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I once heard a sermon all about Joshua 6. Really, it was all about me. I learnt nothing of the text, I learnt nothing of God, nor the Saviour that Scripture testifies to. I learnt that I needed to have endurance, that I needed to keep going, and that if I did, God would give me a great victory.
I didn’t see in that sermon that God had already given His people the victory (v.2). The people didn’t need to win the battle, God had already done so. I didn’t see that, really, it was God’s power in partnership with man’s participation that is powerful, not a man who believes he can do it all.
I heard all about the endurance and perseverance of the people and their efforts, not of the testing of their faith (v.14).
I heard nothing about the call to the people to avoid the idols and demonic deceptions of Jericho (vv.17-19).
The miraculous conquest was put down to the people, not the wondrous workings of God (v.20).
I heard nothing about how Rahab was saved by faith (vv.22-23) but that, despite hearing about God just like she had (2.8-11), nobody else responded in faith and were judged for that (v.24). Nothing substantiating an early writing of Joshua due to Rahab still being alive when it was penned (v.25), nor anything about the prophecy of v.26 being fulfilled in 1 Kings 16.34.
Overall, it wasn’t a great sermon. It was ear-tickling and sought to build people up, but fell flat because the true power of Joshua 6 is in the Word of God, isn’t it?
Without the miraculous empowering of those fully submitted and committed to God, Joshua and the gang would have been people walking in circles outside a well fortified city.
Without God’s promise to give them the city, their shouts would not have brought down the walls.
So, if we are looking for inspiration from Joshua 6, let us look to the promises of God that provide for the people of God, not ourselves.
James Travis 