The Conquest Of Jericho

THE BIBLE AND HISTORY

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INTRODUCTION

Jericho is a name found 64 times within 59 verses of the King James Bible.

While it is only mentioned 7 times in the New Testament, it is used 29 times in the remaining 57 times, of the Old

Testament, in Joshua.

INTRODUCTION

This is because Jericho holds a very unique place in Scripture for the Israelites.

After 400 years of captivity in Egypt, and after 40 years of wandering in the desert during the exodus,

Jericho is a first fruits, if you will, offered to God by the Israelites, by the command of God.

Tell es-Sultan Or Jericho

JERICHO CURSEDAs we shall see, modern Jericho is not built upon the

remains of the old Jericho.

This is for good reason as we read in Joshua 6:26

Joshua 6:26 (KJV) 26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

JERICHO CURSED

We have an example of the effects of this curse recorded for us in 1 Kings 16.

This happened under the reign of Ahab, king of Israel, who was recorded as setting the bar for evil in the sight of the

Lord.

JERICHO CURSED

1 Kings 16:30, 34 (KJV) 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. 34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

Tell es-Sultan and Modern Jericho

Jericho is located roughly 14.5 miles northeast of Jerusalem.

If walking from Jerusalem to Jericho,the trip would be mainly downhill andwould probably take around 6 hours towalk it.

As you can see from the map, it is a shortdistance north of the Dead Sea.

JERICHO

We read the verse in Joshua 6:26 concerning the curse of those who attempted to build upon Jericho.

Let’s take a step back, though, and see the events that lead up to the destruction of Jericho.

THE PREPARATION

Before God would instruct Joshua on destroying Jericho, he prepared Joshua and the people for the work they

would do.

Remember, they had just spent 400 years in Egypt and 40 years wandering in the desert before coming to where

they were now.

Some things had to change.

THE PREPARATION

The 40 years of wandering marked the beginning of this change.

THE PREPARATIONNumbers 32:11–13 (KJV) 11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. 13 And the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

THE PREPARATION

God had led the Israelites through those 40 years.

He then brought them up through Moab to the Jordan River.

At the Jordan River they crossed into the land of Canaan, the Promised Land.

God instructed Joshua on how to go across the Jordan.

They did so on dry ground!

THE PREPARATION

You can read about the crossing of the Jordan in

Joshua 3:1 – 4:12

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 4:13–14 (KJV) 13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 4:19 (KJV) 19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

THE PREPARATION

The Israelites are now across the Jordan River to the east of Jericho.

Joshua is in full control,

and it is currently the tenth day of the first month.

We have a scenario building here!

It’s important to see this as there are many who teach that this was all written centuries later.

THE PREPARATION

This whole event of crossing the Jordan River was done to prepare the hearts of the kings around the area, including

Jericho.

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 5:1 (KJV) 1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 2:9 (KJV) 9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 2:10–11 (KJV) 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

THE PREPARATION

We see how the Israelites crossed over from the east side of the Jordan River to the west side of the Jordan River on

the 10th day of the first month.

They are being prepared by God to take up residence in the Promised Land,

but, first they still were required to follow the Law as given to them by Moses.

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 5:2–3 (KJV) 2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 5:4–5 (KJV) 4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 5:6 (KJV) 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

THE PREPARATION

And so it was.

Only Joshua and Caleb came out of Egypt and came into the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey.

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 5:9 (KJV) 9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

This is the 10th of Nisan.

The preparation is well underway.

THE PREPARATION

The Israelites kept the Passover on the evening of the 14th of Nisan in the plains of Jericho.

Scripture records they ate unleavened cakes and parched corn at the Passover.

On the day after the Passover, what is the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, they ate the old corn of the

land.

This actually marks another change!

THE PREPARATION

Joshua 5:12 (KJV) 12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

THE PREPARATION

Now while certain things had stopped;

The wandering in desert,

The manna from heaven,

One thing had not stopped,

God being in charge!

PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST

Joshua 5:13 (KJV) 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST

Joshua 5:14–15 (KJV) 14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? 15 And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST

Notice the title given and the command for Joshua to loose his shoe from off his foot because the place being holy.

This was last done when God spoke with Moses in the book of Exodus.

Joshua worships the man he sees and is not stopped from doing so.

PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST

We are seeing a pre-incarnate Christ in these verses!

The following verses back this statement up.

PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST

Joshua 6:1–2 (KJV) 1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS

Joshua 6:3–4 (KJV) 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.

GOD’S PROPHECY

Joshua 6:5 (KJV) 5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, 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.

GOD’S PROPHECY

God, the pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, instructed Joshua on how to take Jericho.

God, the pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, prophesied what would happen if Joshua followed His instruction.

GOD’S PROPHECY

Based on God’s instruction, Joshua led the Israelites exactly as commanded.

The walls of Jericho fell on that seventh day.

This all happened as Scripture tells.

SUMMARY

We have looked at the preparation of the taking of Jericho.

How God had placed fear into the hearts of the kings of the area, placed fear in the hearts of the people of the area.

Fear of the Israelites because of the workings of God.

SUMMARY

God had brought the Israelites to the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the desert.

Wandering to clear out those who did not wholly follow God.

SUMMARY

God had restored the Israelites back to the keeping of the Law through insuring all the males were circumcised.

Showing they were truly Israelites following the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God gave them the fruit of the land flowing with milk and honey and stopped the giving of manna from heaven.

SUMMARY

The stage had been set to allow the Israelites to take the land that had been promised to them by God.

WHAT’S COMING NEXT

In Part 2 of this message, we will see how the findings of certain archaeologists agree with that of Scripture.

We will also see how other archaeologists attempt to refute the story of Jericho in Scripture with what can only

be described as “science falsely so called.”

SALVATION

Scripture is clear on the fact that those who are obedient to God’s word are blessed as a result.

God’s word tells us we can only be saved by believing on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as our only

means of salvation.

Will you be a conqueror by following God’s word, or will you be the conquered by believing man’s word?

SALVATION

1 Corinthians 15:1–2 (KJV) 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

SALVATION

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (KJV) 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

SALVATION – YOUR CHOICE

The choice is yours!