1 00:00:02,670 --> 00:00:13,610 Speaker 1: Life Audio Hello and thank you for listening to Your 2 00:00:13,690 --> 00:00:17,790 Speaker 1: Daily Bible Verse, the podcast that examines one verse each 3 00:00:17,910 --> 00:00:20,790 Speaker 1: day to learn more about God and His will for us. 4 00:00:21,590 --> 00:00:25,349 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jessica VanRoekel, and after this short word 5 00:00:25,390 --> 00:00:30,550 Speaker 1: from our sponsor, we'll continue our series titled, trusting God 6 00:00:30,710 --> 00:00:33,950 Speaker 1: one step at a time, with a discussion on verse 7 00:00:34,260 --> 00:00:39,460 Speaker 1: Joshua 6, verse 20. Today's Bible verse is Joshua 6, 8 00:00:39,460 --> 00:00:47,620 Speaker 1: verse 20. So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown, 9 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, 10 00:00:58,580 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: the people shouted a great shout and the wall fell 11 00:01:01,820 --> 00:01:05,380 Speaker 1: down flat, so that the people went up into the city, 12 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 13 00:01:11,900 --> 00:01:15,100 Speaker 1: I serve with an organization that reaches lost teens with 14 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: the good news of Jesus. We meet weekly and plan 15 00:01:18,819 --> 00:01:22,260 Speaker 1: occasional day trips. Our recent event landed us at a 16 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,900 Speaker 1: water park for daring adventure or relaxing on the lazy river. 17 00:01:26,620 --> 00:01:30,890 Speaker 1: But getting there required trusting my GPS because I had 18 00:01:31,030 --> 00:01:33,970 Speaker 1: never been to this water park. There were times when 19 00:01:34,010 --> 00:01:37,010 Speaker 1: I doubted the directions. It felt like I was driving 20 00:01:37,069 --> 00:01:40,250 Speaker 1: down back roads into the wilds of the prairie and 21 00:01:40,330 --> 00:01:43,500 Speaker 1: I wondered if we'd ever arrive at our destination or 22 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,260 Speaker 1: if we would end up on the other side of 23 00:01:45,300 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: the state. Following directions requires a level of trust. It's 24 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: easy when they make sense, but it's harder when they 25 00:01:53,860 --> 00:01:59,380 Speaker 1: seem inefficient, unnecessary, or frankly, even a little ridiculous. But 26 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: Joshua and the Israelites faced those kinds of instructions. Instead 27 00:02:04,260 --> 00:02:08,210 Speaker 1: of siege ramps or battering rams, God instructed them to 28 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,589 Speaker 1: march and march and march some more. Human logic may 29 00:02:12,610 --> 00:02:17,940 Speaker 1: have chuckled at the ridiculousness of the strategy. Joshua 6, however, 30 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:23,700 Speaker 1: reminds us how God's victories often come through obedience before understanding. 31 00:02:24,500 --> 00:02:28,690 Speaker 1: God said, I have given Jericho into your hand. In 32 00:02:28,730 --> 00:02:32,430 Speaker 1: God's eyes, it was already done. But to the Israelites, 33 00:02:32,590 --> 00:02:37,550 Speaker 1: they needed to follow through on God's instructions. For six days, 34 00:02:37,630 --> 00:02:40,350 Speaker 1: they were to march around the city following the Ark 35 00:02:40,389 --> 00:02:43,260 Speaker 1: of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they were to 36 00:02:43,380 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: march around seven times Blow trumpets and shout. While these 37 00:02:48,810 --> 00:02:53,630 Speaker 1: instructions seemed like poor strategy from a military perspective, they 38 00:02:53,669 --> 00:02:58,030 Speaker 1: do make sense from a faith perspective. To march required 39 00:02:58,270 --> 00:03:02,730 Speaker 1: total and complete dependence on God. It required great faith 40 00:03:02,810 --> 00:03:06,390 Speaker 1: from Joshua as he had to explain and then execute 41 00:03:06,450 --> 00:03:10,290 Speaker 1: the plan. It also required great faith from the people. 42 00:03:10,860 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: because they needed to follow Joshua's instructions, who frankly did 43 00:03:14,940 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: not hesitate to obey God's unusual instructions. You see, normally 44 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,580 Speaker 1: the priests in the ark did not go with the 45 00:03:22,700 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: Israelites into battle, but this time it did. Some scholars 46 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,910 Speaker 1: say it helped keep the people's hearts and minds on 47 00:03:29,950 --> 00:03:33,130 Speaker 1: the Lord, who was present with them instead of having 48 00:03:33,169 --> 00:03:35,350 Speaker 1: their eyes focused on the task in front of them. 49 00:03:36,610 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: The city of Jericho covered about eight acres. It was 50 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,060 Speaker 1: a fortress city, surrounded by walls that may have been 51 00:03:44,060 --> 00:03:49,660 Speaker 1: 30 feet high and about 20 feet thick. Fortress cities 52 00:03:49,700 