"Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.'" Joshua 6:1-5
From the vantage point of history Joshua was a brilliant military strategist and tactician. We wonder then what his reaction was as he received the instructions from God for the siege of Jericho. Even to someone unfamiliar with the art of war it is obvious that objectives are not taken by simply walking around them, in full view of the enemy, with no weapons. It is nothing short of ridiculous! But that is the viewpoint of the world, not of faith. Joshua proceeded by faith, supernatural power was released, and the city was taken.
Yet how many of us insist that the church function according to the ways of the world? We laugh at the ways of faith in God for they often appear ridiculous. Or we pay lip service to them by tacking on a prayer to a plan that our own wisdom has devised. But when it comes to putting it into practice our plans fall flat for lack of power. Christians - let's get serious. God is the commander in chief and we are to do things His way and in His strength - even when they seem ridiculous!
