Joshua

Facing the Wall

Joshua 6:1-5

 

Opening Words: It has become my custom to preach on a single Old Testament character during the summer months. In the past we have looked at Nehemiah, Moses, Joseph, Ruth, Esther and Elijah. This summer we are looking at the story of Joshua. This weekend we are in the sixth chapter of Joshua. Do you remember what has happened in the first five chapters? I hope the story is starting to sound familiar.

 

The story of Joshua begins with a funeral. Just as God’s Chosen people are about to enter the Promised Land their leader, Moses, dies. He is replaced by his aid, Joshua. At first he was a cautious leader. Instead of marching right into the Promised Land, he sends two spies into the Promised Land. They are told to inspect the entire area. However, they are told to inspect the city of Jericho the closest. It is while they are in that walled city that they receive some unexpected help from an unexpected person, the local prostitute, Rahab. (I am sure there is an untold story there.) Do you remember? She taught us about faith. When the great day finally came the people received some more help. However, this time it is divine help. Just as God divided the Dead Sea for their ancestors, God parts the Jordan River for them. Each one of them passes through on dry ground. Once they have all arrived safely Joshua does two things. First, he orders the construction of a memorial. He ordered twelve stones are taken out of the Jordan River and set into place so future generations will remember that day. Second he ordered all the uncircumcised men to be circumcised. It was an act of rededication to God. That brings us to this weekend’s scripture lesson. Joshua, the great warrior for God, is facing his first military challenge. The great city of Jericho must be conquered if this land is going to become their new home. Our scripture lesson for this weekend comes from the first five verses of the sixth chapter of Joshua. Let me call this message: Facing the Wall.

 

Joshua 6:1-5 1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. 2 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 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. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."

 

His name was Alvin C. York. No one could have guessed he would become the most famous soldier of World War One. York felt his Christian faith barred him from killing anyone, even in war. After being drafted, York went home on a ten day leave and considered the scriptures an Army Chaplin had shared with him. Finally, in a crisis of faith, God showed York he could obey God and defend the helpless in Europe at the same time. He wrote, “As I prayed there alone … I knew God was there. He understood I didn’t want to be a fighter or a killing man … He took pity on me and gave me the assurance I needed … It was His will and that was enough for me.” Perhaps that is the way that Joshua felt? The people of Israel for the first time in their history had to flex their military muscle. Let us look this weekend’s text together.

 

What started out as a good day turned into a bad day. In the morning the people were standing in the Promised Land, their new home. What had been a dream for years had become a reality. No one was disappointed. It was a place of perfection. It was a land that was so perfect it was called the land of milk and honey. Who wouldn’t want to live in such a place? The only problem was that they were not the land’s first inhabitants. The present inhabitants, the Amorites, would not just walk away quietly. They were just like us, they would fight for their homes. Joshua would have to lead God’s Chosen people into battle. It is this reason that many have called Joshua God’s warrior. He knew his military advisers were correct. The key to military victory in the region was taking the great city of Jericho. It is for this reason the city is under siege. Verse one says it clearly, “Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.” However, that would not be an easy victory.

 

The city of Jericho had one major advantage over Joshua and his army. The city was fortified by walls. Biblical scholars tell us there were two sets of walls. The outer wall was 6 feet thick and 20 feet high. The inner wall was 12 feet thick and 30 feet high. Between the two walls there was a 15 foot guarded walk way. Joshua had a problem. He had to find a way to penetrate the walls of Jericho. The question was, how? He couldn’t go over the walls. He could go around the walls. He could go through the walls. He couldn’t go under the walls. Joshua had a problem and there didn’t seem to be a solution.

 

Have you ever had a problem that didn’t have a solution? Your wall may not be military in nature. Your wall maybe more personal. A loved one has died and you can’t adjust to move forward with your life. Or a relationship you hold is broken beyond repair. Your wall maybe medical in nature. You have been to the doctor and he said the one word we all fear: cancer. You are now forced to learn all that medical information that you don’t want to know. Or your wall maybe financial in nature. That is why you hate to see the mail come. The only thing that is ever placed in your box is another bill. That is why you are hoping the eliminate Saturday mail service. Do you know of anyone who is facing the wall of unemployment or underemployment? I once met a person who forgot to file his taxes and is now facing a wall. Perhaps, the wall in your life is legal? You were only a little over the legal limit. Perhaps, the wall in your life is the issue of acceptance or forgiveness? Is anyone here having a hard time forgiving themselves for some past poor decision. You do not have to stand outside of the city of Jericho to experience the wall. There are all kinds of walls in our world. Let me ask you my question one more time. Have you ever had a problem that didn’t have a solution? If so, then you can relate to Joshua.

 

What I want to talk about today are two words you need to remember the next time you are facing a wall. They are two comforting words. They are not words I have generated from my own mind. They are illustrated for us in this weekend’s scripture text. Both comforting words begin with the letter P. I hope you remember them the next time you find yourself facing a wall. Let me be completely honest with you. These two words are not for the general population. They are reserved for those of us who have claimed Jesus as our Lord and Savior, who are doing our best to be genuine live out the faith. I think these word are just for you. So if you are ready to look at my two comforting words say, “Amen!”

