The Walls of Jericho
Following God's unusual battle plan, the Israelites march around Jericho for seven days, then shout, and the walls fall down flat.
Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. The city was completely fortified, its walls seemingly impenetrable.
The Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast, have the whole army give a loud shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse.'
Joshua gave the orders. For six days, they marched around the city once each day. The armed guard went ahead, the priests blowing trumpets came next, the ark of the Lord followed, and the rear guard came behind. Joshua commanded the people: 'Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout.'
Can you imagine what the people of Jericho thought? Warriors marching, trumpets blowing, but no attack—just one silent circuit and then back to camp. Day after day. The tension must have been unbearable.
On the seventh day, they rose at dawn and marched around the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people: 'Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!'
The people shouted, the walls collapsed, and every man charged straight in. They devoted the city to the Lord, destroying everything in it. But Joshua spared Rahab and everyone in her house, because she had hidden the spies.
The battle was won not by military strategy but by obedient faith in God's word. The walls fell by divine power, not human force. And in the midst of destruction, mercy was shown to a woman of faith.