When Israel entered the Promised Land, the first Canaanite city they encountered was Jericho. It was fortified and “tightly shut,” ready to endure a long siege. The Lord gave instructions that must have sounded odd: For seven days God’s people were to march around the city, led by trumpeting priests and the ark of the covenant. After the seventh day’s march, God’s people were to shout, and were promised, “the wall of the city will fall down flat” (Joshua 6:5). Later, Hebrews 11 comments, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down….” Does that mean the walls collapsed at the first moment of faith, or first intention, or first feeling of assurance? God had the power to do that. Instead, in His sovereign wisdom, He engaged their minds and their bodies, their hearts and their actions. God Himself connected His work with their work of faith. By faith the walls fell “after” the prescribed human work had been completed
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days (Hebrews 11:30).
(For an uninspired story of Jericho, see Endnote “What If Theologians Intervened?” at the end of this lesson).