EXPLORE THE TEXT
We should obey God’s directions, even when they don’t make sense.
12 Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests took the ark of the Lord,
13 and the seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns marched in front of the ark of the Lord.
While the rams’ horns were blowing, the armed men went in front of them, and the rear guard went behind the ark of the Lord.
14 On the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp.
They did this for six days.
Review the instructions God gave Joshua in verses 1-5.
Discuss what the people might have thought about this plan.
1 Jericho was tightly shut; no one went out and no one came in.
2 The LORD said: " I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors.
3 March around the city,
circling the city once. You shall do so for six days.
4 seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark;
on the seventh day march around the city seven times,
and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
5 When they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet,
all the people shall shout with a great shout;
and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead."
Share the significance of the people’s obedience:
God laid out the plan for Joshua (6:2-5).
Of first importance, the Lord told him that He had already given Jericho to Joshua.
When God makes a promise for the future, it is as good as done.
What the Lord required of Joshua and the people was their trust and obedience.
God commanded Joshua that he and his army were to march around the city with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant in the front and seven priests ahead of the ark carrying ram’s horns. .On the first day, everyone did as they were instructed. .
Early the next morning, on the second day, Joshua, the priests, and the army arose and repeated what they had done the previous day.
They continued doing this for six days just as the Lord had commanded them. (PSG, p. 39)
God was preparing His people to enter the promised land with this test.
The seventh day offered a different kind of test.