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"If
Walls Could Talk"
If the walls of Jericho could be rebuilt and speak, they
would tell us about the importance of obeying God’s
commands. Please
read Joshua, chapter 6.
The following are four lessons that we
learn from the walls of Jericho.
Lesson
#1: God’s
ways are NOT
our ways.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor
are your ways My
ways," says the LORD.
For as the heavens are
higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your
ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah
55:8-9). God’s
instructions for the acquisition of the city of
Jericho must have caused bewilderment for Joshua and
the Israelite army.
I can imagine that the people of Jericho made
themselves merry with the spectacle of the Israelites
simply marching around the city and doing nothing.
All of this must have been very difficult for
Israel, too. Marching
around the city day after day without any visible
results must have been an extreme test of faith
for them. The
battle plan was ALSO a test of obedience.
They would have to humble themselves and remain in
complete submission to God’s instructions in order
to be victorious.
You
and I may not completely understand all of the
intricacies of the commands of God for us today.
However, the blessing comes through our trust AND
obedience.
Lesson
#2: A
gift from God must be accepted on His terms.
Before
God
gave the instructions to Joshua, He said, “See! I
have given Jericho into your hand,
its king, and the mighty men of valor” (Joshua 6:2). The city was a GIFT from God.
The expression ‘I have given’ is an
exclamation of prophetic certainty.
It was by His grace that they were to possess
it. Then
God told them HOW to
take it, and His instructions required obedience.
However, Jericho was STILL a GIFT
even though the Israelites had to meet certain
conditions.
Salvation
is ALSO a GIFT of God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of
works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
There are, however, conditions to be met.
Meeting those conditions of acceptance through
our obedience to the command does not change
the fact that it is STILL a GIFT!
Lesson
#3: Faith
includes obedience to the commands of God.
Recalling the crumbling walls of Jericho, the
Hebrew writer states:
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down
after they were encircled for seven days” (11:30).
The faith by which the walls fell was a living,
active, moving faith in God who made it happen. In
the same way, faith does NOT save until it is made perfect by
obedience (see James 2:22).
Lesson
#4: When
man follows God’s ways, victory is assured!
God Himself brought about, by supernatural
means, the collapse of the walls of Jericho.
God’s actions, however, were contingent upon
the people’s obedience.
The success of Israel was due to their
unconditional FAITH IN,
and OBEDIENCE TO, the revealed will of
God. When
God attaches a promise to a command, and we obey the
command, He fulfills His promise.
God
has promised that those who believe
in Jesus (Acts 16:31), repent
of their sins (Acts 17:30-31), confess
Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), are baptized
in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts
2:38), AND continue to walk obediently in the light of
His revealed will (1 John 1:7) are saved from their
sins.
When we obey, God saves!
Walls
CANNOT talk..... but God HAS spoken! We
need to do more than just listen and agree -- we
need to obey!
God
bless you!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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