When God’s Battle Plan Sounds Crazy
What’s Joshua 6 about?
This is the story of Israel’s first major conquest in the Promised Land – the fall of Jericho through what might be history’s strangest military strategy. God tells Joshua to march around the city for seven days, blow some trumpets, and watch the walls collapse. It’s a powerful lesson about trusting God’s methods even when they make zero sense to us.
The Full Context
Picture this: you’re standing on the plains outside Jericho around 1400 BC, looking up at massive walls that have protected this ancient city for centuries. You’re part of a nomadic people who’ve been wandering in the wilderness for forty years, and now you’re facing your first real test in conquering the land God promised your ancestors. The previous generation died in the desert because they were too afraid to trust God’s promises – and here you are, staring at walls that seem just as impossible.
Joshua 6 serves as the dramatic opening act of Israel’s conquest narrative, establishing a pattern that will echo throughout the entire book: God fights for His people, but He does it His way, not theirs. This isn’t just ancient military history – it’s a theological statement about faith, obedience, and the reality that God’s wisdom often looks like foolishness to human eyes. The chapter also introduces us to Rahab, whose story of faith and redemption becomes a beautiful thread woven throughout Scripture, even appearing in the genealogy of Jesus.
What the Ancient Words Tell Us
The Hebrew word for Jericho is yerikho, which might come from the word for “moon” – fitting for a city that was already ancient when Joshua arrived. Archaeological evidence suggests Jericho was one of the world’s first walled cities, making it a perfect symbol of seemingly impossible obstacles.
But here’s where it gets interesting: when God tells Joshua to “march around” the city, the Hebrew word is sabab. It doesn’t just mean walk – it carries the idea of encircling something completely, like a hunter surrounding prey. The Israelites weren’t just taking a casual stroll; they were performing a ritualistic encirclement that would have been deeply unsettling to anyone watching from the walls.
Grammar Geeks
The word for “shout” in Joshua 6:5 is teruah – the same word used for the blast of trumpets on the Day of Atonement and other holy days. This wasn’t a battle cry; it was a worship response. Israel wasn’t attacking Jericho – they were celebrating God’s victory before it even happened.
The phrase “devoted to destruction” in Joshua 6:17 translates the Hebrew word cherem. This is one of the most challenging concepts in the Old Testament, but understanding it is crucial. Cherem means something is completely set apart for God – so holy that it becomes untouchable by human hands. It’s not primarily about destruction; it’s about recognition that some things belong entirely to God.
What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?
To ancient Near Eastern ears, this story would have sounded absolutely revolutionary. Every other nation had gods of war who demanded elaborate sacrifices, complex rituals, and impressive military might. But Israel’s God wins battles through… walking? And silence? And then one big collective shout?
Did You Know?
Archaeological excavations at Jericho have revealed walls that fell outward rather than inward – exactly what you’d expect from an earthquake, not a typical siege. The walls literally created ramps that attackers could run up into the city, which is precisely what the biblical account describes.
The original audience would have immediately recognized the number seven as significant. Seven days, seven priests, seven trumpets – this is the number of divine completion throughout Scripture. God wasn’t just conquering a city; He was demonstrating that His timing and methods are perfect.
They would also have been struck by the contrast with their parents’ generation. Forty years earlier, the spies reported that the people of Canaan were “like giants” and the cities were “fortified up to heaven” (Numbers 13:28). Now here they were, watching those impossible walls crumble without firing a single arrow.
But Wait… Why Did They Have to Walk in Silence?
This is genuinely puzzling when you think about it. Why the silence for six days? Ancient warfare was all about psychological intimidation – armies would shout, beat drums, and make as much noise as possible to terrify their enemies. So why did God command the exact opposite?
The silence serves multiple purposes. First, it builds tension – imagine being a defender on those walls, watching this strange procession day after day, not knowing what’s coming next. The silence is more unnerving than any war cry could be.
But there’s something deeper happening here. The silence forces Israel to focus entirely on God’s voice. No human planning, no military strategy sessions, no second-guessing the plan. Just pure, focused obedience to what God has said.
Wait, That’s Strange…
Why did God tell them to save Rahab and her family (Joshua 6:25) when everything else was supposed to be destroyed? Here’s a beautiful irony: the only survivors from Jericho were those who demonstrated faith in Israel’s God. Rahab becomes a picture of grace in the midst of judgment – and her story doesn’t end there. She appears in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1:5!
Wrestling with the Text
Let’s be honest – this chapter raises some tough questions. The complete destruction of Jericho troubles modern readers, and it should. We can’t simply dismiss the ethical challenges here, but we also need to understand the context.
Jericho wasn’t just a random city. Archaeological evidence suggests it was a center of particularly brutal religious practices, including child sacrifice. The Hebrew concept of cherem isn’t primarily about punishment – it’s about recognizing that some situations are so toxic, so opposed to God’s purposes, that they need to be completely removed from the equation.
Think of it like spiritual surgery. When cancer threatens to spread throughout the body, radical treatment becomes necessary. God wasn’t being arbitrary or cruel – He was protecting the integrity of His people’s mission and the future of redemption history.
“God’s methods often look like madness until you see the results.”
But here’s what’s beautiful: even in the midst of this severe judgment, God makes provision for faith. Rahab and her family are saved not because of their ethnicity or nationality, but because of their faith response to Israel’s God. Grace shows up even in the hardest passages of Scripture.
How This Changes Everything
This story fundamentally challenges how we think about impossible situations. The walls in your life – the obstacles that seem insurmountable, the problems that appear too big for any solution – they’re not too big for God. But here’s the catch: God rarely works the way we expect Him to.
Joshua’s generation learned something their parents never grasped: God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, and His wisdom often looks foolish to human eyes (1 Corinthians 1:25). Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is walk quietly in obedience, waiting for God’s timing.
The story also teaches us about the power of corporate faith. This wasn’t a solo mission – the entire community had to participate in this strange ritual. There’s something powerful about a group of people united in simple obedience to God’s word, even when that word doesn’t make immediate sense.
And finally, Rahab’s inclusion reminds us that God’s salvation is always bigger than we expect. The gospel reaches into the most unlikely places and transforms the most unexpected people. Her story anticipates the great truth that would be fully revealed in Christ: salvation is available to anyone who responds in faith to God’s grace.
Key Takeaway
When God’s instructions sound crazy, that’s often when you’re about to see His power most clearly. The walls that seem impossible to you are no challenge to Him – but He might ask you to trust His methods rather than your logic.
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