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"After the seventh time, the priests blew the rams' horns, and Joshua said to the troops, 'Shout! For the Lord has given you the city.'"
(Joshua 6:16, CSB)
The verse for today is from the famous story of the battle of Jericho. Here is the Cliff's Notes version of the story, if you are not familiar with it: the nation of Israel is approaching a fortified city. God tells Joshua to march around the city once per day for six days. Then he tells Joshua that on the seventh day, they will march around the city seven times and scream, and that will be how they win.
That is exactly what happened. At the shout, the walls collapsed, and the victory was in view. If you have heard this story many times, or if this is your first time hearing the story, it cannot be lost on us how absurd this victory is. You have a seasoned, well-tested military commander in Joshua using this wild tactic to win a decisive battle: walk and shout. It is amazing to think about how this is the pathway that God wanted to use to win this victory.
As I think more and more about it, my mind focuses more on Joshua's obedience in all of this. Joshua receives the word of victory from the Lord. God tells Joshua that they will be victorious over Jericho in Joshua 6:2 and then gives the battle plan. Can you imagine what it would be like to hear that from God and then have to communicate this seemingly crazy plan to the nation you are leading? In response to this highly unconventional plan God gave Joshua, Joshua not only obeyed it but carried it out with precision.
Joshua's obedience is the type of obedience that I want to have in my relationship with Jesus. I want to be walking so in step with the Lord that through time in the Word, or promptings from the Holy Spirit, or encouragements from trusted believers in Jesus, my obedience to God does not waver by what I think is right, convenient, or a better way, but rather, I obey simply because God asked me to do it. If God asks me to do something, then I want to do it to the best of my ability.
What about you? Are there things in your life that God is asking you to be obedient to do? Maybe it's not the most conventional or convenient thing, but if God is calling you to do it, then let Joshua's obedience spur on your obedience. Let the powerful story of Jericho be a testimony of what God CAN do when we obey. It's not guaranteed that a shout is going to bring down walls in your life, but God never wastes obedience to Him and always grows His children through their obedience to Him.
Today: how can you be obedient to God?
Joshua Challenge: Read Joshua 7-12 today!
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