Jericho Conquered - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley Jr. Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise, Thou the grace of my God and King, the triumph of His grace. This is LeSaire Bradley Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. A mighty fortress is our God, a whole world never failing, Our help early on with the flood the mortal ills prevailing, For still our ancient foe does seek to work us all, His wrath and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, On earth His God is equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, Word of the right man on our side, O man of God's own choosing, Just as true that may be, Christ Jesus is his King, The Lord of Hosts is made, from it to it's sustain, And we must win the battle.

His Word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them alighted, The Spirit and the gifts of ours, through Him grew with us heighted, Maggots and kindred go, this mortal life also, The body they may kill, God's truth the mind has still, His kingdom is forever hallowed. For the past 62 years I've been referred to on this broadcast as pastor of Cincinnati Promative Baptist Church. We are now at a time of transition. I'm 86 years old and do not have the ability to keep up the pace that I've maintained through the years.

I have several physical challenges, not the least of which is the one with my eyes, which puts some limitations on my activities. My heart's desire is to see the church move ahead and prosper to the glory of Jesus Christ. After much prayer, the church called Jeremiah Bass to become senior pastor, and on May 23rd he was installed in that position. I am not retiring from the ministry. I plan to continue as a member of Cincinnati Promative Baptist Church and assist Elder Bass in any way that I can, and plan to continue the work of the Baptist Bible Hour as long as I'm able, and as long as the funds come in to support it. If you would like for the broadcast to continue on your station, pray for us, and if you can, help with the support.

Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17-0-37, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Praise Him, all ye heaven of heaven, and He floods above the sky. Let them praise His gift, Jehovah, for His name alone is high. And His glory is exalted, and His glory is exalted, and His glory is exalted, far above the earth and sky. All ye fruitful trees and seeders, all ye hills and mountains high, creeping things and beasts and cattle, birds that in the heavens fly. Kings of earth and only people, Prince as great as judges all. Praise His name, young men and maidens, aged men and children small. Let them praise His gift, Jehovah, for His name alone is high.

And His glory is exalted, and His glory is exalted, and His glory is exalted, far above the earth and sky. We've been bringing messages from the book of Joshua and last time we were looking at chapter 5. Our subject was preparation for the conquest. We noted that three things were necessary to prepare the people to go forward at the conquest of Jericho. First, there was the restoring of the right of circumcision. Secondly, the observance of the Passover. And thirdly, submitting to the captain of the Lord's host.

We looked at some New Testament references as to the fact that we are circumcised from a spiritual standpoint because of our relationship with Jesus Christ and it's the putting off of the flesh, not leaning upon the arm of the flesh, having no confidence in the flesh, the apostle describes it, and that we worship God in the spirit. The observance of the Passover, of course, presented a type and shadow of what would come to pass when Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, would come to put away the sin of all of those that will ultimately believe on Him. And then the captain of the Lord's host appeared to Joshua. Joshua inquired who he was and when he learned the glory and greatness of the person that had appeared to him, when he recognized that this was the Lord Himself appearing, he fell down and worshiped.

Now today we come to chapter 6. Our subject, Jericho Concord. And we will observe three things here. First, a sure promise. Secondly, a faithful obedience.

And thirdly, a great victory. God promised Joshua victory. Let's look at Joshua chapter 6 beginning with the first verse. Now Jericho was strictly shut up because of the children of Israel. None went out and none came in. We know that these people were gripped with fear.

They had heard the reports of what God had done for his people in previous times, and they were extremely fearful of what was going to happen to them. And so the city was shut up. They had closed the gates. Nobody was going out. Nobody was coming in.

No doubt there were some that lived outside the city that had gone inside as a place of refuge. But at this point there's no traffic. Nobody's going in.

Nobody's coming out. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of Valor. Now note that the Lord did not say, I will give Jericho into thy hand, but I have done it.

It is a fact. He made a promise. I have given Jericho into your hand. This was confirmation of an earlier promise. When we go back to the book of Deuteronomy we see before the people ever started on the journey God promised that when they came into the land he was going to be with them. Deuteronomy chapter 7 verse 21. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible. Now the real crucial point that we observe throughout this is that victory was theirs because the Lord was in their midst. And this is what God promised in this earlier time.

Yes, the Lord thy God is among you. Verse 23. But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction until they be destroyed.

