I would guess analogies using walls have been used since the human race began building them. I can't help but think this scripture has something to do with that. Whether of not this is the case their is much to consider literally and figuratively as we take a look at Joshua and the Israelites at the "battle" of Jericho. So let's look at the details of the account of this divine victory and then we will consider the walls built that God has called us to tear down and what we can learn from Joshua and the Israelites about how we go about it.
At the end of Joshua 5, we see Joshua "near Jericho." How near he was, we don't know, but he was likely contemplating the battle to come. Perhaps it was evening and thus he felt safe to anonymously walk near the wall of the city, perhaps thinking and praying about how they would overpower this fortress before him. Thus it would've been natural for him to ask this warrior that meets him with his sword drawn whose side he was on. This also explains the warrior's response of "neither." The warrior is saying I'm not a member of either Earthly army but commander of the Lord's army. This is not to say God was neutral in the upcoming battle. This was more likely God's way of getting Joshua's attention to say "Snap out of it man, you're about to have a divine encounter."
Could you imagine being in Joshua's shoes and receiving these peculiar instructions. Now, I'm no military expert but I think most would find the idea of marching around the wall of the city, playing horns and on the last day of this exercise, yelling at tue top of your lungs as a strange military strategy. Yet, there is no mention of questioning by the people of Joshua or the Lord. This is not the first time we have seen God give strange commands nor would it be the last. God called Noah to build an ark. God used Joseph's dreams to save Egypt and the tribe of Israel from famine. As told in Exodus 17, Joshua himself had already experienced military victory because God had granted the Israelite army success only when Moses kept his staff held high and the army would falter when his arms would lower from fatigue. Thankfully Aaron and Hur were there to hold Moses' arms up so the Israelites could have victory. And soon after this we see God's military strategies where less is more in the story of Gideon as well as putting the Israelite army's fate in the hands of a boy with a sling against a gigantic man with a shield and spear. All this to say, time and time again, God desires for his people to have a clear sense that victory is only possible through His power. Trust and faith remains at the heart of God's strategy. This was a message not only to the Israelites but to those who who inhabited the promised land. God wants the Inhabitants of Canaan to know the hand of God is with the Israelites. We could even compare it to the message of John the Baptist as he prepared the way of the Lord. John declared Jesus' arrival with the words of Isaiah saying "Every valley shall be raised up and every mountain and hill made low, the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it." (Isaiah 40: 3-5) Through Joshua and the Israelite army, God is making the inhabitants of the land aware of his presence. Though it might not be a mountain or a hill in this case, but every city and fortress will be made low.
It may seem a violent expression of God's presence, but none the less, an expression. Why so much death and destruction? Is this the same God we read of in the New testament? Is Yahweh not a God of peace, a God of mercy? I do not pretend to have an answer as to why all this destruction needs to take place, but I do know this. Our God is somehow a God of justice while still being a God of grace and mercy. We clearly see judgement on the people of the land as much destruction takes place not only of Jericho, but other cities and places in the chapters that follow. Yet at the same time, we see God's grace in the redemption of Rahab and her family. We know through the story of Rahab that news of the people's coming had reached Canaan and because Rahab responded to this news through the opportunity of meeting the spies, she and her family were saved. Perhaps there are more untold stories of redemption among the inhabitants of the Promised Land but for the sake of moving the story along Joshua did not bother to record them.
Yet, we can also be sure that God had no intention of compromising in the area of purity. Amy and I just saw the movie Lincoln that just recently came out. I felt the major theme of the movie was that Lincoln was going to do whatever it took to rid the United States of slavery. Thus, he used every political means necessary to make sure the 13th amendment that abolished slavery was passed. He would not entertain any talk of peace with the South unless it was completely understood that slavery would be no more. The movie expressed that though Lincoln was compromising in other areas, he was uncompromising on the issue of slavery and felt it absolutley necessary to be rid of it as the country would move forward after the Civil War. God was no different with those who inhabited the land of Canaan, but the issue for God was who or what they worshipped. God would not allow compromise with these people in terms of the Gods they worshipped. He desired purity. In other words, I believe there was so much destruction in the book of Joshua because God would rather see nations die than to allow his people Israel to be compromised by the false religions these other nations brought to the table. Perhaps God felt fair warning had been given as news traveled of the great power of the Lord of the Israelites. These are just one man's thoughts but to gloss over the dectruction would be too easy, and as Christians we should not be afraid to wrestle with why it happened. I believe honest questions lead to stronger faith. (I'll get off my soap box now)
At the heart of the story of the Battle of Jericho is this simple question: Who are you going to trust? Joshua and the Israelites after many struggles seem to finally be on the same page with God here. They trusted God's crazy plan to march around the wall for seven days and on the 7th day to yell as loud as they can in order to make the wall of Jericho fall down. I wish I had trust like that. I wish I could trust God so much that he would knock down all the Jerichos in my life. How 'bout you? How deep does your trust go? What are the Jerichos you are facing right now? Are there walls you need to trust God to knock down in your life? Did you build them or did someone or something else? The bigger picture here is trusting God's plan. We may think we are putting things in God's hands but often we have a tendency to manipulate the plan along the way or perhaps cajole it more than we should. Parenting is a big Jericho many of us face or have faced. How do we guide our children while trusting God in the process without manipulating? I don't pretend to know the answers but I know the more I can put in the hands of God as days go by, the better it will be for all involved in the long run. If anything, may Joshua and the crumbling walls of Jericho teach us that trusting in God can lead to powerful break throughs (pun intended) and mighty victories to be celebrated on God's behalf.
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