By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith Israel compassed Jericho seven days and its walls fell through God's power exercised by the heavenly army under Christ, not by human strength, wisdom, or achievement. The daily march with rams' horns could have seemed meaningless and ridiculous against towering fortifications, and with the Captain of the host unseen by the congregation the people had to believe the word given through Joshua and obey his commands or doubt and deny his authority. Continuing so long before the overthrow trained them to rely wholly on their divine Leader and to know their strength was only in God, while the miracle strengthened their faith in His power to subdue enemies and rebuked their earlier unbelief. God still works mightily for those who obey His word without questioning or doubt and give up reliance on their own plans, bringing strength, freedom, and victory. The same faith that worked in His servants of old can work through believing hearts now as channels of His power, as workers go forward, do their best, and watch, work, and pray.
How the Walls Fell
By faith the walls of Jericho fell through God's power, not by human strength, wisdom, might, or achievement. Against God's word of gift human strength was powerless, and the leveling of the walls was the easy work of the armies of heaven without human aid, so that Israel's armed warriors had no cause to glory in the victory. It was Christ, the Captain of the Lord's host, with the angels attending under the leadership of the Son of God, who brought the walls down after Israel marched around the city as commanded, in response to obedient faith. That faith in God was the means of the fall, and the same faith by which God worked through His servants then can make people now channels of His power.
The Captain spoke only to Joshua and did not show Himself to the congregation, so the people could not see the host of angels attending them. They had to choose to believe Joshua's words and obey his commands in the name of the Lord, or to doubt his words and deny his authority. Marching daily around the city blowing rams' horns could have been reasoned to be meaningless and ridiculous and able to have no effect on towering fortifications.
Continuing that ceremony so long before the final overthrow gave opportunity to develop faith in Israel. It was to impress upon them that their strength was not in human wisdom or might but only in the God of their salvation, and to train them to rely wholly on their divine Leader. The miracle strengthened Israel's faith in God's power to subdue their enemies and rebuked their earlier unbelief. It teaches that God works mightily for those who obey His word without questioning or doubt, humbly submit to His will, and give up reliance on their own strength and plans, bringing them strength, freedom, and victory.
Faith's Example for Today
Hebrews 11 is a record of faithful people and experiences given as instruction to be taken personally. It teaches faith as a whole, that faith is needed to please God and must be increased, and that the believer's work is trust in the Saviour together with watching and prayer. For workers it teaches to go forward in faith and do their best, for as they watch, work, and pray, God hears and answers their petitions and gives them valuable experience for their future work. The faith that worked in God's servants of old can work in believers now, with God working through hearts of faith as channels of His power.
The verse belongs to the great cloud of witnesses compassing believers, showing those who breasted the evils and difficulties in the way and in the Lord's name braced successfully against the opposing forces of evil and stood firm, sustained and strengthened with the Lord holding them by His hand. The fall of Jericho stands among the acts of faith that mark God's faithful people, whose fidelity to God makes them examples whose light can reach people in darkness. It gives one of the heroes of faith raised up from age to age, marked by fidelity to God and set conspicuously before the world so that their light shines forth to those in darkness. Their obedience to God's command to go forward made their faithfulness visible to others and led them to glorify God. The ancient believers commended for faith are presented as patterns for the Christian church, so that later Christians can show the same firm principles in their lives.
By faith Israel compassed Jericho seven days and its walls fell through God's power exercised by the heavenly army under Christ, not by human strength, wisdom, or achievement. The daily march with rams' horns could have seemed meaningless and ridiculous against towering fortifications, and with the Captain of the host unseen by the congregation the people had to believe the word given through Joshua and obey his commands or doubt and deny his authority. Continuing so long before the overthrow trained them to rely wholly on their divine Leader and to know their strength was only in God, while the miracle strengthened their faith in His power to subdue enemies and rebuked their earlier unbelief. God still works mightily for those who obey His word without questioning or doubt and give up reliance on their own plans, bringing strength, freedom, and victory. The same faith that worked in His servants of old can work through believing hearts now as channels of His power, as workers go forward, do their best, and watch, work, and pray.
How the Walls Fell
By faith the walls of Jericho fell through God's power, not by human strength, wisdom, might, or achievement. Against God's word of gift human strength was powerless, and the leveling of the walls was the easy work of the armies of heaven without human aid, so that Israel's armed warriors had no cause to glory in the victory. It was Christ, the Captain of the Lord's host, with the angels attending under the leadership of the Son of God, who brought the walls down after Israel marched around the city as commanded, in response to obedient faith. That faith in God was the means of the fall, and the same faith by which God worked through His servants then can make people now channels of His power.
The Captain spoke only to Joshua and did not show Himself to the congregation, so the people could not see the host of angels attending them. They had to choose to believe Joshua's words and obey his commands in the name of the Lord, or to doubt his words and deny his authority. Marching daily around the city blowing rams' horns could have been reasoned to be meaningless and ridiculous and able to have no effect on towering fortifications.
Continuing that ceremony so long before the final overthrow gave opportunity to develop faith in Israel. It was to impress upon them that their strength was not in human wisdom or might but only in the God of their salvation, and to train them to rely wholly on their divine Leader. The miracle strengthened Israel's faith in God's power to subdue their enemies and rebuked their earlier unbelief. It teaches that God works mightily for those who obey His word without questioning or doubt, humbly submit to His will, and give up reliance on their own strength and plans, bringing them strength, freedom, and victory.
Faith's Example for Today
Hebrews 11 is a record of faithful people and experiences given as instruction to be taken personally. It teaches faith as a whole, that faith is needed to please God and must be increased, and that the believer's work is trust in the Saviour together with watching and prayer. For workers it teaches to go forward in faith and do their best, for as they watch, work, and pray, God hears and answers their petitions and gives them valuable experience for their future work. The faith that worked in God's servants of old can work in believers now, with God working through hearts of faith as channels of His power.
The verse belongs to the great cloud of witnesses compassing believers, showing those who breasted the evils and difficulties in the way and in the Lord's name braced successfully against the opposing forces of evil and stood firm, sustained and strengthened with the Lord holding them by His hand. The fall of Jericho stands among the acts of faith that mark God's faithful people, whose fidelity to God makes them examples whose light can reach people in darkness. It gives one of the heroes of faith raised up from age to age, marked by fidelity to God and set conspicuously before the world so that their light shines forth to those in darkness. Their obedience to God's command to go forward made their faithfulness visible to others and led them to glorify God. The ancient believers commended for faith are presented as patterns for the Christian church, so that later Christians can show the same firm principles in their lives.