Articles
Tearing Down Walls
The story of the walls of Jericho falling is amazing. It is an example of what men call foolishness. No military strategist would dare devise taking a city like the Israelites took Jericho. Taking the city as they did is an example of God’s power.
If we think about this victory strategically, Israel’s success or failure in conquering Canaan depended on the outcome of the battle of Jericho. If they gained a foothold here, they could scale the hills to the Bethel plateau, and thereby separate the northern and southern territories. Their new leader, Joshua, had a “divide-and-conquer” plan that was brilliant, but there was one major obstacle: Jericho’s walls.
Jericho’s walls were tightly shut. No man of Israel went out or came in. From a human viewpoint, it looked hopeless. But from God’s viewpoint, this seeming impossibility was a disguised opportunity for them to see one of His promises come true. The walls were not a problem for God. From His perspective, Jericho was already defeated. But could Joshua marshal the faith in Israel to believe God’s Word and God’s power? When God told Joshua that Jericho was his, Joshua believed Him. He had seen the Lord’s holiness and might, and he knew that no river was too wide, no situation too difficult, and no wall too formidable for the Lord. Fixing his mind on the power of God rather than the height of the wall, Joshua confidently believed God would fulfill His promise of victory (Joshua 6:3-5).
The assurance of victory that the Lord gave Joshua sparked hope in a beleaguered nation. What of us?
First, remember that God still keeps his promises. Someone has calculated that there are approximately 7,500 promises in the Bible. When we look at how God fulfilled his promise to Joshua, we can have hope when we face tough situations. In those times, we can be assured that God will keep His promises.
Second, recognize that not all promises in the Bible are for us. Some promises are exclusive. God told Mary that as a virgin she would conceive and have a child. He told Abraham and Sarah that in spite of their old age they would have a son. We can take hope from the way God worked in these lives, but these promises are not ours. Some promises are conditional. Many of God’s promises are contingent on obedience. Many of the Bible’s promises are for us. For example, though our name is not on the Philippian letter, when Paul writes, “And my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” we can be assured that God will supply our needs, too.
Third, we must believe and act on God’s promises by faith. Faith minus obedience is zero. Joshua believed in God’s promises and he acted and defeated Jericho. Without an active faith, we will have no victory, no comfort, and no peace. Faith coupled with obedience equals tearing down mighty walls.
Trusting God’s promise of victory in your impossible situation and acting on the promise may be difficult, especially if the wall is formidable. But rest assured, there is hope beyond that wall.
