Joshua and the Battle of Jericho
At the Battle of Jericho, Joshua and all of the Israelites discovered that God delivers a miracle.
Before You ListenLet's Get Started
Theme: Worshiping God- God Calls His People.
- After Moses had died, Joshua became the new leader of the Israelites. In Joshua 1: 1-9, God gives Joshua instructions and encouragement. In your life, when have you felt that God was giving you instructions? When have you felt God’s encouragement?
- As you listen to this story, think about what God commanded Joshua and the Israelite soldiers to do. How do you think this plan differed from how soldiers usually attack a walled city?
After you listen
Memory Verse
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.
Quiz
A: Seven times.
Reflect
Let’s review what God commanded Joshua and the Israelites to do:
“March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout” (Joshua 6:3-5).
God didn’t instruct them to craft swords, bundle arrows, prepare for battle, build catapults and trebuchets, or command the soldiers to storm the city.
When the story was told after the battle, the Israelites could not take credit for what happened. Instead, people would proclaim God’s power and give glory to God for the miraculous victory when the walls came down. The Israelites had obeyed what God had commanded them to do.
When amazing things happen in your life, look back and see God’s work in it all. When dealing with tough times, look up and see God holding you up. Remember God’s words in Joshua 1: 1-9, where God gives Joshua (and all who follow God) powerful instructions and encouragement, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” And remember to give God the glory for all he has done in your life.
Want to dig deeper and learn more about following God’s commands? Check out John 14:15, Deuteronomy 11:1, and 2 John 6.
Challenge
In Matthew 22:36-40, a teacher of the law asks Jesus what’s the greatest commandment God had ever given. Jesus quotes two laws from the Old Testament, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
This week, how can you follow God’s greatest commandment? On a sheet of paper, make two columns labeled “Love the Lord” and “Love my neighbor.” For each column, write at least three sentences starting with the phrase “I will…” For example, “I will read to my younger sister,” “I will do my chores before a parent has to remind me,” or “I will plan a special gift for my next-door neighbor.” Then, promise that you will do what you’ve written. Please share it with someone who will keep you accountable for the week.
