This morning we are going to consider a place in Israel that is one of the oldest ruins on the face of the earth. Next to Jerusalem , no other Israeli city has received as much interest or research. It is the city of Jericho , and what took place there 3400 years ago has everything to do with us here this morning. The nation of Israel was a people of about 1million, living in a tent city called Gilgal, just 5 miles or so from Jericho . By faith they had been rescued from Egypt , by faith they had survived forty years of desert wanderings, by faith the Jordan River had stopped flowing so they could cross. Now the waters of Jordan flowed again, closing their exit, now they were ?in the cage with the tiger?- so to speak. In front of them was a fortress of incredible, even legendary, strength. It was the first city and perhaps the greatest city they were to face and God directed them to move forward. Consider for a moment what this meant. Here's a picture of the way it was built.

This morning we are going to consider a place in Israel that is one of the oldest ruins on the face of the earth. Next to Jerusalem , no other Israeli city has received as much interest or research. It is the city of Jericho , and what took place there 3400 years ago has everything to do with us here this morning. The nation of Israel was a people of about 1million, living in a tent city called Gilgal, just 5 miles or so from Jericho . By faith they had been rescued from Egypt , by faith they had survived forty years of desert wanderings, by faith the Jordan River had stopped flowing so they could cross. Now the waters of Jordan flowed again, closing their exit, now they were ?in the cage with the tiger?- so to speak. In front of them was a fortress of incredible, even legendary, strength. It was the first city and perhaps the greatest city they were to face and God directed them to move forward. Consider for a moment what this meant. Here's a picture of the way it was built.

There was a double wall, and a steep slope between the two. Excavation has shown that there were a lot of houses in the ground area between the two walls.

This would likely have been the low cost real-estate, the slum section of town, perhaps where Rahab lived. For the nation of Israel this was a faith challenge of monumental proportion. Let's read Joshua 6 to see what happened next.

I. The Message of Faith? Come Follow Where God's Already Been.

The conversation between Joshua and the Lord Jesus Christ had just begun in chapter 5 and it would be easy to miss that this is one event. Look at what the Lord tells Joshua in verse 2? He tells him that the battle is already won, the city is shut up tight like drum, what looked like safety to them was in reality doom. In God's mind the city is already delivered into Joshua's hands. God designs that an impossible barrier be brought down by an impossible force. Listen to God's battle plan ? 'take the ark of the covenant, led by seven priests blowing rams horns. The army will be a front guard and a rear guard, just walk around the city once every day for six days, on the seventh day walk around it seven times. At that point give a long blast on the trumpets and have all the people give a great shout and the walls will fall down and you take the city. Then, absolutely destroy it, burn it, take no booty nor reward for yourselves, to do so will bring ruin to yourself. Be careful how you treat Me, as you obey in faith.? That is the message of faith that was contained in the conversation between Joshua and the Lord. Their success, indeed their very survival as a nation, depended on how well they were willing to follow God's instructions.

God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, He hasn't changed and His message of justification by faith hasn't changed either. The impossible barrier of death is before every person ever since sin entered into the world. The assurance He gives you and I is that He has already been to death and now offers it's conquest to us. When Jesus Christ died on the cross and then rose again from the dead it was so that we could follow where He's already been. He has gained already the victory over death, over the judgment on sin and over the waste lands of hell. Now He gives us a specific message of faith, not the performance of our own might but the obedience of our hearts to trust Him and receive by His hand what we could never have won on our own. The message of faith here this morning is trust Jesus Christ with the saving of your soul, spirit and body by His mighty death on the cross. To this is added the caution, ?Be careful how you treat Me so as not to bring ruin upon yourself.? That's the Message, now look at the Method.

II.The Method of Faith'diversity of Role, Unity of Purpose, Discipline.

There were probably at least 4 priests carrying the ark and it was a crucial role. The ark was a large wooden chest overlaid with gold, suspended by carrying poles on either side. It was not just holy furniture, it represented the very presence of God in their midst. In essence, it was the ark that was going to tear down the walls of Jericho . In front of the ark are seven priests blowing rams horns, a sound that God purposed to declare His presence, in those days and even in days yet to come. In front and behind are the army and assembled to the side are all the rest of the nation, over a million in all.

Once a day for seven days, seven times on the seventh day, seven priests cueing all who had ears to hear? Our God Reigns!. Seven speaks of God's perfection, a perfect work, for God is calling all to see what He has already done. From the priest by the ark to the smallest child in the crowd, each was called to respond in some way at some point in time. The diversity of role and yet unity of purpose is how faith moves. Knitting these together is discipline. Discipline requires several things: obedience, perseverance, courage and love. The method of faith in our lives will employ these same things: diversity of role yet unity of purpose knitted together in a discipline that is ultimately driven by love. It will be the love of you for each other, the love you have for God, and over all?. the discipline of God upon you because of His love for you (Hebrews 12:6). God has already done a perfect work in Christ Jesus, His method for the expression of our faith calls for obedience, perseverance, courage and greater than these, love. This is the method of faith, now see it's ministry.

III. The Ministry of Faith'tearing Down Jericho But Not Touching It.

1. First Fruits Worship - Jericho was the first city to be defeated, it was in God's mind set apart as a first fruits type of offering, the first and the best set aside to declare him as Sovereign and Provider of all things. That is why the ban was given to take nothing for yourself. That is why a city which would have been perfect for this nation to inhabit was given in obedience to God. The food it contained, the tools, the raw materials, all were burned. What would the people who had been in the desert for forty years have thought of this action? What would it have taught them? Give quickly to God the things that belong to God. Don't miss the opportunity to honor and glorify Him with what you would consider precious, for all that you will yet need is also now in His hand to provide for you. Worship Him in a sacrifice that proclaims His First and Best set aside for you, even Jesus Christ. 

2. Grasping Holiness - The people who were the inhabitants of Jericho were all killed as a means of preventing the corrupting influence they would have upon Israel . In future conquests Israel would keep the spoils of war, yet always they were to completely remove the people who were already in the land. The key is as much the guarding against influence as it is the capturing of great cities. Perhaps you are a Christian and have captured doctrine well, perhaps you have an important area of work you do as a Christian and you've captured that as well. But if you are not aware of how things influence you, how people influence you, how Satan influences you, and correspondingly of how you influence others, then all the ground you've captured will be compromised. Grasp holiness, guard what influences you, and the ministry of faith in your life will be effective. Life and death will be effected by your ministry, be careful what you touch even as you tear down strongholds. The Message, Method and the Ministry of Faith always follow after God, trusting in His accomplished acts even as we anticipate the future.

Rev. Spence Laycock pastors at Church of the Open Bible, Ponoka, Alberta, Canada.
www.churchoftheopenbible.ab.ca