The language is plain. God is giving them all of the assurance that they need. He's going to be with them. He's going to deliver them.

He's going to destroy the enemy. Verse 24. And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven and there shall no man be able to stand before thee until thou have destroyed them. So when we see a sure promise we see that God not only was promising Joshua at this time but had given him a firm promise many years before.

In addition we have the testimony of Rahab chapter 2 verse 9. She said unto the men, that is the spies that went into the land and visited her at her house. I know the Lord hath given you the land and that your terror is fallen upon us and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. What a remarkable thing that this woman with a poor reputation, a pagan living among pagan people should be so enlightened that she knows the Lord has given you the land and as a result the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

They are full of fear. They know that your God does great and mighty things. We've heard the reports of what he has done and then when the spies came back and delivered the report to Joshua chapter 2 verse 24 they said unto Joshua, truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us. What a contrast between the report that was brought back when the spies went into Kadesh Barnea. Of course Joshua and Caleb brought back a favorable report because they said no matter what obstacle is there God will give us the land. But the people listen to the majority.

The majority is not always right. The majority report was we cannot do it because the cities are walled up to the sky and there are giants in the land and so the people refuse to go in. But now these spies come back with confidence. They come back reporting what Rahab has said to them, yes we believe truly the Lord has delivered this city into our hands. So whether we're looking at the promise that was made many years before as recorded in the book of Deuteronomy or the promise that God made at this point concerning their entrance into the land or look at the report that was given of what Rahab had to say because of the special revelation that had been given to her. So we can know that God's promises are always sure.

If God makes a promise you can absolutely depend on it. Romans chapter 8 verse 35 asks the question, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? There may be times when you feel empty and barren, cold spiritually and wonder where is the Lord? Has the Lord forgotten me?

Have I been separated from his love? But as this question is posed the answer that follows gives us assurance that there is nothing that can separate us. The question is asked shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? It goes on with the list of things and comes down then in verse 39 after also listing other things that might appear at times to separate us.

Whether it's things past or things present things to come whatever it is. Verse 39 then says, nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So we can have absolute assurance. God makes a promise. God declares nothing can separate us from his love. Titus chapter 1 verse 2 the apostle Paul writing says, in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. I'm in hope of eternal life it is a certain thing because God promised it God promised it before the world began and God can not lie.

That's reassuring is it not? The God that we worship is absolutely dependable. If he makes a covenant he fulfills the stipulations of it.

If he makes a promise he absolutely keeps it. So we can rejoice to know this basic promise that God is reliable in every detail in every area of life in every promise that he makes. Next we look at faithful obedience. Chapter 6 verse 3 they are commanded to march and ye shall compass the city all ye men of war and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days and seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of ram's horns and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

Verse five and it shall come to pass that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn and when you hear the sound of the trumpet all the people shall shout with a great shout and the wall of the city shall fall down flat and the people shall ascend up every way before him. Now this plan may have sounded unworkable to some of these soldiers. They're prepared to go forward but from the standpoint of human reasoning you can just imagine if they didn't have the courage to speak it out loud that they might well have been thinking what on earth can be accomplished by marching around the city.

This is going to get us nowhere. We need to come up with some plan to try to bring down the wall at least to find some way to get into the gate get inside the city if we're going to conquer it we've got to get inside. But even though the plan may have sounded unworkable to some of the people it came from the captain.

The lord who had appeared to Joshua declared that he was captain of the host. This order came from him so it wasn't left to be negotiated discussed and decide what part of it might be implemented and what part might be rejected or whether it would be rejected totally. Yes it seemed like a strange plan rather simple and basic just march around the city but God is pleased to use people and plans that seem to be foolish to the world and we need to always be mindful of that. In first Corinthians chapter one we read beginning with the 27th verse but God hath chosen the foolish things in the world to confound the wise oh how many full of worldly wisdom pride themselves with the thought that they are above most of the people with the great knowledge they have attained and yet some of the foolish statements that are made by people who don't recognize God reveals as the scriptures say the fool hath said in his heart there is no God. God hath chosen the foolish things to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen. Yea and things which are not to bring to naught things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence. I love that part that he uses things that are not some examples that in scripture where God caused the enemy to hear a noise there was nothing there but God caused them to hear a noise. He used that which was not to bring to naught that which was. Our God is able to work in so many ways and you see the purpose of it all God works this way that no flesh should glory in his presence. If God was going to bless so that the strong were recognized the wise were appalled and all of this would result in man getting some kind of glory to himself but God works that no flesh should glory in his presence. You see how he uses the weak and foolish things. Here's Joshua being told have the men march around the city blowing trumpets and we think about Gideon with lights and pitchers going out to battle but God blessed and the victory was won or when David goes out to meet Goliath he goes with a sling and five smooth stones and he didn't need but one of them.

