Nov. 1
Adult | Lesson 66

Israel Conquers Jericho

God collapsed the walls of Jericho so Israel could conquer the city.

Lesson Sections

Overview

Prepare

Studying God’s Word

Group Prayer

Lesson Media

Marking the Promise

Bryan Osborne Lesson 66 Teacher Video

Found in Jericho (7:07)

Walls of Jericho (6:53)

When Did Jericho Fall? (9:54)

Overview

Prepare

Studying God’s Word

Group Prayer

Lesson Resources

Marking the Promise

PowerPoint presentation

Highlight

Overview

Lesson Focus

God commanded Joshua to have the priests carry the ark of the covenant and blow trumpets while they and the fighting men of Israel marched around Jericho once every morning for six days. On the seventh day, they marched seven times around the city, gave a great shout, and watched the Lord collapse the walls. Israel destroyed the city but spared Rahab and her family as promised.

Key Passages

Joshua 5:13–6:27; Exodus 23:20–23; Hebrews 11:30

Objectives

Students will be able to:

Describe how God gave victory to the Israelites.
Describe how God was faithful to his promises to Israel and to Rahab.

Memory Verse

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Prepare to Share

Scriptural Background

Prepare to teach by preparing your heart. Read the key passages for this lesson along with this background.

After the episode of Rahab and the spies, God charged Joshua to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. The Israelites were on the eastern banks of the Jordan River and had not yet crossed into the land that God had promised them. Joshua chapters 3–4 tell of the miraculous stopping of the Jordan River’s waters, allowing Israel to cross on dry land, and of the memorial stones that Israel placed on the other side to commemorate God’s faithfulness. The bearing of the ark of the covenant before the nation (Joshua 3:11) declared that God was fulfilling his purpose to establish a nation for his own glory.

The first obstacle before Israel was the city of Jericho. In Joshua 5:13–15, a man identified as the “commander of the army of the Lord” appeared to Joshua. This man represents a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus. If that were not the case, the man would not have commanded Joshua to remove his sandals. This was the Son of God himself in human form, declaring that he would lead and fight for Israel. This would be no ordinary battle!

The battle plan from the Lord must have seemed very strange to Joshua. Jericho responded to Israel’s approach by securely shutting up the city (Joshua 6:1), an indication that they expected a siege. God’s instructions to Joshua were for the army of Israel to march around the city once each day for six days, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant and blowing trumpets (Joshua 6). But the people were commanded to make no other noise. Then on the seventh day, the Israelites would circle the city seven times instead of once as they’d done the previous six days. Finally, the Israelites would shout, and God promised that he would miraculously destroy the walls, leaving a path for them to march directly in (Joshua 6:4–5).

No other battles had been fought by Israel in this manner, and no others would be. God had a particular purpose to mark this victory, the first in the Promised Land, with a miraculous triumph that would follow a week of ceremony. God desired to conquer Jericho in a way that could not be attributed to Israel’s military prowess. Israel would have had every reason, from a standpoint of military tactics and wisdom, to doubt whether God’s directions for the battle would be successful. On the other hand, the Israelites knew the faithfulness of God’s care for 40 years in the wilderness, had heard from the previous generation of their great deliverance from Egypt, and had experienced victories over the Amorite kings Sihon and Og (Deuteronomy 2:26–3:11). The Israelites were convinced that God’s promise was to be trusted, and they obeyed his seemingly strange commands for the battle of Jericho.

Israel’s faith at Jericho is mentioned in Hebrews 11 along with many others who demonstrated faith in God, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Rahab. These saints of God had faith that led them to look beyond immediate circumstances and trust that God’s ways would lead to blessing beyond any earthly situation. In all of the examples, faith led to obedient action (Hebrews 11:7–31). Israel obeyed God’s instructions for the battle, trusting his goodness and faithfulness. After the seventh circle around the city on the seventh day, Israel shouted, and the walls of Jericho fell. The Israelites went straight into the city and destroyed their enemies (Joshua 6:20–21).

Just as the spies had promised, Rahab and her family were spared because she protected the spies before the battle. Joshua 6:25 records that Rahab lived in Israel “to this day,” showing that she became one of God’s people. It also shows that the book of Joshua wasn’t written very long after the events of the book occurred since Rahab was still living.

