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Overcoming Jericho
I hope that you will learn more from this post, than just about Jericho. I hope that you will see how to read the Old Testament, not just as a dead historical book, but as a Map to see and experience Christ.
Jericho is a picture of the flesh, with its high walls, separating us from the Lord.
There are two aspects in the story of Jericho. There is the march outside and Rehab within.
We can’t emphasize enough that the battle is the Lord’s. But we do have a part in it. Let’s take a look at the Lord’s People in the battle.
Israel marched quietly around the city with the Ark. The Ark was God being carried by Man and this was a type of Christ. This march around the City, was for exalting Christ.
The march was an orderly and corporate one, meaning that we must walk together, but not in a chaotic or loose way. We are walking together as the Body with our eyes set on the Lord.
We may be the armed men, marching with our Lord, but the Lord doesn’t want anything of our natural strength. The march was a quiet one, because we must quiet ourselves. This is the quieting of our souls: our mind, will, and emotions. These must be quieted, so we can follow the Joshua within us: the Spirit.
The priests would blow the rams’ horns, as the armed men marched silently. Did you know that Jesus is the Ram of God? He came as the Lamb of God to be a sacrifice. He laid down His horns, because the horns represent the fighting power. But, in His resurrection and ascension, He has His horns again. The horns were blown, representing the proclamation of the Gospel. This Gospel is the fighting power of our Lord.
Don’t be deceived, dear ones, the Gospel is not just for the unbelievers, but for the believers as well. We need to proclaim the Gospel to ourselves and to each other, everyday. We need to keep hearing the Reality of Christ. We must Hear Him as the Word and received Him day-by-day, as our Food, our Life-supply. Otherwise, we will be distracted and overcome by the world.
Israel walked around 7 times, because 7 consists of 3 and 4. 3 is the number of the Triune God and 4 is the number of the creature, because it is 3 + something added. Remember, God worked for 6 days and Man’s first day was a day of Rest. Around this city of Jericho, God and Man walked in Oneness.
Can you see the picture yet?
We must quiet our natural selves and walk together with God in Oneness, exalting Christ and proclaiming all that He is and all that He has done.
But, there is more.
We can’t forget about Rahab. Rahab was a harlot who lived in Jericho. She was altogether one with Jericho. Don’t you know that we are all Rahabs? We were the ones fully in our flesh. We were the harlots, or unfaithful ones, giving ourselves to the world.
We know that God has condemned sin in the flesh and the fallen flesh must be fully consumed, as shown in the burnt offering. But, thanks to God, in Christ, we are not consumed. We have the blood!
Rahab recognized the beautiful feet of the messengers, and believed in the Lord. Just as the Israelites put the blood on the doorpost in Egypt, Rahab tied the scarlet thread in the window. Because of Rahab’s faith, she is counted in the genealogy of Jesus. May we all be ones who have a part in bringing forth Christ!
Dear saints, as Rahab, within the flesh, there is nothing we need(or can) do…but rely on Christ’s finish work. As the members of the New Man, no longer governed by the flesh, we do have a part as the coworkers of the Lord
He is bringing us into the experience of all that He has already done. He is making the objective work of Christ, subjective in us. Praise the Lord, we are in Christ!
Putting the Flesh to Death
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” [Gen 3:15 NASB]
When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came near and put their feet on their necks. Joshua then said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.” So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening. [Jos 10:24-26 NASB]
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”– [Gal 3:13 NASB]
Beloved saints, there is so much in the above verses. I just want to touch on a little of Christ in these scriptures.
We know that the Seed in Genesis refers to Jesus Christ. In Christ, our flesh has been crucified and the serpent has been crucified. But Joshua is about our experience of taking Christ as our Good Land, God’s provision for our every need. In Joshua there are peoples that represent the fallen flesh and their king’s represent the serpentine powers that dominate our flesh.
In Joshua, we see Joshua(Spirit) leading us and calling us to put to death the flesh(Canaanites) and the powers(Kings). We are to join with Him in overcoming the enemy and putting him under our feet.
We don’t do this by following outward laws and rules and regulations. We follow a Lord within us! We follow the Law of the Spirit of Life. He is leading us inwardly to overcome our flesh. This is the application of all that He accomplished on the cross. What was objective to us, is becoming experiential as we follow our Lord inwardly.
As we turn to the Lord and enjoy Him, we are experiencing Him and His shining is overcoming all of the darkness within us. But, we must turn away from all of the distractions that draw our flesh, that entice our minds and emotions; we must turn to the spiritual Life within us. As we do this we our gaining Him and He is gaining us, for our mutual enjoyment.
Enjoying Christ 