Conquest of Jericho (Part C)

We do you know we mature in Christ. Hopefully, more and more. You think.

What am I supposed to be doing instead of just trying to let God do what you should. If you don't study the word of God enough to know the message that how why would God send you in front of an unbeliever to preach the gospel and not be able to handle basic question. It's not magic. We have our responsibility. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Rick in Joshua chapter 6 with his study called conquest of Jericho verse 12 in Joshua rose early in the morning and the priest took up the ark of the Lord well you know when you've Joshua was go get them. Kind of a guy and he be bringing people well when he gets up early and we've talked about that in earlier chapters. Verse 16 verse 13 then seven priest bearing seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark of Yahweh went on continually and blew with the trumpets the armed men went before them, but the rearguard came after the ark of the of Yahweh. While the priest continued blowing the trumpets so up in Adam and leaving no sensibly leaving no chance for chance with the rug in the rearguard cannot be understated. Joshua is not saying we will be magically protected. It was within his power to put together a rearguard sufficient so he does it instead of saying God brought us into this promised land will protect us while he well would you still have a responsibility as I started out as activity of both faith and work in action. In this chapter, and we do, you know we we mature in Christ. Hopefully you let more and more you you think. What am I supposed to be doing instead of just trying to let God do what you should be doing if you don't study the word of God enough to know the message that how why would God send you in front of an unbeliever to preach the gospel and not be able to handle basic questions.

It's not magic you. We have our responsibility.

So if you read up you know a good book that I recommend. I just downloaded it today. I may not have happened in my physical library, but more more and getting them to the electronic library, but Haley's Bible handbook is excellent basic resource. Unfortunately, I think, Zondervan reef evils has the rights to it. Now they not always been Zondervan. Used to be a good publisher but they sold out in a very heavy liberal influence in their materials now, but if you can get an earlier addition like we have in the chapel store with it. Not tampered with Haley's overview of Christian history, which is excellent overview you will fill in the details.

In other places, but you get an overview of Christian history's report on the Roman Catholic Church and Reformation is excellent, and so anyways he has a section on each book of the Bible. He doesn't want to do it.

Too much detail.

If you don't have a lot of time but you have some time. Haley's is the place to go to build up your your witness through your knowledge of the word okay verse 14 and the second day they marched around the city once in return to the camp so they did six days.

Still nothing happened. The walls are still there seeming like the going in circles and we must let God arrange the unknown that hurts and I just want him to just tell me everything verse 15 what it came to pass in the seventh day that they rose early about the dawning of the day and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only. They marched around the city seven times. So again, the inhabitants of Jericho rather than what they really lost it.

Now they can't stop marching scoring here they come again this they must of been done. Just a crazy time but Joshua's Army represents the judgment of God, and it is now complete.

It is, is now here and Rahab, of course, is no longer in the world saved from its doomed because of her decision. God will make good on that verse 16 and the seventh time it happened when the priest blew the trumpets. Joshua said to the people shout for Yahweh has given you the city, and I don't think there's anything really to add that I'm not covered already concerning the walls. Verse 17 now the city shall be doomed by Yahweh to destruction it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live. She and all who are with her in the house because she hid the messengers that we sent so here's a woman lived her life making wrong decisions makes one right decision one right decision blows away a lifetime of wrong moves.

That is the gospel that is the good news. You can mess things up all your life and in instant because to God. God says it's really not so much about what you do on the not factoring that out entirely, but what it is about his you and me what you say about me were you with me. How's our relationship going. If you do not see that I am sovereign Almighty and there's nobody else that we can be friends and doesn't matter what happens. Everything in the Great Wall of China is not going is going to burn up wood hay and stubble tumbled all the things in Minute Maid on the monuments of the regular chillout faces on Mount Rushmore and you and mount muscle fast more.

Those all occurrences. Sorry. I'm tired to slip ready for nap Hebrews chapter 11. By faith the walls of Jericho from Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days by faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe there it is right there.

It's about belief when she had received the spies with peace. You receive the Holy Spirit with peace because you receiving Christ then you do not perish in the desire that is a message that is enough. That's enough of our message to preach, you could preach that to anybody. You can say to an unbeliever. This is the story of Rahab the harlot she was in the world. Jericho, she knew enough of the truth to make a decision and she she did make a decision and it was the right decision. The others did not. Well anyway, verse 18.

And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things that you become accursed when you take the accursed things that make the camp of Israel, a curse and trouble it will word here for accursed in the Hebrew is the devoted thing is not just to do with the gold little statues of fake gods in that part of it, but this is the spoils of Jericho. God is saying there are things in this gerund. The city that I am claiming you going to get to it, and in no verse 19 which is next verse while Celeste is take 19 but all the silver gold vessels of bronze and iron are consecrated to Yahweh, they shall come into the treasury of Yahweh and of course the fake God figurines if they were gold so they be melted down and in just extract gold from so what was accursed anything you want supposed to touch that was accursed. Aiken will steal both garments in gold.

