In several verses the Bible tells us that the Old Testament was given as an example for us. The story of ancient Jericho serves as such an ensample and it points to the five differing aspects of God’s grace that would be revealed to us in the New Testament.
There was something very strategic about Jericho. When God first brought Israel up out of the Wilderness it was the first thing they saw across the valley after crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. It was a formidable and evil obstruction to their taking possession of the Land.
Lexham Bible Dictionary: Jericho–Manner of Jericho’s Destruction. The wall of the final Bronze Age city of Jericho is referred to as a cyclopean wall that encapsulates the city and its construction dates to Middle Bronze III around 1600 B.C.
Wikipedia estimates that Jericho was first constructed around 8000 B.C. based on carbon dating, although that dating system has been proven to be unreliable. You can find other sources, but regardless, there is general consensus that this ancient city was antediluvian in its earliest construct. Why are you sharing this?
“Cyclopean” masonry by almost any source is a reference to rare megalithic architecture believed to have been built by ancient or mythical giants. For those who adhere to the literal interpretation of the Bible, that clearly points to the “giants” or the Nephilim we find in Genesis 6:1-5. The non-canonical accounts found in the Books of Enoch and Jasher lend further testimony to this interpretation. There are several other examples of cyclopean masonry that have been discovered, including Greece, Malta, Peru. In each of these sites there is massive ancient stone architecture that essentially could not be replicated today even with our advanced technology.
Okay, whether I concur with the literal interpretation of Genesis 6 or not, what does this have to do with God’s grace?
We all know this story. By the Lord’s instruction, after marching around the walls of Jericho for six days on the seventh day they repeated the procession and then all the Israelites shouted and the walls of the city came tumbling down, verified by modern archaeology.
The story of Jericho is told in Joshua 6:1-27 and is where we learn about the true inhabitants of ancient Jericho. From all accounts, Jericho was a demonic stronghold. In Verse 18 God says the city is “accursed” including all that were in it except for Rahab and her family.
Recent textual discoveries in ancient Ugarit confirm the Scripture record of centuries filled with idolatry, sodomy, bestiality, sorcery, and child sacrifice in Jericho. Consequently, each generation had polluted the next with idolatry, perversion, and blood.
“And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.” (Joshua 6:2)
According to Biblical scholars, “the mighty men” is a reference to the Gibborim in Hebrew. This phrasing is derived from the exact same word that Moses used in Genesis 6:4 to signify the “giants.” Thus, they were counted as detestable before the Lord and their evil was destroyed and burned.
“Accursed”: Strongs #H 02764, “cherem”, meaning “devoted, dedicated, utterly destroyed, (or appointed to) utter destruction.”
In all other Caananite conquests the Israelites were allowed spoils, but in Joshua 6:17-19 they were specifically told not to take any personal possessions from Jericho, not even grains. Why? Because the city and everything in it was cursed, so they could not touch anything or take anything out. Objects can retain demonic power and God wanted to keep them out of His people Israel.
In the next chapter (7) of Joshua, we are reminded of Achan’s sin whereby he took spoils of the “accursed things” and hid a Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and 50 shekels of gold under his tent. Not only did he pay with his life for this sin but so did his entire family, and his sin had earlier cost the lives of 36 Israelites (verse 5) who had gone up against the men of Ai.
In the New Testament, Paul also says that if you want God to walk among you, you must put away the unclean things. “What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” (2nd Corinthians 6:16-17)
- It is important to remember that you are not an island. What you bring home effects your family and children. That that is thought to be secret to your family is NOT a secret in hell or the kingdom of darkness. Things that are connected to the kingdom of darkness become a conduit for evil to come in.
- Because of Achan men, women, and children died. It is important to remember that there are consequences of sin that go beyond YOU!
It seems sanctification is never spoken of anymore. Instead, the “three second salvation” is the desired transaction for most with little reflection on the ugliness of sin that Christ paid for on the Cross. More often, you will discover that those who consecrate themselves before the Lord experience greater levels of the power of God in their lives.
Thirty-five years ago, I was fascinated with astrology. Then upon becoming a born-again believer I remember distinctly how the Holy Spirit came in and told me to “destroy all of your astrology books, throw them out of this house and never look at them again.” Unbeknownst to me, it was my Jericho! I obeyed the Lord and threw those materials out and have never looked back (nor wanted to look back). For when the Holy Spirit comes into your spiritual house and rearranges things, He often casts things out for they cannot be in the same place as Him.
The Five Aspects of Gods’ grace:
Unmerited Favor. Too many people stop right here, it is our “warm and fuzzy.” Jesus Christ DID DIE FOR YOU while you were a sinner and it is great to acknowledge this critical truth. But it was never intended to simply be an intellectual observation! ”But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Christ wants you to ENTER into Saving Grace. He is your Savior, let Him save you! Yield to the Holy Spirit and to the ugliness of your sin. There are so many people today who are still in love with their sin without proper repentance. They make excuses for it and refer back to Unmerited Favor! For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)
Transforming Grace. Once we are saved a transformation takes place where we are transformed from what we were to who we should be in Christ. “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)
Empowering Grace. This is where the Church needs to be, taking down Jerichos! “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5)
We are reminded that in Acts 5:15-16 Peter reached a point in empowering grace that created a field of the Kingdom around him so that if you were in his proximity (“the shadow of Peter passing by) your sickness or malady was healed. We are so far away from that today!
Enduring Grace. Like Paul, we need to finish the race with our eyes fixed on Christ. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)
All of us have spiritual strongholds that gives the enemy access to mess with us. When God transforms us by grace, He enables us to knock down these strongholds. Many are lies or hurts received as a child. “I am ugly, dumb, uneducated. I can’t do anything right.” Or someone violated our trust, possibly a victim of rape or incest. “It’s your fault.” Divorce, “you caused it.” Because a demon found an opportunity to create a lie and use this as a base of operation to limit your life, even as a Christian, it is the Holy Spirit giving us empowering authority to call out and cast down these strongholds.
I encourage you by the authority of Jesus Christ to call out your stronghold as a lie and to cast it down. Loose the Word of God on your stronghold and watch the walls of your Jericho tumble down!
Sources: Dr. Chuck Missler, Dr. Michael Lake, Chuck Davis