 

A Promise

My first comforting word is the word promise. Joshua was comforted by a promise. Who made the promise? God! What was the promise? God promised victory before the battle had begun. Verse two says, “Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” The Bible is filled with countless promises. You can examine the Bible for the rest of your life and never find a single place where God breaks a promise. It is a true today as it was then, God keeps His promises! The greatest promise God has made to us is the promise of eternity. Because of Jesus we have the promise of going to heaven for eternity. If you would like to go to heaven someday say, “Amen!”

 

When I was in seminary I served a small membership church near Danville, Kentucky. I received a phone call one day that one of the elderly members of that congregation was terminal. She just found out that day. Her name was Marge Underwood. I called her and set up a visit for that evening. I will be honest with you. I was as nervous as a cat as I pulled into the driveway. I really wasn’t sure what I was going to say. Her daughter, Susan, met me at the door and gave me a hug. She lead me into the back bedroom and found me a chair on which to sit. Marge was in the bed and I struggled to say just the right words. Marge looked at me and said the perfect words, “Russ, I have had a great life. I have great children and I have wonderful grandchildren. I have no complaints. I just don’t wait to be a burden. I just wish I would go to sleep tonight and not wake up.“ Then she looked at me and said, “I have a question for you. I haven‘t seen my husband, Tom, in over twenty-five years. Will he look the same as when he died or will he have aged? I hate to think of him running around with an old women.” It really wasn’t much of a pastoral visit. The one who was there to add comfort was being comforted. She found comfort in claiming the promise of heaven. She claimed victory before the battle. Is there anyone here who doesn’t want to go to heaven?

 

I don’t know what wall you are facing. Marge was facing the wall of death. She found comfort by resting on God’s promise of heaven. I can’t tell you all the walls in your life are going to fall down. People die every day. People deal with emotional or mental illness every day. People deal with their financial burdens every day. Sometimes the walls don’t fall down but that doesn’t mean they are eternal problems. Our problems in this world are only temporary problems. In one hundred years we are going to be in heaven and the wall you are facing today won’t matter. Find comfort by claiming God’s promises as your own. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

 

A Partner

My second comforting word is the word partner. Joshua was comforted by a partner. Joshua wasn’t fighting the war alone. He had a partners. First, he had the companionship that he had in his fellow soldiers. Second, he had a partner in God. It is not bad having God as your partner. Because, when God is present things happen. Verses three through five is quoting God. Those verses say, “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 on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in." You do not have to face your wall alone. Joshua had a partner in the people in life. Joshua had a partner in God and so do you! There is never been a second in your life when God wasn’t with you. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

 

One of my favorite Bible stories is the story of Legion. You can find it in the eighth chapter of Luke. You may remember how it goes. Jesus sails across the Sea of Galilee and is met my a demon possessed man. His name is Legion because he is filled with so many demons, a legion of demons. He has been living in isolation because he is out of his mind. Jesus exercises the demons and sends them into a herd of pigs. The animals run off a cliff. (The animal rights people must hate this story.) Suddenly the man is in his right mind. (I like to think he put on pants.) The locals must not have liked changed because they send Jesus away. As Jesus is about to leave, Legion, the former demon possessed man, requests to follow Jesus. Do you remember what Jesus says? Jesus tells him, “No!” Instead, the man is to go home. I love the story because Legion goes from living in isolation to going home. Isn’t there always a point when you want to go home? Legion no longer had to be alone. He reconnected with his community. He reconnected with his partners.

 

Do you realize how fortunate you are? One of the great blessings you have is that you don’t have to live alone. You have families that care about you. You a church that tolerates you. You have friends that will listen to you and support you when life is bad. You have a God, who never leaves you. We can not completely relate to the story of Legion because there has never been a second in your life when you were completely alone. God has always been a faithful partner. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!” Let me end with these words.

 

June 6, 1944 will always be remembered as “D Day.” The goal was simple. The Allied Forces wanted to liberate Europe from Nazi control. In order to do that they would have to land on France‘s Normandy coast. The fifty miles stretch was divided into five sections. The names of those beaches are now famous: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The invasion was successful and more 160,000 Allied solders came ashore. History tells us it was the largest amphibious invasion of all time. It was the beginning of the end for Hitler’s Germany. Have you ever met anyone who was part of the “D Day” invasion?

 

I do not know how many Israelites crossed the Jordan River. However, I do know it was an invasion. They were conquering their new home. It was a land that was so perfect that it could only be described as a land of milk and honey. However, if it was going to be their new home then they were going to have to fight for it. If it was going to be their new home then they were going to have to capture the city of Jericho. It is at this point that Joshua discovered that he had a problem. The city of Jericho was surrounded by two sets of walls. Defeating those walls seemed like an impossibility. What wall are you facing today?

 

The next time you are at a wall in your life remember two things. First, remember God’s promise. In the end we are going to win because we know Jesus. Second, remember God’s partnership. There has never been a moment in your life when you are alone. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”