Shalom Dear Brothers and Sisters Jericho Everyone in Jericho knew the Israelites were coming and they were afraid! As Rahab had told the spies that everyone had heard how the God of Israel had parted the Red Sea. Now we see in chapter 3 ,God parted the Jordan River so that the Israelites may pass through. The Jordan was overflowing because it was the season of harvest can you imagine the fear inside the walls of Jericho. Even though they had built this mighty wall and fortified the city, they understood that the God of Israel was not one to be reckoned with! I would not have wanted to be one of the people inside the city of Jericho. I can only imagine what must have been going through their minds. Just imagine yourself inside this fortified walled city, no one going in or out, all the doors shut tight. You have no idea what's going on, all you hear every day are men marching around your city blowing trumpets! Not just trumpets but Rams horns something you've never heard before. They do it once and then go away. Can you picture the people in the square talking amongst themselves, asking what are these Israelites doing? What is this God of theirs going to do to us? They come and they go and these horns what are they? Meanwhile Rahab is gathering her family and making sure her scarlet rope is hanging out the window warning them to not go out, not to leave the house or you are dead! Every day for six days the Israelites marched around the city once blowing their shofar's carrying the Ark of the covenant and then leaving. While some of the people may have put their trust in the walls and they were probably building siege ramps and propping up the walls from inside making sure the doors were secure I think others were turning their hearts towards God of Israel. I know if I had been inside and had heard of all the things I would have gone into my house and prayed to the God of Israel, I knew I was about to die but I still would have believed that he was the one true God and I would have told Him so. I would have told all the people, all of my family. We only know of one family for sure that God spared and that was Rahab's because they believed her. But she told the spies that all the peoples of the land around them were afraid of the God of the Israelites in their hearts had grown faint because they knew they were coming. Probably many of the people were calling on their gods to save them but I like to think that some of them were smart enough to know to pray to the God of Israel. We'll never know this side of eternity but one thing I do know we serve a very mighty just and holy God. So on the seventh day the Israelites once again marched round the city only this time they marched seven times then they gave a large shout and the walls of Jericho came falling down. As sad and heartbreaking as it was to see the twin towers fall it gives us a glimpse as to how fast and hard the walls of Jericho must have come down! God was true to the Israelites because he made a promise to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Because Moses had interceded for these people! The world knew of his fame and inside those walls they had seven days to repent and pray. We do not know at what hour we will stand before our God of heaven and earth! So let us be on guard every moment and make sure that our lives line up with His Word by having that one-on-one relationship so that He can direct our paths! Proverbs 3:5 B'Shem Yeshua Hamashiach, Amen In His Love, Theresa
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