MARCH

• DAY 83
• Fear File: Isreal
• Scripture: Joshua 6:3

Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

This story is one of the bible highlights. If you never heard this before I will question your childhood days as a Christian. It even has songs, hymnals, rhymes, countless sermons, and stage plays. It is the hall of fame of stories right there with the defeat of Goliath. And it is worth all the hype. But as I always say, a story was once someone’s reality or experience. And here there are 2 real experiences. 

Let’s look at them

For Jericho

Waking up to the sounds of marching feet around the walls of your city is anxiety-inducing. And these people were already afraid. But more than that, expecting an invasion and seeing a match pass can be discombobulating.

There they were bracing for battle and preparing to defend their lives. A marching army they may have met before, but never have they seen one that marched and returned without a fight for 6 whole days.

This is the genius of God’s plan, this is the wisdom in it, He weakened an entire nation by making them afraid. Don’t underestimate the power of fear. That’s why you should cast out that spirit. It is the most dangerous thing a warrior like you should have.

Now, picture this reality from the perspective of the people of Jericho.

For Isreal

God had already promised them victory and their survey had confirmed it. History would have thought them that doubting God was more disastrous than defeating an enemy. So they had no fear here. Yet if I was in their shoes I would have found the strategy mid-boggling or impractical.

Marching around armed and silent for 7 days doesn’t sound like the number of explosives needed to bring down a fortified wall. The walls in these times were thick enough to have people live in them and walk on them. It was no ordinary fence.

My mind imagines the scene and I see the people living in the wall looking out their windows. I imagine the army standing on the wall battle-ready because they were expecting them. But Israel did not let any of this phase them.

Foolish?

Yet, silently marching around with weapons of war would not have been my strategy of choice but that was God’s strategy. Because He has a way of proferring solutions that defy human intellect and even science.

You have to understand that God knows what He is doing. He is aware of your adversary and He devises a way to bring you victory. It might seem impractical or foolish but that’s what God does.

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

Had God allowed them to breach the wall by their power, the other nations who hear, and probably the Israelites, might think it is the strength of the army. But a mysterious strategy no one can accredit to any man.

Beloved, God is giving you that ridiculous plan because He wants to work a miraculous work through you. This is not the time to doubt His strategy. Trust Him and do not be afraid.

Little Miracles

We are so quick to recognize that the wall fell but the first miracle Israel encountered was that no one shot at them. I would have shot, I wouldn’t have waited to defend myself. Now that they were marching I would shoot. Behavioral studies even suggest that when people are afraid they might attack, especially if they are men.

But God held them back.

Look out for the little miracles that God is working on even as you march to the great things He has in store for you.

Take a moment and thank God for the miracles He’s working in you.

Shalom