Sermon Audio: LINK

Opening Words: 

This morning, we focus on the story of Joshua, the leader of Israel, who stood before the formidable walls of Jericho at a pivotal moment in his journey. In that crucial hour, Joshua encountered a divine messenger, an experience that not only deepened his understanding but also redirected his path. Through humble submission to God’s will, Joshua witnessed the miraculous collapse of Jericho’s walls. As we reflect on this powerful story, let us turn inward and ask ourselves: Are we truly striving to align our lives with God’s will, or are we merely seeking His approval for our own plans and desires?

Scripture Reading: 

Joshua 5:13-6:21 ESV:  When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

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.”

And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the LORD went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD following them. The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” So he caused the ark of the LORD to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets blew continually. And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days.

On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city. And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.”

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.

Opening Prayer:

O Lord, our gracious and loving Father, we humbly come before Your throne of grace, seeking Your presence and blessing as we prepare to receive the preaching of Your holy Word. Open our hearts, we pray, that they may be tender to the truths of Scripture, and open our ears that they may be attentive to Your voice. Grant that our minds may be enlightened by Your Spirit, and our souls refreshed by Your grace. Let the Word be a living seed sown in the soil of our hearts that it may take root, grow, and bear fruit for Your glory. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, we ask these mercies. Amen.

I. Encountering God’s Authority (Joshua 5:13-15)

As Joshua, the appointed successor of Moses, stood before the towering walls of Jericho, he encountered a mysterious and awe-inspiring figure, a divine warrior with a drawn sword. Instinctively, Joshua sought to discern the allegiance of this awesome presence, asking, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” (Joshua 5:13, ESV). This question reflects a common inclination of the human heart, the desire to secure God’s favor for our own causes, believing that His support will ensure our victory. However, the figure’s response was both unexpected and instructive: “No,” he replied, “but I am the commander of the army of the Lord; now I have come” (Joshua 5:14, ESV). 

This reply challenges us to examine the posture of our own hearts. Are we attempting to enlist God into our plans, using Him to validate our desires and pursuits, or are we earnestly seeking to align ourselves with His purposes? True faith is not measured by recruiting God to our side but by surrendering to His will and embracing His leadership. God’s plans far surpass our limited understanding and personal ambitions. Therefore, the critical question is not whether God is on our side, but whether we are on God’s side, committed to following His commands and trusting in His sovereign plan. 

Suddenly, Joshua understood he was in the presence of the Commander of the Lord’s army, a title signifying divine authority. This figure, appearing in the form of a man, was more than a mere messenger. Many have debated the identity of this figure, but I declare, with the confidence that comes from the Word of God, that this was no mere angel, no ordinary messenger from heaven. This was a Christophany, an appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, in the Old Testament. 

Consider how this figure declares Himself to be the “Commander of the army of the Lord” (Joshua 5:14). This is no insignificant title; it signifies supreme authority over all the hosts of heaven. It is a title befitting none other than Christ Himself. For who but the Son of God commands the legions of angels? Who else leads the armies of heaven? In Revelation 19:11-16, we see Christ as the Warrior-King, riding forth on a white horse, leading the armies of heaven to victory. The very same Christ who shall come in glory at the end of the age stands before Joshua, the captain of our salvation, revealing Himself as the sovereign Lord over all. O, how this should comfort our hearts! If Christ is for us, who can be against us? If He commands the armies of heaven, surely He can command our deliverance!

Observe, too, that Joshua falls on his face to the earth and worships, and the figure does not rebuke him (Joshua 5:14). Throughout Scripture, when men bow before angels, the angels cry out, “See that you do not do that! Worship God!” (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). But here, the Commander receives the worship due to God alone. This is no ordinary angel, but the Lord of angels, the Son of God, accepting the homage of His servant. How this should lead us to fall on our faces in adoration! If Joshua worshipped Christ before Jericho, how much more should we worship Him, knowing Him as the crucified and risen Savior! 

