Strange Strategy

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 6:1-5 & 20

TO CHEW ON: "Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.' " Joshua 6:2

The first city the Israelites faced after they crossed the Jordan River was Jericho. It had walls, an army and a king. The Israelites were not trained soldiers. They had no armor to protect them. Their weapons were simple. How could they ever defeat Jericho and make this city their own?

God gave Joshua a plan or strategy. His instructions are below, but they are all mixed up. Put them in the right order: (see Joshua 6:3-5)


1. The priests should blow a loud blast on the ram's horn and trumpet.

2. The people should march around the city once per day for six days.

3. The people should shout with a loud shout.

4. On the seventh day the people should march around the city seven times.

Jericho's walls fall - Artist unknown

Have you ever heard of a war being fought this way? Joshua and the people hadn’t either. But they had seen God help them at other times in other ways they couldn’t understand. So they obeyed God’s directions exactly. What happened? (Joshua 6:20) ___________

Have you ever felt that God was asking you to do something that didn’t make sense? If this hasn’t happened till now, perhaps it will in the future. When God gives you a way to accomplish something, even if it doesn’t make sense, obey. For God often works in ways we don’t understand. Then even though common sense says you won’t and shouldn’t succeed, you will, just like Joshua and the Israelites did.

PRAYER: Dear God, Help me to obey Your instructions, even when they don’t make sense. Amen.


MORE: The loot
When people go to war, the winners usually help themselves to the loot left behind. But God gave different instructions about the stuff left in Jericho.

1. What were the people to do with anything they found made of silver, gold, bronze and iron? (Joshua 6:19)

2. What were the people to do with everything else? (Joshua 6:24)

3. Do you think you would have found it hard to obey this command? Why or why not?

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


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