joshua 5 and 6

The Hebrew paragraph divisions for today’s chapters are:

Jos 5:1 {p} The drying up of the Jordan struck fear in the people of the land
Jos 5:2-8 {p} The sons of Israel circumcised at Gilgal
Jos 5:9-12 {s} Israel kept the Passover, ate the produce of Canaan, manna ceased
Jos 5:13-6:1 {s} Joshua encountered the Commander of the LORD’s army
Jos 6:2-11 {p} Strategy of 7 days given + 1st day
Jos 6:12-25 {p} 2nd-7th days + walls fell down + Jericho destroyed + Rahab saved
Jos 6:26 {s} Joshua’s curse on the rebuilding of Jericho
Jos 6:27-7:1 {s} The LORD was with Joshua + Israel took of the accursed things

The strong themes:

Jos 4:15-5:8 {px3} Teach the memorial of what God has done to future generations / fear of God + circumcision
Jos 5:9-6:11 {s+s+p} Events in the life of Joshua repeat events in the life Moses: encounter YHVH + holy ground + strategy for deliverance
Jos 6:12-25 {p} 2nd-7th days + walls fell down + Jericho destroyed + Rahab saved

These chapters in Joshua are teaching God’s people, if we will hear them, how to achieve the victory God has promised us. Now Joshua and all Israel were walking in all the LORD’s commandments. They followed the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night faithfully, to the edge of the Promised Land. So what do they encounter? OBSTACLES!

The first obstacle is the Jordan River, swollen with spring run off. How are 600,000 men, besides women, children, and much livestock, going to overcome that obstacle? Joshua did not know, until the LORD told him how to overcome that obstacle. God knows the strategy to overcome obstacles!

Israel’s victory over the waters of the Jordan was followed immediately by another obstacle: the walls of Jericho.

“Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in.” Jos 6:1

Jericho was a strongly fortified city of the Canaanites. There was an inner wall, surrounded by an earthen embankment, and an outer wall made of mud bricks, which acted as a retaining wall for the earthen embankment. There were also large stores of grain in the city from the recent barley harvest. The city was prepared to endure a long siege behind its strongly fortified walls.

How was Joshua going to overcome this obstacle? He did not know, until the Commander of the LORD’s army (a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus – not an angel, for He received Joshua’s worship, which angels do never do) told him the battle plan. At the shout of Israel on the 7th day, the outer retaining wall fell down outward, forming a ramp, which allowed the Israelites easy access up and over the earthen embankment and inner wall.

We can be completely following God’s will for our lives in every particular, and still run into obstacles. In fact, God might be leading us to those obstacles on purpose! When He miraculously demolishes that obstacle, His name receives glory, and our faith is strengthened! And just perhaps, it is a sign to the unbelievers around us that God is with us, so that their heart melts within them, and the things in which they trusted, are revealed as a vain vapor.

It is a good thing to meet obstacles with praise and thanksgiving to our good and generous Father! Obstacles in front of us are not obstacles in front of Him, but rather, opportunities to reveal His mighty hand and awesome power! But don’t assume the strategy for victory. Get in the Lord’s presence and receive His strategy for victory that He wants to give you. It might seem far-fetched, but it will overcome the obstacle!

The time of this crossing and conquest was the first month (spring). After the crossing, it was the 14th day of the 1st month, when Israel celebrated Passover. That evening, Joshua saw the Man who was the Commander of the LORD’s army, who gave him the battle plan. The next day, which was the 1st day of Unleavened Bread (a high Sabbath), was the 1st day of Israel encircling the city, and the 7th day of Unleavened Bread (a high Sabbath) was the 7th day of encircling the city, when the walls fell down flat. Incidentally on the 7th day of Unleavened Bread, Jericho was burned as a whole burnt offering to the LORD, and the leaven (of idolatry and every wicked thing) was cleansed from this first city of His land.

It is not a coincidence that Israel’s victory coincided with the seventh day, the Sabbath, and the Feast days.

For further reading:
Jericho: Does the Evidence Disprove or Prove the Bible?