Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 2.djvu/35

Rh it. We often say of a person whom we have a great affection for, that we love the very ground he goes upon; thus Joshua must show his reverence for this divine person, he must not tread the ground he stood on with his shoes on, Eccl. 5. 1. Outward expressions of inward reverence, and a religious awe of God, well become us, and are required of us, whenever we approach to him in solemn ordinances. Bishop Patrick well observes here, that the very same orders that God gave to Moses at the bush, when he was sending him to bring Israel out of Egypt, Exod. 3. 5. he here gives to Joshua, for the confirming of his faith in the promise he had lately given him, that as he had been with Moses, so he would be with him, ch. 1. 5. Had Moses such a presence of God with him, as, when it became sensible, sanctified the ground? So had Joshua.

And (lastly) Hereby he prepares him to receive the instructions he was about to give him, concerning the siege of Jericho, which this captain of the Lord's host was now come to give Israel possession of.

CHAP. VI. Joshua opened the campaign with the siege of Jericho, a city which could not trust so much to the courage of its people, as to act offensively and to send out its forces to oppose Israel's landing and encamping, but trusted so much to the strength of its walls, as to stand upon its defence, and not to surrender, or desire conditions of peace. Now here we have the story of the taking of it. I. The directions and assurances which the Captain of the Lord's host gave concerning it, v. 1..5. II. The trial of the people's patient obedience in walking round the city six days, v. 6..14. III. The wonderful delivery of it into their hands the seventh day, with a solemn charge to them to use it as a devoted thing, v. 15..21. and v. 24. IV. The preservation of Rahab and her relations, v. 22, 23, 25. V. A curse pronounced upon the man that should dare to rebuild this city, v. 26, 27. An abstract of this story we find among the trophies of faith, Heb 11. 30, By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

OW Jericho was straitly shut up, because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2. And the said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the rams' horns, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up, every man straight before him.

We have here a contest between God and the men of Jericho, and their different resolutions, upon which it is easy to say whose word shall prevail.

I. Jericho resolves Israel shall not be its master, v. 1. It was straitly shut up, because of the children of Israel it did shut up, and it was shut up. So it is in the margin, it did shut up itself, being strongly fortified both by art and nature, and it was shut up, by the obstinacy and resolution of the inhabitants, who agreed never to surrender or so much as sound a parley; none went out as deserters or to treat of peace, nor were any admitted in to offer peace. Thus were they infatuated, and their hearts hardened to their own destruction—the miserable case and character of all those that strengthen themselves against the Almighty, Job 15. 25.

II. God resolves Israel shall be its master, and that quickly. The captain of the Lord's host, here called Jehovah, taking notice how strongly Jericho was fortified, and how strictly guarded, and knowing Joshua's thoughts and cares about reducing it, and perhaps his fears of a disgrace there, and of stumbling at the threshold, gave him here all the assurance he could desire of success, v. 2, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho. Not, "I will do it, but I have done it; it is all thine own, as sure as if it were already in thy possession." It was designed that this city, being the first-fruits of Canaan, should be entirely devoted to God, and that neither Joshua nor Israel should ever be one mite the richer for it, and yet it is here said to be given into their hand, for we must reckon that most our own, which we have an opportunity of honouring God with, and employing in his service.

Now, 1. The Captain of the Lord's host gives directions how the city should be besieged. No trenches are to be opened, no batteries erected, or battering rams drawn up, nor any military preparations made; but the ark of God must be carried by the priests round the city, once a day for six days together, and seven times the seventh day, attended by the men of war in silence, the priests all the while blowing with trumpets of ram's horns, v. 3, 4. This was all they were to do.

2. He assures them, that on the seventh day before night, they should without fail, be masters of the town; upon a signal given, they must all shout, and immediately the wall should fall down, which would not only expose the inhabitants, but so dispirit them, that they would not be able to make any resistance, v. 5. God appointed this way, (1.) To magnify his own power, that he might be exalted in his own strength, Ps. 21. 13. not in the strength of instruments. God would hereby yet further make bare his own almighty arm for the encouragement of Israel, and the terror and confusion of the Canaanites. (2. ) To put an honour upon his ark, the instituted token of his presence, and to give a reason for the laws, by which the people were obliged to look upon it with the most profound veneration and respect. When, long after this, the ark was brought into the camp without orders from God, it was looked upon as a profanation of it, and the people paid dear for their presumption, 1 Sam. 4. 3, &c. But now that it was done by the divine appointment, it was an honour to the ark of God, and a great encouragement to the faith of Israel. (3.) It was likewise to put honour upon the priests, who were appointed upon this occasion to carry the ark, and sound the trumpets. Ordinarily, the priests were excused from war; that that privilege, with other honours and powers that the law had given them, might not be grudged them, in this service they are principally employed, and so the people are made sensible what blessings they were to the public, and how well worthy of all the advantages conferred upon them. (4.) It was to try the faith, obedience, and patience, of the people, to try whether they would observe a precept, which to human policy seemed foolish to obey, and believe a promise which in human probability seemed impossible to be performed. They were also proved, whether they could patiently bear the reproaches of their enemies, and patiently wait for the salvation of the Lord. Thus, by faith, not by force, the walls of Jericho fell down. (5.)