Learning Obedience

Learning obedience.  Most of us are probably familiar with the account of the walls of Jericho falling down.  Here is a great and might city, protected by a strong wall.  God is going to give Joshua and the Israelites the victory against this city.  However, how God brings about this victory is peculiar.  The Lord tells Joshua that He has handed Jericho over to them, and that they are to march around the city one time each day for sick days (Joshua 6:2-3).  Then on the seventh day, they are to march around the city seven times while the priests blow the trumpets.  When the troops would hear a prolonged blast of the horns, they were supposed to shout.  When they did this, the walls of Jericho collapsed (v.5).  God could have delivered Jerich to the Israelites any way that He wanted.  We can search the meaning of the marching and the seven days, the trumpets sounding, and the horns blasting, and that would be a fine study to do.  And everything in God’s Word is true and important.  However, we must not forget the very simple truths.  God was teaching Joshua and the Israelites the importance of obedience.  God was the One who delivered the great victory.  God wanted Israel to trust Him for all things, and He would care for them as children.  Oh, the lessons that we must learn to trust and obey.  Great victories are sure to follow!