Historical/Apologetics Background

For much of the twentieth century, archaeologists declared that the biblical account of Jericho could not have happened as the Bible said it did. More recent discoveries, however, have not only led to an archaeological revision of the date of Jericho’s destruction that accords with Joshua’s time in history, but have also shown that the ruins were destroyed in a way that is consistent with the Bible’s description of the event. What was once considered a “problem” of the Bible’s inconsistency with archaeological research has turned out, upon further discovery and study, to be an example of archaeological evidence displaying the trustworthiness of the Bible. For example, archaeologists found evidence that the mudbrick city wall collapsed and was deposited at the base of the stone retaining wall at the time the city met its end. This shows how the Israelites were able to go “straight up” to capture the city after the walls fell (Joshua 6:20). A section of wall that remained intact could be where Rahab’s home was situated, showing God’s protection as he promised. In addition, ash and debris found at the site confirm that the Israelites burned the city (Joshua 6:24). Of course, God’s Word can be trusted completely, with or without such scientific “vindication.”

The Bible says that the Israelites marched around Jericho for seven days. But were these ordinary days or long periods of time? This question seems ridiculous, but it is the same question people ask regarding the length of days in the creation account of Genesis chapter 1. No Christian believes that the Israelites marched around Jericho for thousands of years. Why? Because Scripture is clear. Yet, why do some Christians continue to question the clear meaning of Genesis 1? The answer is that they have been influenced by modern scientists who believe in millions and billions of years. Thus, they have allowed man’s ever-changing opinions to have authority over the unchanging Word of God. The word translated as “day” in Genesis 1 (and in the Jericho account) is the Hebrew word yom. In Genesis 1, yom is modified by a number and used in connection with the word “night” and the phrase “evening and morning.” Each time yom is used outside of Genesis 1 in just one of these ways, it means a normal-length day. There should be absolutely no question that “day” means a literal 24-hour day in Genesis 1 because that chapter uses yom with the combination of all three: a number, the word “night,” and the phrase “evening and morning.”

Isn’t it exciting that we can trust the history in God’s Word? Whether or not we have scientific “evidence” or archaeological “proof,” we know that the Bible is the inspired Word of our God and it is entirely trustworthy.

Highlight

Prepare

Lesson Preparation

Come On In

Write on the board, “Can God be trusted?”

Studying God’s Word

For the Marking the Promise activity, use Student Guides or print the worksheet.

Print one set of the for your classroom.

Print the for your classroom.

Optional Supplements

Video Clips

Preview the recommended video(s) before class. If appropriate, show to your class and discuss before, during, or after the lesson.

PowerPoint

You may want to use the PowerPoint presentation provided to enhance your teaching.

Highlight

Studying God’s Word

Introduction

Last week we watched the Israelites finally cross into the promised land. God went before them in a miraculous way as the waters of the Jordan were piled up in a heap, the ground was made dry, and God made a way for his people to cross over. As the generation who had grown up in the wilderness entered, it was a time of significant transitions.

- Write on the board, “Can God be trusted?”
Who can explain why we have to view the Jordan crossing as a miracle? The Israelites crossed over on dry ground immediately after God caused the waters to stop flowing. Also, the waters piled up in a heap, and there is no language that makes it sound like it was a natural phenomenon.
There was a promise made in an earlier lesson to someone in Jericho. What promise should be fulfilled in our study today? The spies had promised Rahab that they would spare her and her family for helping them. We can look to see how that promise was fulfilled.
Today, we are going to look at the first stage of taking possession of the promised land.

Strange Battle Instructions

Remember that the Israelites camped at Shittim (Acacia Grove) about eight miles to the east of the Jordan River. After crossing, they set up camp at Gilgal just west of the river and probably within sight of Jericho (which was situated up on a hill). While camped at Gilgal, two significant events happened. Joshua 5:2–9 recounts how those men born in the wilderness were circumcised, identifying themselves with Abraham’s descendants. And verses 10–12 explain how the Passover was kept and the people began eating of the produce of the land. God stopped sending them manna, but provided food for them from crops they had not planted.

Joshua 5:13–6:5

Now let’s read Joshua 5:13–6:5 together. Have someone read the passage aloud.

Who did Joshua encounter near Jericho? The commander of the army of the Lord.
Why did Joshua ask whose side the man was on? The man had a drawn sword in his hand, so he wanted to know if he was friend or foe.
How did Joshua respond? He bowed to the earth and worshipped, asking what the commander had to tell him.
What command was first given to Joshua? To remove his sandals because he was on holy ground.
What instructions did Joshua get for the battle? The army (men of war) was to march around the city with the ark and seven priests blowing rams’ horns once a day for six days. On the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times and then blow the horns and shout, at which time the wall would fall down.
What would happen after the wall fell? All of the people (the men of war) were to enter the city.

Discover the Truth

Now that we have made some observations, let’s examine the pieces of this text that require a bit of interpretation.

What other encounter from our past study is similar to Joshua’s encounter with the commander of the Lord’s army? It sounds very much like Moses’ encounter at the burning bush in Exodus 3. Joshua and Moses were both told to take their sandals off because they were on holy ground in the presence of God.
This similar encounter makes sense since Joshua was the successor of Moses.
So, who is this commander of the army of the Lord? He can’t be an angel because he received worship from Joshua—something angels do not do. In 6:2, the commands for taking the city came from the Lord, so this is likely a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. If the commander is speaking to Joshua in 5:15 and the Lord is speaking to Joshua in 6:2, the commander must be the Lord.