And what does the Commander say? “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy” (Joshua 5:15). Does this not remind us of Moses at the burning bush, where God Himself declared the ground holy because of His presence? (Exodus 3:5). The same holiness surrounds this figure because He is the same divine presence. He is the Holy One of Israel, who was, and is, and is to come. Just as He appeared to Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt, so now He appears to Joshua to lead them into the Promised Land. Let us see this as the assurance that Christ is with us in every trial and endeavor for His glory.

Upon realizing the sacredness of this encounter, Joshua’s posture shifted from one of inquiry to one of submission and worship. He fell facedown to the ground and removed his sandals. This action echoed the command given to Moses at the burning bush, signifying that the ground was holy not by its own virtue but because of the presence of the divine. As the Scripture records: “And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, ‘What does my lord say to his servant?’ And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, ‘Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so” (Joshua 5:14-15, ESV).

This underscores a fundamental spiritual truth: true worship involves humbling oneself before God, acknowledging His sovereignty, and submitting to His divine will. Worship is a matter of the heart, a sincere recognition that God is God, and we are His servants. Joshua’s act of removing his sandals symbolized the recognition of divine authority and the sanctity of God’s presence. It serves as a reminder that in the presence of God, human pride and self-sufficiency have no place.

Joshua’s encounter with the divine Commander challenges us to shift our perspective from a human-centered viewpoint: “Is God on our side?” to a God-centered one: “Are we on God’s side?” God does not exist to endorse our plans; rather, He calls us to align our lives with His divine purposes. This shift requires a willingness to seek God’s guidance earnestly, to abandon our own ambitions if they do not align with His will, and to submit to His sovereign authority. 

The wisdom of the Proverbs encapsulates this truth: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10, ESV). True discipleship is found in yielding to God’s authority, aligning our actions with His purposes, and walking humbly before Him. As Joshua demonstrated, the proper response to a divine encounter is worship and submission. We are reminded to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, for in doing so, all other things will be added unto us (Matthew 6:33, ESV).

Ultimately, the encounter between Joshua and the divine Commander teaches us that before any conquest or leadership, there must be a heart of submission to God’s authority. It is a call to align our lives with God’s divine purposes, to worship Him in spirit and in truth, and to recognize that our strength and success come not from our own efforts but from our submission to His will. May we, like Joshua, prepare our hearts and minds for divine encounters, ever ready to discern and worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

II. Faith and Obedience Lead to Victory (Joshua 6:1-27)

Now, in the ancient world, a city’s walls were its greatest defense, and Jericho’s walls were known for their formidable strength. The typical military strategy would have involved battering rams, scaling ladders, or a prolonged siege to force a surrender. However, God’s strategy was far from conventional. He instructed Joshua to have the Israelites march around the city once a day for six days, and on the seventh day, to circle it seven times with the priests blowing trumpets. After a final blast of the trumpets and a loud shout from the people, the walls would collapse. This plan defied all human logic and required complete faith in God’s word and obedience to His command.

Imagine the sight: the vast army of Israel, not brandishing swords and shields, but simply marching in silence around the city, with only the sound of trumpets breaking the quiet. To the people of Jericho, this must have seemed bizarre, even laughable. Here lay a city fortified by thick, towering walls, built to withstand any attack. What could possibly be achieved by mere marching and trumpet blasts? Yet, this illustrates a powerful spiritual truth: God’s ways are different from ours, and His plans are not bound by human understanding. The victory was never about Israel’s might or military skill but about their faith in God’s promises and their willingness to follow His instructions.

This scenario reminds us of Isaiah 55:8-9, where the Lord declares, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways… As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God’s plans often transcend our understanding, challenging us to trust Him completely. The walls of Jericho fell not by the force of battering rams or the cunning of military strategy but by obedience to God’s commands and faith in His promise. This clearly demonstrates that God’s power and wisdom far surpass human capabilities.

Consider the symbolism in the seven days of marching and the priests’ sounding of the trumpets. Numbers hold significant meaning in biblical narratives, and the number seven, in particular, symbolizes completeness and perfection. By marching for seven days and seven times on the seventh day, the Israelites were participating in a ritual that signified the fullness of God’s work. This act pointed to the completion of God’s purpose for Jericho, a divinely orchestrated event that no human effort could bring about.

