Marching and Playing

483.  " Marching and Playing"                  March 26, 2012
Hebrews 11-Part 17
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days.
Hebrews 11:30
LET IT GLOW

It was fun being in the marching band at my high school, but I was only in it my junior year. However, we had to practice in the hot summer before school opened in the fall. We were a small band, yet perfection was demanded of us, so hours were spent in the cooler mornings playing and marching, marching and playing. It wasn't enough practice time for me, so I played my flute and marched in the yard when I got home. No walls fell down around our town that year, like they did for Joshua and the Israelites. We performed at all home football games. We were quite good, if I say so myself.
I do regret not continuing band my senior year.

God gave Joshuas some promises found in Joshua 1:5, There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

What great promises; and to think, they apply to us today.
Here's some background.

The Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, which was located in the foothills about seven miles east of the Jordan River.
What do we know about Jericho? It was seven miles west of the river; it had a 6 foot brick wall, 30 feet high.

When did this take place? It was 40 years after the parting of the Red Sea.

Who was leading this inexperienced army? Joshua, a new and inexperienced leader, was in command. God appointed him, so ultimately God gave the directions.

What happened to the walls? The people marched behind the Ark of the covenant, and the priests marched in front, blowing horns around Jericho; this was done 6 days. On the seventh day, they marched quietly around the city, then gave a loud shout, and the walls fell down.

Now did that take faith on the priest part? Here they were out front marching around a city, blowing horns. At any minute, the enemy could have come out and attacked them.
Did it take faith for the people to march around for 7 days? How about keeping quiet during the last march?What a story to tell their grandchildren-the day God brought down the walls of Jericho!

The people did nothing militarily to cause the fall of Jericho; they simply followed God's instructions in faith. (MacArthur)

Neither the marching nor the trumpets brought the walls down. Likewise, a doubting heart would cause one to stop maraching long before the seventh day. By faith they persisted in obedience to God's command. (Falwell)

David Guzik had this to say:

• At Jericho, the people of Israel had a daring faith. Theree was no turning back, having already crossed the river Jordan at flood stage, which cut off any line of retreat.
• At Jericho, the people of Israel had an obedient faith. They did not really understand what God was doing, yet they obeyed none the less.
• After they were encircled for 7 days: At Jericho the people of Israel had a patient faith. The walls did not fall down for the first 6 days, yet they kept marching as God commanded.
• At Jericho, the people of Israel had an anticipating faith. They knew God would acat on the seventh day when they shouted.

2 Corinthians 10:4 says, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.

How strong is my faith and your faith? Is it strong enough for God to bring down the walls that have us in bondage to sin? Our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

LET IT GROW

By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. Hebrews 11:31

Now skip back in time before the walls fell.

Review:

• Moses died, and God made Joshua the next leader of the Israelites.
• Joshua sent out two men to spy out the land on the other side of the Jordan River and Jericho before they attacked. (Joshua 2)
• The 2 spies stayed at the house of Rahab the prostitute, a harlot.
• Their presence was known to the king and he sent word for Rahab to give the men over to the soldiers.
• Rahab hid the spies on her roof, under stalks of flax, which were usually 3 feet long and dried on the rooftop,  while the soldiers visited her, so they were not found.
• She lied daringly to the soldiers, which resulted in them hunting for the spies outside the city gate; she was guilty of treason in the king's eyes.
• Rahab admitted to the spies that God is the supreme God of heaven above and earth below; her people were afraid because of what god had done for the Israelites at the Jordan River.
• She asked for her and her family's being spared when the Israelites attacked Jericho, which was granted.
• Rahab, a Canaanite, later married Salmon and had Boaz; she was the great, great-grandmother of King David; also she was an ancestor of Jesus. By God's grace, she was in the Messianic line (Matt.1:5).
• She was an example of God's saving by faith.

"Clement of Rome, the earliest Christian writer outside of the Bible, was tahe first to see a symbol of the blood of Jesus in the scarlet cord which Rahab hung outside her window," stated Guzik.

Isn't it amazing that the two spies ended up at Rahab's house. She obviously was a believer in their God. She risked her life by hiding the spies. Her life was spared because she put her faith in God.
Rahab's faith delivered her, and works justified her. Although her epithet as a harlot lingered, her life changed (James 2:25). (Falwell)

God commended Rahab's faith, not her lie. None of us are without sin, so I can't point a judging finger at her, because I'm in need of forgiveness like she was. God honors true faith, small as it is, and imparts saving grace (Ex. 34:7).

By faith, Linda...

LET IT GO

Be willing to march for Jesus, even if it's in a city, out in the open sight, in my community, in a foreign land?

Obey the detailed instructions of the Lord.

Have strong faith, stepping out daily, following Jesus.

Encourage other believers.