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he siege of Jericho. (1-5) The city is compassed. (6-16)
Jericho is taken, Rahab and her family are saved. (17-27)
Verses 1-5: Jericho resolves Israel shall not be its master. It shut
itself up, being strongly fortified both by art and nature. Thus
were they foolish, and their hearts hardened to their
destruction; the miserable case of all that strengthen
themselves against the Almighty. God resolves Israel shall be
its master, and that quickly. No warlike preparations were to be
made. By the uncommon method of besieging the city, the Lord
honoured the ark, as the symbol of his presence, and showed that
all the victories were from him. The faith and patience of the
people were proved and increased.
Verses 6-16: Wherever the ark went, the people attended it. God's
ministers, by the trumpet of the everlasting gospel, which
proclaims liberty and victory, must encourage the followers of
Christ in their spiritual warfare. As promised deliverances must
be expected in God's way, so they must be expected in his time.
At last the people were to shout: they did so, and the walls
fell. This was a shout of faith; they believed the walls of
Jericho would fall. It was a shout of prayer; they cry to Heaven
for help, and help came.
Verses 17-27: Jericho was to be a solemn and awful sacrifice to the
justice of God, upon those who had filled up the measure of
their sins. So He appoints, from whom, as creatures, they
received their lives, and to whom, as sinners, they had
forfeited them. Rahab perished not with them that believed not,
(Heb 11:31). All her kindred were saved with her; thus faith in
Christ brings salvation to the house, (Ac 14:31). She, and they
with her, were plucked as brands from the burning. With Rahab,
or with the men of Jericho; our portion must be assigned, as we
posses or disregard the sign of salvation; even faith in Christ,
which worketh by love. Let us remember what depends upon our
choice, and let us choose accordingly. God shows the weight of a
Divine curse; where it rests there is no getting from under it;
for it brings ruin without remedy.
