Title: God's Training / Joshua 6:8-21
Content Training of Faith (8-15)
The land of Canaan is a land of rest given by God, but it is a land of conflict and war where the battles do not stop to take possession of the land. That is, spiritual rest is the result of spiritual struggle. In particular, Jericho was the starting point for the conquest of Canaan, so it became a good place for God to train the Israelites. The first is the training of faith.
Hebrews 11:30 tells us that by faith he went through Jericho for seven days, and the wall fell. In other words, the Israelites destroyed Jericho by faith. It was destroyed by God's method, not by sword and spear. This training of faith was fourfold. The first is obedience training. The second is the discipline of silence. The third is prayer training. The fourth is patience training. As a result of this obedience, silence, prayer, and perseverance, the wall of Jericho fell. But more importantly, the ark of God's covenant was with the people of Israel in this training. That is, the blessing of God's presence was with them. As a result, the history of faith appeared. Jericho was destroyed.
In this way, God trained the people of Israel in faith through the city of Jericho.
Training of Hope (16, 20-21)
God, through Joshua, goes around seven times on the seventh day and tells the people, "Cry out, the LORD God has given you this city." In this way, God's blessings happen to those who hope. It happens to those who expect it. As faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen, God's work is revealed when we hope and expect. No one would have thought that the impregnable fortress of Jericho would collapse with a cry. But God said, “Cry, and it will be destroyed.” So, believing and shouting, the walls of Jericho fell down.
The event of Jericho brought destruction to the people living in it, but to the Israelites it was a prelude to the conquest of Canaan. It was an event that gave great strength and courage to the people of Israel. At the same time, it was an event that made me possess confidence and passion for God in all the wars to come.
In this way, God trained the people of Israel to always expect, trust, and hope for God.
Training in Love (17-19)
Before God destroyed the city of Jericho, he told the Israelites to offer up everything in Jericho to the Lord. He tells them to collect all the gold, silver, and bronze utensils of Jericho and put them in God's treasury. It means that you should not be tempted by the material abundance you met for the first time after 400 years of slavery in Egypt and 40 years of living in the wilderness. Not only that, but it also says that the first thing you get when you enter the land of Canaan belongs to God.
Hidden in these words is that we must love God more than the best and necessary in the world. That is, it is training for the love of God. We must love God more than the gold and silver treasures on this earth. It is a message to overcome the world's temptation to love the world's gold and silver treasures rather than God. It is a message to think of God first, find God's share, and give it to God in the place where you first won.
In this way, God trained to love God through the battle of Jericho.