Canaan, that strip of land between ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia would become the home of God's people. But hundreds of years would pass from the time Abraham built an alter in that place, to the glimpse God would give Moses, to the crossing of the Jordan into the land. Abraham and Sarah would have a son, Isaac who would marry Rebekah who would bear two sons: Esau and Jacob. Jacob would be given the name Israel and have 12 sons, one of whom would be sold as a slave in Egypt and would save his family in the time of famine. The family of Israel were expelled from their land because of the famine and through Joseph they were given a home in Egypt. But they never forgot about the home that God had promised them. A generation passed, there rose a new King in Egypt who did not know Joseph and the Israelites became slaves. Though they were oppressed they continued to thrive. The more they grew in numbers, the more they were oppressed. They cried out to God and he heard their cry. Moses would lead God's people out of slavery, through the waters of the Red Sea and into the wilderness that they might learn to worship God, that they might become his people, and come, at last, to their home - the land of Canaan.
The book of Joshua picks up the story of God's people just after Moses' sermon at the boundary. Once more Moses spoke and the people listened. This was a time of disciplined reflection, Moses' speech is filled with promise and demand; it is a talk about Israel, about gifts and covenant, about temptation and faith. This experience of having land will re-shape them as a people, they will be faced with identity questions again, something new will be demanded of them in the land. Moses reminds them that this land they are about to receive is a gift, it is not just to be taken and occupied it is to be more deeply regarded. In Canaan they will live in cities, farm land, there will be water from wells, they will grow their food from the ground, bread will not fall from heaven. The settled life will allow them to be productive, they will plant, grow and harvest. They will build. They will prosper. But they must remember the Lord, they must keep his commands. After addressing his people for the last time, Moses ascended Mount Nebo and God in his mercy gave Moses a view of the whole land. Moses would not go any further with them because of his anger toward God at the waters of Meribah. Moses was 128 when he died, his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The people of Israel grieved their great leader for 30 days on the plains of Moab. And Joshua full of the spirit of wisdom took up the leadership of the people.
A calm fell upon God's people; they were getting ready to cross the Jordan River and take the land. They were listening to God, their hearts were stirred, they were ready to act. Their grumbling and fear has had given way to a confidence and a hope. God will do what he says he will do.
God spoke to Joshua: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
Joshua sent two spies to the formidable city of Jericho on a recognisance mission. The spies came to Jericho and they entered the house of Rahab in the wall of the city. The King of Jericho was on high alert, he had his own people keeping an eye on those coming and going. And not long after they arrived, Israel's spies were spotted entering the house of Rahab. As soon as the King got word of this he sent his messengers to find them. When they arrived at Rahab's house the King's men said to her: "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land." Now Rahab could have brought these spies from Israel out and given them over to her King to surely die, but she feared the Lord and she risked her own life for theirs. She had tucked Israel's two spies under stalks of flax on the roof of the house and the King's men did not suspect a thing! At her word they set off beyond the walls of the city in search of the men. Imagine the hearts of the spies pounding in their chests and echoing in their ears as they laid stone still, waiting. Or Rahab, keeping composure, her stomach knotted, as she told the soldiers to go and search for the men who had left earlier in the day.
The people of Jericho knew the Israelites were camped on the other side of the river and they were feeling nervous. In fact, Rahab told the spies that her people's hearts were melting in fear because they heard what God had done for the Israelites; how he brought them out of Egypt and swallowed the Egyptian army whole. "The Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below." she boldly declared. "Now since I have dealt kindly with you, swear to me by the Lord that you will in turn deal kindly with me and my family. Give me a sign of good faith that you will spare my family," she pleaded. "Our life, for yours," the spies returned, "but you cannot say a word." And Rahab let the men down through a window in her house, in the wall of the city; she advised the men to stay in the hill country for three days before returning back to their camp. The men called back to her, "Tie this red cord in your window through which you let us down, if any of your family go into the streets they take their life in their hands, however, all of your family who remain in your house will be our responsibility." And with those words the men departed and Rahab tied the crimson cord in the window and she and her family were saved. For this bold act of faith, Rahab, a prostitute, in a city overrun with immorality and idolatry, becomes an unlikely hero. Though some might think she would be the last person to recognize God, she is the one who sees most clearly that the God of the Israelites is God alone. For me, this story has such powerful resonance with the woman who anointed Jesus' feet with ointment in a bold and passionate act of faith. Rahab's story is a beautiful reminder of God's love for all people and his desire to draw all into the purposes of God.
