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Joshua Chapters 1-6‍

The Walls Fall

Suddenly, the blast of seven trumpets echoed through the valley. Then came the shout—a roar of voices rising as one. From the watchtowers, birds scattered into the air. And beneath the sound, the ground began to tremble. Dust rose from the stone foundations. The walls of Jericho, proud and ancient, began to crack.

But before the walls fell, before the trumpets, before the shout, a man stood quietly on the edge of a river.

His name was Joshua.

He was younger than Moses, and quieter too. He wasn’t known for thunder or miracles. But God had chosen him—not for power, but for trust.

Joshua had walked beside Moses for forty years. He had seen seas split, manna fall, and mountains shake. He had listened and followed. But now Moses was gone.

And it was Joshua’s turn to lead the way.

But for now, they camped. They stopped at the Jordan River. It’s wide and wild in spring. And right on the other side was the land God had promised. It was beautiful. Its lush hills seemed to go on forever. The trees were in full bloom, it looked like a dream.

And there, in the center of it all, a fortress that made even the most brave men tremble...

Jericho.

Its giant gates were sealed shut. Hundreds of guards walked the walls and kept watch. And the people inside whispered, and wondered... would these people camping by the river be foolish enough to try and climb the giant walls of Jericho?

But God’s plan had already begun. And it didn’t involve climbing.

One evening Joshua sent two spies to explore the city. They moved in the shadows, making maps and looking for any clues of how they might get past the castle like city. Then, as they slipping silently through a small alley...a door opened.

Inside, was a woman named Rahab.

She wasn’t a famous queen or a brave warrior. She was someone who listened, and believed.

“I know your God is the true God,” she whispered.
“And I know Jericho will fall.”

Before the two spies could respond, they heard shouts outside and the sound of boots getting closer. She quickly hid the spies on her roof. When soldiers came, they saw nothing, and Rahab bravely sent them away.

But before the spies left, they made a promise...

“Hang this scarlet cord from your window. When the city falls, we’ll find you. And you’ll be safe.”

The spies returned, exhausted but hopeful. And God spoke to Joshua... "It’s time."

But the plan wasn’t what anyone, not even Joshua, expected.

There would be no battle. They wouldn’t be climbing the walls. They wouldn’t need ladders, or ropes, or swords. The wouldn’t need hammers, or shovels, or rams to break the doors.

Instead, God gave them a simple instruction, it almost didn’t sound like a plan at all: they were to walk.

Once a day, for six days, they walked around Jericho. All of the soldiers, priests, and leaders together. The priests carried the ark—the golden chest that held God’s words. And seven of them carried trumpets made from ram’s horns.

But the rest? They had nothing. And they said nothing. Not a single shout, not even a whisper.

On the first day, they walked the full circle around the city. Then, they just returned to camp without a word.

The next day, they did it again. Then the next, and again after that. The sun beat down on them. Dust rose in soft clouds beneath their sandals. Still, they walked without a sound.

By the sixth day, the guards on Jericho’s wall had stopped laughing. They just stood there confused, and curious.

Then came the seventh day. This day was a bit different.

This time, they circled the city SEVEN times. That was the first thing they did differently. Then, the trumpets played.

The footsteps were steady and rhythmic. No one said a word, until on the final lap... Joshua lifted his hand.

And then, finally, the silence broke.

The priests blew their ram’s horns. And the people, every single person, shouted. The sound rolled like thunder across the valley. All at once, the earth shook beneath their feet. Stones rattled in their places. Cracks appeared on the stone walls. And then, as the dust rose up from the foundation, the mighty walls of Jericho began to collapse.

But one home stood untouched. Rahab’s scarlet cord still hung in the window.

The two spies kept their word.
And they helped Rahab and her family escape to safety.

The people of Israel entered into the promise land not because they were the strongest, or smartest, or fastest. It was God who fought their battle, and all they had to do was trust what God said, and do what He asked.

And God, just as He had promised, did the rest.

The story of Jericho reminds us that God's ways are not always what we expect. Sometimes He asks us to walk when we want to run, to wait when we want to act, and to trust when we want to see.

But He sees the whole story. And when we follow Him, even the strongest walls don’t stand a chance.

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