God uses the weak things of this world to confound the mighty. Now to some the plan might have seemed even unnecessary. They would have reasoned since God has given us this city God has promised it's already a reality I've given this city to Joshua why march?

I don't get the point. It's already a fact God has given it to us so we could just sit here and wait and see how God's going to work but God gives instruction that they were to march. God's promises God's sovereignty never exempt us from our duty. As a matter of fact his promises are designed to encourage us that we move forward and do what he expects of us.

His sovereign rule the fact that he works all things according to the counsel of his will does not in any sense lessen our obligation to obey him and to move forward doing whatever explicit things he has enjoined us to do. Certainly the apostle Paul believed that God was blessing and would bless the preaching of the gospel. He labored faithfully diligently traveling great distances and sometimes in the midst of extreme challenges but in second Thessalonians chapter three verse one he makes this request finally brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you. Why would he say pray for this? If God has called him to preach the gospel and God has said I will bless the preaching of the gospel is it necessary then to pray?

Paul said it was. He says pray that the word of the Lord may have free course that it may move rapidly forward like a rushing river that there's no obstacle in its path there's nothing to hinder it that when it is preached when it is proclaimed that people will receive it that it will be glorified. How is the word of the Lord glorified?

It's glorified when a person hears it and says that's the truth I believe that I believe Jesus Christ is the savior I embrace the truth of the gospel. So he says brethren I want you to pray to that end. And Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. We have that promise we have that confidence that somewhere on this earth there will be true churches when Jesus Christ comes back. Does that mean we need not pray for the church?

Certainly not. We ought to be diligent in our prayers praying that the Lord will bless his churches bless his ministers wherever they are in the proclamation of the gospel that the Lord will add to the church daily such as should be saved as we find that language used in the second chapter of the book of Acts. We should be prayerful. Now Paul tells us in Philippians chapter 4 verse 19 my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Do we believe that?

Hopefully so. God has promised he will supply our need but is it not appropriate for us to pray to that end? Jesus talked in the model prayer to pray give us this day our daily bread.

We're seeking him. We're acknowledging our need. We acknowledge him as being the giver of every good and perfect gift so we go to him in prayer. We're praying for something that's right and honorable and pleasing to him because he has promised he would supply our need but we're recognizing Lord thou art the source of it we have to come to thee. We're praying in the way that is acceptable as outlined by Jesus himself. So don't ever get in your mind that because God is sovereign and God is working his will that there is no place for prayer.

I've had people say that to me. Well if God is sovereign why pray? Well one good reason for praying is because he tells us to. He says pray without ceasing. Jesus prayed. Jesus prayed. He prayed regularly. He rose many times early in the morning and prayed and we have that prayer recorded in John 17 as he's praying to the father and praying for those that were given to him. Somebody might say why pray if this is ordained if God is decreed why pray?

Jesus sets an example. He saw it was important and necessary to pray. We are to pray and we are to be faithful in carrying out whatever command the Lord has given us. So they were to march. They were to march in order. Verse 6 and Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said unto them take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark before the ark of the Lord. And he said unto the people pass on and compass the city and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord. And it came to pass when Joshua had spoken unto the people that seven priests bearing seven trumpets of ram's horn passed on before the Lord and blew with the trumpets and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. Now you can imagine by this time since the people in the city of Jericho are set up inside there's no going out there's no coming in and they've heard the report of all that God has done for these people.

They must be not only terrified but mystified when they see them marching around the walled city and blowing trumpets from ram's horns. Well it's certainly inspiring to see how God blessed his people in olden times to overcome great difficulties and to win a victory against their enemies. And we know that we have our great adversary the devil who is constantly bombarding the Lord's people and the only way we can stand and resist him is to put on the whole armor of God and trust the God of heaven to sustain us. I hope that you will write us this week until next week at the same time. May the Lord richly bless you all. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati Ohio 45317. That's the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati Ohio 45117.