When the spies returned they said to Joshua, "Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands." And early in the morning the Israelites broke camp and left for the banks of the Jordan where they would stay for three days and wait to see the ark of the covenant of the Lord carried by the priests. At last Joshua said to the people, "prepare yourselves tomorrow God will work wonders among you."
What do you think they thought about that night as they laid down in their tents on the east side of the river? What wonders would the creator display before them? How would he show his glory to the people?
The next day, at Joshua's command the priests picked up the ark and walked in front of the Israelites and to the edge of the Jordan. Now the water of the Jordan was running high, overflowing its banks in its springtime flood. If you have ever looked at the North Saskatchewan River in the Spring you might have noticed how high the water is, how fast it runs, how muddy it looks, so perhaps you can imagine the Jordan river in Springtime. As the priests stepped into the water up to their ankles, the waters piled up, they were cut off at their supply and stopped flowing. Imagine what this would have triggered in the memory of these people - they would have been children when they held their parents hands and followed Moses and Aaron across the Red Sea, when they saw the power of the wind that held the waters back, when they saw the Egyptians drown in the waters behind them, when they heard Moses and Miriam sing, when they danced before the Lord. On this day they were holding the hands of their own children. After all those long years God was about to give them a home, they were about to inherit the land promised to their people over 500 year before. All together forty thousand people crossed over the river that day ready to take Jericho.
As Joshua approached Jericho he saw before him a man with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua asked him, "Whose side are you on: ours or the enemies." The man replied, "Neither, I am the commander of the Lord's army. I've just arrived" At this Joshua fell, his face to the ground and he worshipped the Lord and asked him, "what orders does my master have for his servant?" God's army commander ordered Joshua, "Take the sandals off your feet, for the ground that you are standing on is holy." And Joshua did as he was commanded. Just as Moses had done before the burning bush all those years ago.
Now Jericho was wound up because Israel was at its doorstep. No one was going in or out of the city. There was an eerie silence about the place. God spoke to Joshua, "Look sharp now, I've already given Jericho to you, here is what you are to do. For the next six days you are to march around the city once with all your soldiers, with the ark of the covenant, with trumpets and the rams horn and on the seventh day march around the city seven times, the priests blowing away on the trumpets and then a long blast on the rams horn - when you hear that rams horn all the people are to shout at the top of their lungs. The city walls will collapse and all the people are to enter, everyone, straight in." And so it happened, on the seventh day, and at the seventh time when the priests had blown the trumpet Joshua said to the people, "Shout for the Lord has given you the city." The people shouted, the trumpets where blown, the walls of the city were flattened and the people took the city and entered the land God had given to them.
There is much to be said theologically about this text. But perhaps we can enter into the story and meet God in our imaginations - in the encounter with Rahab, at the crossing of the Jordan River, when Joshua meets the commander of the Lord's army, in the radical newness offered to Israel in this gift of land.
The covered ark with golden staves carried by the priests, and seven priests with rams' horns, at the Battle of Jericho, in an eighteenth-century artist's depiction.
When I was a child I thought the Levites were moving around a huge ark, kind of like Noah's ark. I could hardly imagine how crushing this task would be! This ark which represented the presence of God was actually more like a chest (that makes more sense!). And in the chest were the tablets upon which were written the ten commandments.
I hope that you have a wonderful time sharing this story with the students. This is a great story to enact, build walls with foam bricks, march around them with and make the walls fall, blow trumpets, shout! I think older kids could have some fun using playmobil characters and lego walls, making a short movie or a movie trailer on the iphone. If you need some additional technology for this, please let me know.
Thank you for sharing these stories and your lives with the children of our community each week. I am thankful for you all.
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