Exodus 23:20–24

Slide #9

Slide #10

Let’s also look back to Exodus 23:20–24. Have someone read the passage. What promise is given to the Israelites in this passage? God will send an angel before them to lead them into the promised land.
Now, the character of the angel described in this passage seems to fit God himself. He is to be obeyed and has the authority to refuse to pardon their transgressions. It seems that this angel is the same as the commander of the army of the Lord who appeared to Joshua. It is likely Jesus appearing in what is called a Christophany. Jesus was the one leading his people through the wilderness and carrying the sword to lead them into battle. What assurance Joshua must have had knowing that the Lord himself was fighting the battle.
God is faithful to his promises, and the promise of the inheritance of Canaan was about to be fulfilled for Israel. Introduce the activity to trace the promise of the inheritance of the promised land.

Marking the Promise Activity

Have the students turn to the Marking the Promise activity in their Student Guides. Or use the worksheet.

In your Student Guides you will find the Marking the Promise activity.

When God promised to give Abraham the land of Canaan, it was a promise God was willing and able to keep. I want you to trace this promise through Scripture and, if you like, mark it as a chain in your Bible. To make a chain reference, you write the second reference next to the first, the third next to the second, and so on to be able to follow the references through your Bible. If you have a topical index in your Bible, you could write the first reference next to the entry for the promised land. If you don’t have a topical index, you could write “promised land” on a blank page and then write at least the first reference by it. You can record other key passages or chains on that page in the future.

Since so many references are included, have the students begin the activity in class and finish it on their own time.

Since this is a reference to the inheritance of the promised land, you might use a “PL” next to the reference to distinguish this chain from others. The first mention of the land is in Genesis 12:7, and the second is in 13:14–17. Next to 12:7, you would write “PL 13:14–17.” Then write the next reference at 13:14–17. This will give you a map of the promise as it was passed from Abraham through to Joshua. Our list today will not be exhaustive, but it will be a path from the giving of the promise to the entering of the promised land. You can add to it later in your own study as you encounter more references.

Genesis 12:7, 13:14–17, 15:7, 15:16–21, 17:8, 24:6–7, 26:2–4, 28:13–15, 35:11–12, 48:3–4, 50:24–25

Exodus 3:8, 6:4–8, 12:25, 13:5, 15:14–17, 20:12, 23:20–23, 32:13, 33:1–3, 34:11

Numbers 13:1–2, 14:6–9, 14:20–30, 15:1–2, 20:12, 27:12, 32:11–19, 33:50–56, 34:1–12

Deuteronomy 31:1–13, 32:48–52, 34:1–4 (Many of the passages from Exodus and Numbers are repeated in this book.)

Joshua 1:1–6, 1:10–11, 2:24

Connect to the Truth

You will find many more Bible references to the land promised to Abraham. God frequently reminded the Israelites through the prophets of how he was faithful to the promise despite their unfaithfulness. Similarly, God is faithful to keep his promises to his children in Christ, even when we fail to be perfectly faithful to him (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24; 2 Timothy 2:11–13).

Jericho Falls

Joshua 6:6–27

Let’s take a look at the rest of the account of the battle of Jericho to see how God delivered that city to the Israelites. Let’s start in Joshua 6:6 and read the rest of the chapter. Have someone read the passage aloud.

What happened for the first six days? Once each day, the army marched with the ark around the city, seven priests blew the trumpets, and they returned to the camp.
What instruction did Joshua give the people in verse 10? He told them not to make any noise or speak as they were marching until he gave the command to shout.
What was different about the seventh day? They marched around seven times, and then Joshua gave the command to shout.
What happened when they shouted? The wall fell flat, and the army went up into the city and destroyed everything alive in the city.
What other commands did Joshua give on the seventh day (see verses 17–19)? 1) They were to destroy all who were in the city; 2) only Rahab and her household were to be spared; 3) they were to stay away from the accursed things; 4) all of the gold and silver and the metal vessels were to be taken into the treasury of the Lord.
What phrase is used to describe how the men were to deal with the city and everything in it? The phrase “devoted to destruction” is repeated in verses 17, 18, and 21. The first instance is “devoted to the Lord” and indicates that the destruction was to glorify God. The same phrase is used in Exodus 22:20 to talk about punishment of those who worship false gods.
What warning was given about the items in the city? They were told not to take anything that was devoted to destruction from the city or they would bring trouble on the camp.
How was Rahab saved? Joshua sent the two spies to bring her and her family out of the city to the area outside of the camp of the Israelites.
What additional detail of the destruction do we find in verse 24? They burned the city and only kept the metal vessels.
Who went into the city? While the passage refers to the people, only the men of war went up to the city. This is made clear in verse 20. The others apparently remained at the camp at Gilgal.
What is the future of Jericho? Joshua cursed anyone who would try to rebuild the city. See 1 Kings 16:34 for a fulfillment of this prophecy.
What do we learn about Joshua in the closing verse? God was with Joshua, as he had promised, and he was famous in the land.

