Joshua 6:1-7 (ESV)
The Fall of Jericho
Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.” And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the LORD.”
Imagine the people’s mindset when they heard Joshua’s plan to take Jericho. Remember, up until this moment, Moses was in charge. But, Moses died and Joshua was put in charge. Although he lead fighting expeditions for Israel, Moses was the one in charge and designing any plans. This was new territory for Israel AND for Joshua. In regard to military strategy this was completely out sorts. What would the people think about Joshua?
This is the key lesson in this section. Joshua didn’t care what the people thought of his plan. He only cared about carrying it out as God had designed it. The people had seen Joshua lead them across the Jordan River, via Moses’ crossing the Red Sea pattern. That showed the people that God was with Joshua. Note the people’s response to the Jordan crossing:
Joshua 4:14 (ESV)
On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.
This undoubtedly played a key role when they heard Joshua explain the plans for Jericho. This was Joshua’s water-out-of-a-rock moment. Just as God had done miracle after miracle for Moses, so, too, was He about to do with Joshua as the leader. This is how God works. God must put into the hearts of follower-ship to allow leadership to lead. God created a sense of “awe” by the people toward Joshua, as He did around Moses. Only God can do that. No leader can lead without some type of follower-ship. But, it is God who gives the follower-ship the sense of “awe” that is needed for the leader to lead. Regretfully too many leaders think so highly of themselves, they forget that God not only puts one up to lead, He puts others down to follow. Joshua new this truth:
Psalms 75:6-7 (ESV)
For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment,
putting down one and lifting up another.
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