The gold belong to God. Garments belong to the fire of of Jericho. Jericho was the first Concord city and the firstfruits go to God. That is the great point coming out of this when they get the AI the freedom through the play.

He's but this first city. It belongs to God and they have to demonstrate the discipline and ASA can will of course succumb to the temptation we get there. Will discuss if Aiken is in hell, it is not because he disobeyed God, it would be because he rejected God.

We got to be careful about those kind of things. Same with the loser who touched the art to stabilize as a righteous man is out. He's gone to hell.

He disobeyed God I make on the view does you going to help that no God's graces so powerful is its those were judgments.

They did wrong and what will they will be judged by his faith in God or not. Verse 20 the people shouted when the priest blew the trumpets and it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat.

Then the people went up into the city. Every man straight before him, and they took the city. Verse 21 and the utterly destroyed all that was in the city. Both man and woman young and old ox and sheep, donkey the edge of the sword. This was a bloodbath who was brutal. It's war. War is letting people act like the killing people over there and walk or does is like complaining the swimmers are wet. They just no one is saying the war is good. All war is evil but is not always avoidable and this is a they were instruments of God's judgment so the great slaughter, this will be nothing compared to the great tribulation that will also be a great slaughter of judgment, and he of course the humanistic activists I should say secular humanistic because I think believers are humanistic. In this sense, we we we think that humans should behave a certain way and not be treated cruelly.

This should be some humanitarian aid not necessarily organizations but certainly helping each other if my neighbors saw suffered some catastrophic event tree lands across his driveway is something that is not to be a believer for me to go help him. You need to be open to the gospel to humanity everything that does to help other one another out its call common grace theologically and this is found in Scripture, but the secular humanist is the one that is essentially deified humans. Humans are evolving into this divine state is all about human beings is a terrible paganism. You know, save the environment will force. We all need when you take oxygen out of the environment. As far as humans go, you've lost it, so that course I'm going on a rabbit show. I want to get out of global warming is coming, but will be man-made will be God made people that are using that are using that us power grab. Most of them the ones at the lower part of the pyramid are just dupes that are carrying out your instructions with the secular humanists was the one that goes that route and would look at these events and only point out the bloodshed as though nobody else was killing anybody else in any other city around the world is a God did not give them space to repent is a God doesn't have the right to execute a violent judgment on anybody he chooses as though the people in the city who were killing the babies at the Dell I find with other worsening their religion their way. Live and let live net all secular humanism. God says no. There are absolutes are absolute is no absolute nose and absolute yeses and I make them, and we are not sorry for that.

We accept that. Incidentally, if one of those folks were allowed to live. What would've happened in impenitent ones will we see that the story of Haman, that cycle of vengeance is dying into the culture of that of that part of the world is especially the analyst feuds, revenge, revenge, revenge, and so this would really would cut that out so we never read about a Jericho light attacking the people of cod ever again.

We do read about the acolytes attacking the people of God because orders to wipe them out were not followed by King Saul. Who would've had this document in his lifetime. Verse 22. Moving from the survival of those who would execute revenge entered without end. But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country going to the harlot's house and from there bring out the women in all that she has, as you swore to her in a positive minute Rahab lived light long enough for these some of these records. Of course, to be written down and there she is stuck with that title, but I would. I would suggest that as she assimilated into the people of God. She married into the of course the Jewish people as is in the line of Messiah.

All of that stuff was forgotten. She just became Rahab the neighbor unless Rahab rear-ended all of the southerly and all of the stigma of the stuff on top of that stuff just kind of fell off. Even though the history retains it and it is exceptional it is to grow the exaltation of God's kindness. Yes, that's who she once was. That's how the Scripture called but that's not who she remained verse 23 we haven't pause there. We have a saying about ourselves we not that we are sinners saved by grace eats their centers but were saved by grace. There are other sinners were not saved by grace. And yet there are others who will be saved by grace, so verse 23 and the young man who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers and all that she had so they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel yet because they had they had still business to do had to assimilate them into the race and that would be a spiritual undertaking and so they are sort of quarantine for a while but a while, but there yes was yes, we will spare you if that read quarters on the door and and that's exactly what happened. A lesson for us.

Let your yes be yes. In order to do that successfully is best to not make snap decisions sometimes if you can avoid it.

Sometimes we are too quick to say yes and no, or our motives are wrong. If you slow it down load a bit. You have a better chance at fulfilling that principle. Verse 22, 24, but they burned the city and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver golden vessels of bronze and iron they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord, why did burn up the city. They conquered it. Archaeologists incidentally have found tremendous amount of burning heavy heat things just sort of melted together food burned up and in Carmel eyes and just also observed evidence of the group a great fire consultation and in in Jericho less because the burn city while looters would've come behind them and have taken things out.

