Joshua 6:8, commentary and pictures

When Joshua had spoken to the people, the host moved in divinely appointed order with chosen armed men first, then seven priests sounding seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord, then the ark of the covenant borne by priests following them, with the rear guard and the army in perfect order behind. This order was part of the plan for taking Jericho given to Joshua by Christ, the Captain of the host of the Lord, as the first step in the conquest of Canaan after the assurance that the city had been given into his hand. The victory belonged to the Lord and His heavenly host and not to Israel's strength or skill, for Christ commanded the heavenly armies to bring down the walls and no human hand touched them. The ark that followed the trumpeters was but a symbol of the divine presence granted to an obedient and believing people, whose sacredness rested on God's law within it, and it brought blessing only as Israel obeyed the conditions of the covenant. The verse therefore teaches faithful obedience to God's commands even when His appointed means appear simple, trusting Him to fulfill His promise, for the same God still works not by might nor by power but by His Spirit when His people obey their Captain.

Procession Around Jericho

The plan for taking Jericho was given to Joshua by Christ Himself, the Captain of the host of the Lord who stood before him with drawn sword. It followed the assurance that Jericho with its king and mighty men of valor had been given into his hand, and it laid out God's appointed means for reducing the city as the first step in the conquest of Canaan. The march went out from Gilgal, Israel's first encampment in the promised land, against Jericho as the key to Canaan. This came nearly forty years after the rebellion, when the Lord directed Israel to go up and take Jericho and promised to go with them, with His appointed leaders directing their movements under divine supervision so that with such guidance no harm could come to them.

When Joshua had spoken to the people, the ordered procession circled the city with a chosen body of armed men first, not to conquer by skill in warfare but to believe and obey. Then came seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns passing on before the Lord and blowing them. Then the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed, borne among the people by priests in rich and peculiar dress denoting their sacred office and surrounded by a halo of divine glory. A rear guard came after the ark, with the vast army following in perfect order each tribe under its respective standard.

All the men of war were to compass the city once each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. The circuit was made in solemn silence broken only by the tread of the mighty host and the solemn peal of the trumpets sounding at intervals, echoing among the hills and resounding through the streets of Jericho. No one was to shout nor make any noise with voice or mouth until the day Joshua bid them shout, then they should shout. When the circuit was completed the army returned in silence to their tents and the ark was restored to its place in the tabernacle. At the final blast and shout the walls collapsed.

God Won the Battle

The victory at Jericho belonged to the Lord and His heavenly host, not to Israel's strength, skill in warfare, or worldly methods. Christ the Captain of the Lord's host with His angels overcame the city, commanding the heavenly armies to bring down its massive walls and make an entrance for Joshua and Israel. No human hand touched the walls, and no human general devised the plan. The battle joined human agents with divine direction, but God alone received the glory for the triumph.

God directed both heavenly and human agents by a plan of such simplicity that no person could claim credit, so that His name alone would receive the glory. The miracle was meant to strengthen Israel's faith in God's power and to rebuke its earlier unbelief. The event was to be kept fresh in memory and retold to the children.

The ark that followed the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns was but a symbol of the divine presence vouchsafed to an obedient and believing people, not the presence itself, and the blessings sought from it could be bestowed by God alone. That same presence had led the hosts of Israel when they crossed the Jordan and entered the promised land, and at Jericho the Captain of the Lord's host went before the repository of His law so that His own arm brought deliverance. Its sacredness rested on God's law within it representing God Himself, and its presence brought blessing only as Israel obeyed the conditions of the covenant. Israel's strength came from obedience to the law represented by the ark, not from its mere presence, yet Israel later remembered the easy conquest and wrongly concluded that merely bringing the ark into battle would give triumph over enemies.

Jericho teaches faithful obedience to God's commands even when His appointed means appear simple or are despised by the proud and worldly-wise. Israel was to trust God to fulfill His promise of the land, the key to Canaan, and not rely solely on military strength, for unbelief limits trust in the God who had already guided and delivered them. Methods appointed by God succeed when carried out with humility and faith, and God may use the humblest instruments and simplest means, while human plans apart from God's power and wisdom fail. The chosen armed men went first not to conquer by skill and prowess but to believe and obey, and victory comes through God rather than human strength or prominence.

The same God is still willing to work wondrously through whom He will, not by might nor by power but by His Spirit. Jesus the Captain of the Lord's host is present in the fight against unseen foes more formidable than giants, and the heavenly armies under their heavenly General will do many things now if men move in accordance with God's will. They must obey their Captain and give God a chance to work in His own way, doing only as He tells them while God does the rest. Therefore people should not mark out the course for others and center all direction and referral in finite men in one place, nor take glory to themselves or think they are better than others, for whatever they have comes from God.