The priests’ trumpets represent the proclamation of God’s word, a powerful force that has the ability to shatter barriers and bring about change. In biblical tradition, trumpets were often used to signal important announcements or divine intervention. Their sound around Jericho’s walls symbolizes the declaration of God’s authority and the announcement of His impending judgment. The walls of Jericho, standing in defiance of Israel, are akin to the barriers that stand between the sinner and salvation, walls of pride, ignorance, and rebellion. But, oh, how quickly they crumble when confronted by the mighty word of God! The sound of the trumpets and the shouts of the people were acts of faith and obedience that unleashed the supernatural power of God.

The book of Hebrews captures this idea succinctly: “By faith, the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days” (Hebrews 11:30). It was faith in God who speaks, commands, and delivers. This teaches us that our victories, whether over sin, temptation, or life’s challenges, do not come from our strength or cleverness but from our trust in God’s power. Our role is to obey when God commands, even if it doesn’t make sense to us. Through obedience to His word, we see obstacles fall and experience the breakthroughs we desire. As Proverbs 3:5-6 urges us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Finally, let us not forget the providence in Rahab’s preservation, even amidst Jericho’s judgment. Rahab, a prostitute, showed faith in the God of Israel by hiding the spies, and because of her faith, she and her household were spared. This highlights a truth: God’s mercy extends even to those society deems unworthy. Rahab’s inclusion in the lineage of Christ, as noted in Matthew’s genealogy, shows that God’s grace is not limited by human standards. Her past did not define her; her faith did. Despite her sinful life, Rahab’s belief in the God of Israel brought her redemption and a place of honor. This illustrates that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy. Her faith, counted as righteousness, made her an ancestor of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rahab’s story reminds us that, like her, faith in Christ secures our salvation. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Her life was transformed, and she became part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.

III. Christ the Greater Joshua

As we conclude our sermon on the fall of Jericho, let us remember that this account is a shadow and type pointing us to the grander spiritual truths fulfilled in Christ.

First, consider the impenetrable walls of Jericho, standing high and proud, representing the fortresses of sin and unbelief that hold the human heart captive. Like Jericho, every heart outside of Christ is a stronghold, fortified against God, resistant to His will, and opposed to His truth. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in his second letter to the church of Corinth:

 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5, ESV). 

These walls fall not by human might or power but by the sovereign grace of God.

Just as the Israelites marched around Jericho in obedience to God’s command, so too must we march forward in faith, trusting not in our own strength, but in the power of the Lord. The battle is the Lord’s! When the trumpets sounded, the walls of Jericho crumbled, signifying that the power of God’s word can bring down even the most fortified defenses of sin. The gospel trumpet, proclaiming Christ crucified, risen, and coming again, is the mighty power of God unto salvation. The world may think us foolish, but we must learn to treasure the proclamation of the gospel, for it alone can topple the towering walls of sin in the hearts of men and women!

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV). 

Lastly, the victory over Jericho points us to the final and ultimate victory that is in Christ. The walls of Jericho fell, not through human wisdom or warfare, but through divine intervention. In the same way, our Lord Jesus has conquered sin, death, and the devil, not through earthly power, but through the cross. In seeming weakness, through his crucifixion, we read that: 

“[Christ] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:15, ESV). 

Christ is our true and greater Joshua, leading us into the Promised Land of eternal rest. We do not fight for victory; we fight from victory, the victory already won by our Captain and King.

Now, is the time to ask, how will you respond? The people of Jericho heard of the God of Israel; they knew of His mighty acts, yet they hardened their hearts and faced destruction. Do not be like them! Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. Turn to Christ, the only Saviour, who stands ready to receive all who come to Him in faith. Lay down your arms of rebellion, trust in the blood of the Lamb, and find refuge in Him. For the trumpet of judgment will sound again, and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we give You thanks for the light of Your Word that has been proclaimed this day. As we depart from this place, we ask that Thou wouldst seal these truths in our hearts, that we might not only be hearers but doers of Your Word. Strengthen us by Your grace to walk in obedience and faith, reflecting the love of Christ in all our ways. May the seeds sown today grow and flourish, bringing forth a harvest of righteousness for Your glory. Keep us steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in Your work. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, we pray. Amen.