That would've made them stronger in their resistance of God's people so they scorch the earth. They ruined everything to break that would not help the enemy. This was know if it was a big thing in the Vietnam War is in every war, but the troops are trained to destroy their own equipment in case they have to leave it behind. That's a very important thing because if you don't the enemy we use against you. And so that's part of what's going on there and they also found that the so food supplies were in the city were not destroyed or were destroyed by fire. As I mentioned, which means they were not conquered through a siege, which if the naysayers of the Scripture could say that no Joshua didn't conquer the city was no food when the archaeologists found the road. There was no food anywhere there was a siege of the care that was taken from them, they can use that argument. How come the city's all walls are down. We can see that there is archaeological evidence that the food stores and it sounds like it's matching the story of Joshua to me and that is just what is verse 25. Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household and all that she had so she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho was more to that story is not yet. It says she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers and converted to the faith. Because the law would not have permitted the Jews to marry outside of the people of God. If they had not become under Yahweh so that course beautiful part of the story so Rahab the harlot was saved but balance the holy man was lost. What kind of a lesson is there for all of us. God save Rahab but balance through his salvation to the wind. Beautiful possibilities of God. Matthew 21 Jesus said to them, surely I city you the tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but tax collectors and harlots believed him.

And when you saw it you did not afterword relent and believe him. It comes down the faith you going to believe always do and when we preach the gospel.

That's what we hold up. It comes down to a decision. Verse 26 story. Gotta make sure you don't force the decision. Verse 26 and then Joshua charge them at that time sink cursed be the man for Yahweh who raises up arises up bills.

The city Jericho, he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn with his youngest. He shall set up its gates, so a re-fortification of the city rebuilding of the city is prohibited by this prophecy.

Joshua says at your own risk. He predicts that if someone goes to build the city they going to lose children 500 years later it is fulfilled is recorded in first Kings chapter 16 verse 34 in his days high IL of Bethel, not far from Jericho built Jericho the latest foundation with a by ram his firstborn, and with his youngest son say God he set up its gates, according to the word of Yahweh which he had spoken through Joshua the son of nun, and so the Scripture was preserved. They read it. They knew it was in there just like Saul knew the story of Jericho, he saw the people were obedient everything God had said, and yet he of course one of the most likable people of the Bible. I have a file that I can keep Bible characters. One of them is unlikable.

People of the Bible elect Ellie who of Joe like him. He's probably in heaven to because he really is a saving that dams him but he just a nuisance. Just shut up shut up.

I want to hear it and to hike I'm reading my devotions New Testament Old Testament so I have to read some of the Old Testament stuff just to help me get through ill or who I just I get to chapter 32 he starts flapping his gums and he doesn't stop to think 36 but I can't take IT contempt for a week because I can't stand you the wrong is wrong. Like that's true, but is not true of Joe leave Joe alone and I can think God, why, why do we then God spoke to me just the other day about I think is a rickety, nice guy, anyway knowing that nobody said wish he said that will prove is how it is in the world. People just hate to just write books and type of booked energy shop. I don't want to hear your wrong and it is no end.

They're all on the Internet you will buy one get one free is just the snow into the furniture place and they've got books and nobody wants to read on the shelves because I love Caleb Maybell find an old you know clothes to PowerBook something and as always you know, a law booked loss that anyway that's my finding one Ellie who thinks he's a smart Alec Johnny-come-lately thinks he knows everything in the other organizer dominant.

Three of them were, but he was no light in the dark and I don't like him. I even write-write a from he puts a whole and I'd like Ellie I get them in the Ruby role in our lives I do I contact to saving each other. Herbert, you said about me when you speakers appear as anybody you like a little and Joe excommunicated Jack coming with the stand for that kind of friendship arrive back to reality. This my rant on Ellie, who you will notice no one is quoted from this pulpit in a positive light from the book of Job except God and Joe, with the exception this you know man is born to a man born to women's view of days and full of troubles and after that the sparks fly upward. That's a quote that you know that was pretty good but most of them are disjunct anyhow that they make sense with it on plug Job as I mentioned verse 27 are trying to get to the end of this had to get that out of me holding it in tomorrow morning and I'm sick and ongoing Jeremiah 5 tomorrow I can deal with him to two days in row, so she takes Yahweh was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout all the country so again. Jericho, a type of the world doomed to destruction. Given space to repent and refusing it to the last man Rahab is the type of the soul delivered from the coming disruption that was in the world came out of next will overview Jericho AIA in the Gibeonites again press through the book of Joshua. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio.

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