As seen in "Truly Magazine: The Intentionality Issue" Volume No. 2: Issue No. 1
The story of Jericho is a very well-known and uplifting passage of scripture. Like David and Goliath, it’s a sermon favorite; a biblical reminder of how powerful our God is. And while I love the miraculous “walls falling down” part of the story that is often celebrated in Christian culture, there’s this one part—one verse in Joshua 6—that has always tripped me up. It’s a verse that is stuck between the miracle of the crumbling walls (see Joshua 6:20) and the redemption of Rahab (see Joshua 6:22-25); a verse that no one talks about or preaches about probably because it’s not incredibly uplifting. In Joshua 6:21 (HCSB) it states, “[The Israelites] completely destroyed everything in the city with the sword—every man and woman, both young and old, and every ox, sheep, and donkey.” This was a command given to the Israelites by God, a command of utter devotion and annihilation that I could never quite reconcile with the God who died for me only a few chapters later, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who's been in this predicament.
There are many passages in scripture that give people pause and cause them to question the character of God, especially in the Old Testament. But as I sat with my confusion and doubt over this troubling verse, God graciously shared with me one of the most important things I have ever learned about intentional Bible study: the essentiality of lining up his word with his character. The Bible says, God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So how can we not apply such an unwavering Biblical principle about his unchanging character to our study time? If God was as loving and merciful then, as he is to us now—if his heart has always been bent towards the redemption and salvation of mankind—then these stories and scriptures should testify to that. Filtering the story of Jericho through the lens of God’s character, opened my eyes and allowed me to see the parts of God I’d been missing in the narrative.
The Israelites had been wandering the desert for 40 years; their reputation preceded them. They were the people who walked with a pillar of fire by night through the desert, fed from the hand of God; they were the ones who crossed the Red sea on dry land. The people of Jericho knew the land they occupied was not their own; they knew who the Israelites were, and they knew who God was (see Joshua 2:9-11). They had 40 years of warning and they still chose to ignore the conviction that would lead them to repentance. How do I know this? Rahab. Rahab was a prostitute who lived in Jericho, an outcast in society and a woman most would consider beyond redemption. She’s also the evidence that God’s mercy was available to every single person in Jericho no matter their social status or sin. In Joshua 2, Rahab helps the two Israelite spies that came to investigate the city of Jericho by hiding them, lying to her king to keep them safe and helping them escape Jericho safely in the night. Her words to the Israelite spies at the end of the chapter are the testimony of her people. She tells them that her people know the Lord has given Israel their land and she acknowledges to them “for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below”(Joshua 2:11). Hebrews 11:31 states, it was her faith that saved her and her family from being destroyed along with “those who were disobedient” and it was her faith, the faith of a prostitute, that God counted as precious enough to establish her in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Rahab’s story of recognition and redemption could’ve been the story of her people too, but they chose rebellion. They chose to stand in the way of God and his anointed and they suffered for it. As I anchored myself to the truth of who God is in my study of Joshua 6, I was reminded that he doesn’t want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), including those nations outside of Israel. I had been missing the truth of who God is for all people. And now I realize that Jericho is not a symbol of God’s wrath and cruelty; Jericho is a heartbreaking symbol of what unrepentance and willful ignorance cost an entire nation of people.
It’s true that God’s reasoning is often beyond human understanding and he doesn't owe us an explanation for his actions or thoughts (see Isaiah 55:8-9). However, God has made his character evident throughout scripture for a reason. He wants us to know him and trust in who he is; he wrote us a 66-book love letter for a reason! At face value, the annihilation of Jericho’s inhabitants can make God seem harsh and merciless, but Rahab is the proof that God's grace was there in astounding measure [until the very last second]. She’s our evidence that God’s character never changes even when we can’t see it. There will always be things in scripture that give us pause and we will inevitably deal with doubts and questions in our journey of faith but it is so important for us, in the midst of that, to intentionally refocus on the truth of who God is.
If you're interested in checking out the magazine in its entirety and reading the other amazing articles compiled within,
you can click the link below to be redirected to Truly's website and shop.
Comments