The Story of Jericho: A Lesson in Faith and Trust

Good morning. My name is Kohan, and I'm honored to speak with you today about one of the most remarkable stories in scripture: the battle of Jericho. This story, found in Joshua chapter 6, marks a pivotal moment when the Israelites transition from wandering in the wilderness to stepping into the promised land.

Understanding the Challenge

Jericho was a massive, heavily fortified city—largely feared and seemingly unconquerable. Taking this city was crucial for the Israelites to gain a foothold in the land and secure the surrounding area. It would require something extraordinary: patience, trust, and faith in God's plan.

God gave Joshua very specific instructions:

"See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands along with its kings and its fighting men. March around the city once with all your armed men. Do this for 6 days. Have the 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 trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout, then the wall of the city will collapse." (Joshua 6:2-5)

Can you imagine receiving such a command? God was asking the Israelites to trust Him before seeing any evidence of success.

The Power of Patience and Obedience

For six days, the Israelites did something extraordinary—they literally walked around the walls and did nothing else. They weren't attacking. They weren't fighting. They were simply obeying and trusting.

Joshua commanded the army with these words:

"Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout." (Joshua 6:10)

The Israelites were cultivating patience. They were keeping going when times got tough. They were predetermining that when tempted to give up, they would keep pushing through.

Hebrews 11:30 tells us:

"It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around the city of Jericho for 7 days and the walls came crashing down."

What is Faith?

Faith is defined as a profound trust, confidence, or reliance in a person, idea, or divine power often maintained without physical proof.

Hebrews 11:1 puts it beautifully:

"Faith shows the reality of what we hope for. It is the evidence of things we cannot see."

The Israelites had such profound faith in the Lord that with no proof on the seventh day that those walls would come down, they had faith that they would. But what allowed them to have this faith? God had already told them: "I have delivered Jericho into your hands." The outcome was already determined; they simply had to obey the process.

The Foundation of Trust

Trust is the foundation of belief in a partner's consistency, honesty, and reliability. The Israelites marched around those walls for seven days, and nothing happened for six days. No cracks appeared. No signs of weakness. Yet they had to trust that on the seventh day, those walls would fall.

Jericho was a huge, heavily fortified city with giant walls. No one thought it could be conquered. But it wasn't until the final day—the final lap, the final moment—that everything changed. They pushed and pushed, trusting in the Lord's plan, and that's when the walls came down.

On the seventh day:

"On the seventh time around, when the priest sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army shout, 'For the Lord has given you the city.'" (Joshua 6:15-16)

Don't Miss the Process

Here's what strikes me most powerfully about this story: Are you able to keep going when nothing's happening? On days one through six, are you so focused on when the seventh day will come that you miss what God is doing in the process?

Don't miss the process that God is doing in your life, because He is faithful and good even when we don't feel it, even when we don't see it.

A Personal Struggle

I want to share something personal. A couple of months ago, I was in the middle of deciding about college and my future—something many of you adults have experienced, and something that will come soon for many of you high schoolers.

I felt called toward ministry and architecture. Over the past two years, I've been blessed to lead a small group of seventh grade boys, helping them grow into responsible young men. At the same time, I took an architecture class where I built models and designed things. When people asked about my future, I wondered: "Lord, is this what you have for me? Is this really your plan?"

This is something I still wrestle with day in and day out. Sometimes I get worried or anxious about pursuing architecture. I want to know: "Lord, what is the purpose you have for me?" There are times when I want to give it all to the Lord, every decision, no matter how hard it feels. But then frustration builds up: "Why can't I have the answer now? Why do I have to wait?"

Maybe for you it's different. Maybe it's: Why do I have to work on that same project every single week? Why do I have to have that tough conversation with someone I love? It's hard.

But then I'm reminded of what God told Joshua:

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened. Do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 6:9)

There are times when I want to take control and say, "Lord, this is what I want to do." But then I take a step back and remind myself who God is—because He is faithful and He is good every single day. That helps me keep going, knowing His strength is there to help me.

The Call to Remain Faithful

As followers of Jesus, we are called to stay faithful no matter what. That takes determination—turning to the Lord over and over again, no matter how hard it feels.

We must decide ahead of time that when life gets hard, we will keep going until the Lord tells us to stop. Because that's where patience grows and God's work becomes more visible in your life.

A Challenge for You

Where in your life can you do this today? What can you keep pushing through that may be really tough right now? Because that's where patience grows and God's work becomes more visible in your life.

Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you so much for this beautiful morning we all get to gather together and hear your word. Lord, I pray if there's any of us in this room that don't know you, that we just have an encounter with you and know that our lives are forever changed. Thank you for this beautiful morning and help us have a blessed day. Jesus, I pray. Amen.