubled that he has to rent his clothes? Why didn’t he simply sent Naaman to Elisha? Of course, the king of Israel is in rebellion against his God. He was at odds with God’s prophet. Israel’s kings have been indulging in idolatry for many generations and they were time and again rebuked by God’s prophets.
Naaman now has the permission of the king of Israel to seek help from Israel’s prophet. When Naaman came, Elisha did not even come out of his house to greet him. He felt offended. But Elisha provided him what he could do to be healed – 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
Naaman became very angry and even insulted that he would have to go to the dirty little Jordan to be cleansed of his disease – 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
Surely, the rivers of Damascus are superior to the Jordan. He felt insulted. He would not obey the prophet’s instruction.
2 Kings 5:13-14 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Naaman had to humble himself before God, hearkened to God’s prophet to receive healing. He did so and was gloriously healed. God’s power to heal was communicated in truth by the reality of the healing that took place when Naaman obeyed Elisha’s instruction.
Rogers observed well, “You see, sometimes when God is asking you to do something very small it may not make sense to you. And you say, ha ha, I don’t need to do that. Why, why, that’s not important. You let God determine what’s important. Here’s old Naaman and said, why, there are better rivers over there in Syria if I want to wash in a river. But God knows what He’s doing.”[2]
The instruction from God’s Word is His wisdom for every aspect of life. We can depend upon His Word to help us as we do so with prayer. He never fails His people.
(2) Triumphant Faith
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down …
How is it logically possible for the walls to fall from the concerted shout of the children of Israel marching around the city of Jericho? Did their shout resonated so powerly that it caused the walls to be shaken that it gave way? Humanly speaking, it is an unexplainable physical phenomenon that took place. Never before, never after! This victory could only be traced to the power of God because He gave the “ridiculous” strategy that worked!
God gives to us the blueprint for the salvation of our souls from the torment of hell fire as a result of human sin.
Romans 10:8-13 (KJV) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
As we said when we begin our exhortation – What wisdom is there in dying on the cross?
The Apostle Paul speaks well of the obedience of faith to the salvation of souls in taking hold of Jesus Christ, in His life, death and resurrection!
1 Corinthians 1:17-24 (KJV) 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
The victory of the children of Israel is a reminded to us how we need to exercise faith and be obedient to His revealed Word. We believe therefore we do and behold the glory of God! This is the Christian faith in action for our learning.
CONCLUSION
May the Lord help us to learn well the lesson of obedient faith. Amen.
[1] Adrian Rogers, Daybreak – Practicing the Presence of God, Love Worthfinding Ministries, 2007, 121.
[2] The Adrian Rogers Legacy Collection – The Adrian Rogers Legacy Collection