The walls of Jericho are discussed in the Old Testament Book of Joshua. In this classic story of the Old Testament, we know Joshua and all of Israel marched around the walls of Jericho for seven days, and then the walls crumbled down.
With this in mind, we might wonder what is the significance of the walls of Jericho. In addition to that, how does it relate to our lives?
The Walls of Jericho
In the modern day, we might not think too much about the walls of Jericho on a normal day. However, during Old Testament times, walls were very important.
Walls were a sign of protection for the people. The walls were able to keep the people safe and were also able to keep enemies out.
As in the story of Joshua, the people of Israel don't do what normal invaders do. Normal invaders would invade the walls, send weapons over the wall, or do anything to ransack the city. Joshua and the rest of the Israelites did something different because of what God said.
God told Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in” (Joshua 6:2-5).
While it might sound insane that simply walking around a city would bring down imposing walls, it worked because they were faithful to God and trusted in Him.
They trusted in God, and through their trust, God brought down the walls of Jericho. Through Jericho’s walls, we also see Joshua's great faith. Joshua had just become the leader of the Israelites after Moses's death, which brought many responsibilities to his life.
Despite the anxiety and fear, Joshua would have felt, he trusted in God. He had seen what God had done through the Exodus, and he knew God could do wonders again. In this way, Joshua never wavered in his faith.
He trusted God and knew that God could do what He had promised. God didn't tell Joshua and the Israelites to invade the city in the most aggressive way, but rather, through walking, playing instruments, and a loud shout, the walls of Jericho were brought down.
All of this was done by God and His mighty hand. He was testing their faith, and they proved faithful. While many may have doubted, Joshua didn’t, and he led the Israelites around the city for many days in order to bring the walls down.
Due to these imposing walls being brought down, many surrounding nations started to fear God. Their eyes were opened to the knowledge that the God of Israel was the true God. This God was able to bring down walls by simply having His people walk around the walls and play instruments.
Through the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho, we can see how important it is to have faith in God. We might be given tasks that seem ridiculous to us, but they are not ridiculous to God. There is always a meaning and purpose behind each task God gives us.
While He most likely won't ask us to march around a city to bring its walls down, He might ask us to switch jobs, become a missionary, or start a new life in true devotion to Him.
These things might sound scary at first; however, we can always trust God. He is faithful, and we can trust Him with everything.
Remembering its Significance
The significance of the walls of Jericho might go over our heads at times, yet we need to remember the extreme and faithful trust Joshua and the Israelites had in God. If we, too, trust God even with the impossible, He has a way of making beauty out of nothing.
We may fail, yet God is working through failure and turning it into a victory. Joshua and the people of Israel marched around the city for six days and then, on the seventh day, proclaimed a loud shout.
With this loud shout, the walls came tumbling down. In the same way, with God's direction and through having faith in Him, we can do great things for God. We need to believe and wait for God's glory to be revealed to us.
In addition to the walls of Jericho signifying the importance of trusting God and having faith in Him, we also see God’s power. As previously mentioned, it was only through God’s power that the walls came down.
This showed Joshua, the Israelites, and the surrounding people groups that God is the true God. In the same way, we can be shown the truth that God is the only God through this account in the Bible.
A made-up “god” couldn’t do what God did at this event. Only God Himself would have the divine power to bring down the walls of Jericho.
It is worth mentioning that the walls of Jericho would have been intimidating to the Israelites. Despite the fear they had, their faith was greater. It was greater because they knew they could trust God.
They had just crossed the Jordan River, and Jericho was the gateway to the Promised Land. The Israelites rested in the peace that God would fulfill His promise to take them to the Promised Land.
Since God had promised them, they knew that this was a sure promise and would be fulfilled because God had never gone back on any of His promises in the past.
It is peaceful for us to know the same today. Just as God promised the Israelites the Promised Land, He, too, promises us salvation through placing faith in His Son. This is a sure promise, yet we have to have faith.
None of us was alive during the time of Christ and His resurrection; however, we have the Bible, and it tells us everything we need to know. It requires us to have faith just as the Israelites were required to have faith in God.
If you place faith in Jesus by believing that He died for your sins, was buried, and rose again, you also will have the sure promise of salvation.
What Does This Mean?
Therefore, the significance of the walls of Jericho is that it shows Joshua’s faith as well as the Israelites’ faith in God, the power of God, and the sure promises of God.
Even though this event happened many years ago, we know that we can turn to it when we are feeling in need of faith and hope.
Life can become hard, yet we can rest in the sure promises of God. We might not have the need for physical walls to come down, but God can help us with our figurative walls of Jericho.
He is always with us, and He promises to deliver us into our eternal Promised Land with Him in heaven. Allow this to fill your heart today, and rest in the peace of His sure promises.
For further reading:
What Is the Significance of the Battle of Jericho?
What Is the Significance of ‘Pulling Down Strongholds’?
Why Did God Promise He’d Give Every Place Joshua Set His Foot?
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