Discover the Truth

Is there a scientific explanation for what happened to the walls? Some may suggest that the loud cry sent sonic waves to break up the walls or that an earthquake coincided with the shouting, but we trust this was a supernatural act of God that brought down the walls of this fortified city.
Turn to Hebrews 11:30. What do we learn about why the walls came down? The walls fell because of the people’s faith in the promise of God.
Imagine standing on top of the walls of an ancient city built on a hill. As a foreign army approaches, you think you have enough food to outlast a siege of many months. Then, you watch the invading army march once each day around the city, eerily silent except for the blowing of trumpets—for six days! Weird, no? On the seventh day, the soldiers march around the city seven times and then start screaming. Double weird.
All of a sudden, the walls you had put your trust in tumble down the hill, making a nice ramp for the attackers, and soon they are swarming within the city. All of those things you heard about the God of the Israelites were true, but it is too late.
God gave the Israelites victory over this fortified city in a most unconventional way. Their faith in God to deliver the victory was not in vain, and God showed himself faithful.
As we would expect, archaeological studies of the ancient city ruins of Jericho show features consistent with what the Bible teaches. The walls are crumbled, and there are burnt remains of the city, including full jars of grain. If you are interested, you can find out more about these details by reading the background material in your Student Guides.

Application

God is faithful. He had promised for 450 years to bring Abraham’s descendants into the promised land, and he kept that promise. Not only was he faithful, but he also demonstrated his absolute power as the walls of Jericho came tumbling down with just a shout from the army. The faith of the Israelites and the power of God had brought them victory—their first victory in the promised land.

Slide #22

Slide #23

Slide #24

Slide #25

Slide #26

Slide #27

In the past, the Israelites had failed to trust God. How did their attitude toward God influence the events of our lesson? Their faith in God brought the walls tumbling down, according to Hebrews 11:30. Likewise, when we trust God and act in faith, we can rejoice in seeing him fulfill his plan for us.
Some people read the account of the destruction of Jericho and write it off as a myth. What things in the account would lead them to this conclusion, and how can we approach these skeptics? Some may object to the miraculous blocking of the river or the collapse of the walls at a shout. Responding to these people might involve asking questions and trying to understand why they reject the miracles and then responding as fits the situation. God has the right and the ability to act supernaturally. Others object to the idea that a loving God would command all of the people in the city to be destroyed. These people likely do not understand the nature of sin and the holiness of God. The Amorites were a wicked and idolatrous people, and God was judging them for their sin (see Genesis 15:16). Discuss any other ideas mentioned.
What promises from God to us can we be assured of because of his faithfulness—the faithfulness we have seen in fulfilling the promise of a land for Israel? Discuss various answers and be sure to identify and read the passages for each.
What misunderstandings or misconceptions were corrected in your mind as we studied this passage today? Discuss various ideas.
What consequences would have come about if Rahab would have died in the battle? Rahab is in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1:5), so the line of the Messiah would have been cut off. Of course, this is an example of God’s providence in the battle.
How does the presence of the commander of the army of the Lord help us understand the big-picture theme of the Bible? This should be a reminder to us that God has never changed—the Son has always existed and carried out the will of the Father. Just as he was there to provide a way for Joshua to lead the people in victory, he goes before us, having obtained the victory by his death on the cross.

Highlight

Group Prayer

Be sure to pray with your class before you dismiss them.

Praise God for revealing his faithfulness to us in Scripture.
Ask God for increased faith to trust in his promises.
Thank God for working in ways that show his power rather than ours.

Israel Conquers Jericho

God collapsed the walls of Jericho so Israel could conquer the city.

Lesson Sections

Lesson Media

Overview

Prepare

Studying God’s Word

Group Prayer

Lesson Resources

Overview

Lesson Focus

Key Passages

Objectives

Memory Verse

Prepare to Share

Scriptural Background

Historical/Apologetics Background

Prepare

Lesson Preparation

CCome On In

Come On In

AStudying God’s Word

Studying God’s Word

Optional Supplements

Video Clips

Video Clips

PowerPoint

PowerPoint

Studying God’s Word

Introduction

Strange Battle Instructions

Marking the Promise Activity

Jericho Falls

Application

Group Prayer