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: were places of refuge and protection for those inside the 53 00:03:53,140 --> 00:03:56,540 Speaker 1: city and those who lived in the country surrounding it 54 00:03:56,590 --> 00:04:01,370 Speaker 1: would come into it for protection. Archaeology reveals the people 55 00:04:01,410 --> 00:04:08,330 Speaker 1: of Jericho practiced idolatry, cults, violence, child sacrifice, and communicating 56 00:04:08,370 --> 00:04:13,110 Speaker 1: with the dead. Their complete destruction would safeguard Israel from 57 00:04:13,630 --> 00:04:17,470 Speaker 1: their influence. The people of Jericho believed their city was 58 00:04:17,550 --> 00:04:21,420 Speaker 1: protected by Canaanite gods and could not be conquered. Yet, 59 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: in their hearts, they melted with fear and they shut 60 00:04:25,380 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: the gates because of the one true God. Even though 61 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: God promised victory to Joshua and the Israelites, he gave 62 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: them something to do to be in partnership with him. 63 00:04:38,570 --> 00:04:41,610 Speaker 1: Obedience before the fall of Jericho didn't mean they wouldn't 64 00:04:41,670 --> 00:04:45,190 Speaker 1: need courage. Walking around the walls of Jericho meant they 65 00:04:45,210 --> 00:04:48,029 Speaker 1: were open to attack from the high position of the walls. 66 00:04:48,810 --> 00:04:53,330 Speaker 1: The promised victory required endurance to persist in an activity 67 00:04:53,390 --> 00:04:58,690 Speaker 1: that didn't make much sense. Their helplessness became increasingly evident 68 00:04:58,810 --> 00:05:04,070 Speaker 1: as they looked at those walls up close for six days. Then, 69 00:05:04,510 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 1: the seventh day, the Sabbath dawned. They made seven laps, 70 00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:14,220 Speaker 1: marching silently, following the priests and the ark. Then, after 71 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: days of silence, they were commanded to shout. They lifted 72 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,620 Speaker 1: their voices in recognition that God would give them what 73 00:05:21,740 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: he had promised. The walls fell flat, and the people 74 00:05:26,060 --> 00:05:30,110 Speaker 1: went up into the city to conquer it. Joshua and 75 00:05:30,140 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: the people witnessed a direct act of God. They conquered 76 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: Jericho because of their obedience to God's unusual instructions and 77 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:46,020 Speaker 1: their faith in his miraculous power. God invited them into 78 00:05:46,140 --> 00:05:51,270 Speaker 1: his work by giving them something to do. God invites 79 00:05:51,550 --> 00:05:55,170 Speaker 1: us to partner with him too. He calls us to 80 00:05:55,210 --> 00:05:58,550 Speaker 1: live a life for him and empowers us to do 81 00:05:58,650 --> 00:06:02,500 Speaker 1: so while at the same time, giving us the responsibility 82 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,900 Speaker 1: of throwing off the things that hinder us from loving 83 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,830 Speaker 1: him and living with him with our whole hearts. At times, 84 00:06:09,910 --> 00:06:12,330 Speaker 1: it won't make sense to those around us, but when 85 00:06:12,370 --> 00:06:17,529 Speaker 1: we obey, victory follows. Take a moment to ask God 86 00:06:17,710 --> 00:06:20,869 Speaker 1: if there's an area that needs conquering in your life 87 00:06:21,529 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 1: and what you need to do so that he can 88 00:06:24,660 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: win the battle. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you so 89 00:06:29,020 --> 00:06:33,250 Speaker 1: much that You've just asked us to trust you and 90 00:06:33,290 --> 00:06:38,890 Speaker 1: to obey. Lord, yes, sometimes like the Israelites around Jericho, 91 00:06:38,950 --> 00:06:41,810 Speaker 1: the things you ask us to do don't really make 92 00:06:41,980 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: sense from a human point of view. But from your 93 00:06:46,180 --> 00:06:49,820 Speaker 1: point of view, it's exactly what needs to happen so 94 00:06:49,860 --> 00:06:53,380 Speaker 1: that you can have total victory. God, we give you 95 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,020 Speaker 1: our lives. Where in our lives are we preventing you 96 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:01,820 Speaker 1: from having victory by refusing to to maybe obey wholeheartedly 97 00:07:02,060 --> 00:07:05,299 Speaker 1: or refusing to look at our lives through your lens 98 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:09,610 Speaker 1: of mercy and grace and power and strength. Lord, we 99 00:07:09,670 --> 00:07:12,270 Speaker 1: love you and we want to live for you. And 100 00:07:12,290 --> 00:07:16,190 Speaker 1: we want today to be the day that you get 101 00:07:16,290 --> 00:07:20,739 Speaker 1: total victory in our lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.