JOSHUA 5-6

The Wall of Jericho is a type of barriers in our life that make us feel defeated before we start. These may include our past, anger, or addiction. Any others? How did we feel as we faced them, did we turn to God for help, what happened, and did we thank him? In my own experience, I often fail to thank him when the crisis is over.

There has been an ongoing discussion of all the pros and cons regarding archeological evidence for conquest of Jericho. The problems associated with trying to “prove” or “refute” the historical accuracy of biblical accounts are well demonstrated by the city of Jericho.

1. Site identification may be faulty. (There are several other ancient tells in that general region which could be ancient Jericho.)

2. The exact date of the Exodus is not known. Depending on Egyptian records or several deductions made from different Biblical passages, it is estimated as taking place sometime between 1200 and 1400 BC.

3. There is a very real danger in basing an assertion on the absence of evidence.

4. All the evidence is not in yet.

5. Jericho may very well be the oldest city in the world – about 8,000 BC. Therefore the archeological strata of such an ancient city are very complicated and hard to interpret.

6. A city almost thoroughly destroyed by Joshua would leave little evidence behind.

7. Erosion occurred for over 500 years before the city was reoccupied.

What is the role of faith in the face of contrasting (archeological) evidence or nagging doubts or problems. One Christian I talked to regarding this question said that only when he decided to take the Bible on faith and ignore problem areas that he began to grow spiritually. In my case, I didn't grow at all as a Christian for years because of many nagging problem areas and only began to mature when I decided to face these problems head-on and investigate them. Which approach is better? Read John 20:26-31.

5:13-15 This is a very important passage to consider. We don't have the right to demonize those who disagree with us on a myriad of issues. The important point isn't whether God is on our side or theirs, but whether we are on God's side. The divine commander appears – Joshua's superior officer. This reminds us that it was God carrying out righteous judgment on the Canaanites at this time, not man. The story of the conquest does not give us the right to carry out punishment on those we feel are God's enemies. Remember that there was another basic reason for the Canaanite's destruction: to protect the purity of Israel's religion. It is interesting that both arguments are used by radical Islam today to justify all their actions.

6:2 This is the seventh time that God addresses Joshua to give him instructions prior to the attack on Jericho. Also in verse 4. The number 7 symbolically indicates perfection or completion.

6:3 The ancient practice of some armies was to mark out the territory to be conquered by such a ceremony. It is interesting that the Crusaders in the year 1099 circled the city of Jerusalem with a procession including priest, expecting the city to fall miraculously.

6:4 Trumpeting from ram's horns occurs in the OT usually in the context of religious ceremonies, not military. But this was a religious action.

6:2-7 What caused the walls to fall? The secondary cause may have been an earthquake such as possibly at the crossing of the Jordan. What was the primary cause? God. But see “faith” as another cause (Hebrews 11:30). There is an interesting connection here between an act of God that happens only because of the people's faith. God could have acted alone but chose to involve people in the process. This is the reason behind all prayers of petition.

There have been some attempts to remove this event even as a miracle of timing: (1) The noise of the army and trumpets was to cover up the noise of Israelite diggers undermining the walls with tunnels. (2) The shout of the whole army at one time set up vibrations that caused the walls (weakened by recent earthquakes) to crumble. Such so-called natural explanations are harder to believe than miraculous ones; they take more faith.