How did the Canaanites react to the entry of the Israelites into their land? In Joshua 3:16 it says that the waters of the Jordan stood and rose up in one heap. This event would not go unnoticed by the Canaanites because having the water rise up in a heap is not something that was normally seen. Joshua 5:1 says that, “all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted and there was not spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.” Fear spread throughout the land because God had showed His might and power before the Israelites.
The story of the Israelites conveyed within Joshua is amazing. In chapter 5 three important events that are noted. First all the men of Israel were circumcised a second time because all the men who left Egypt who were circumcised died in the wilderness and the men born over the forty years wandering were not circumcised. This time of circumcision is appears to be a time of great joy and excitement because it shows the people reaffirming their devotion to God as His people.
After the people healed from their circumcision they celebrated the Passover which reminded them of their deliverance from Egypt. What a joyous time! The second event happened the day after the passover when the people ate produce from the land. This is important because until that day the people were dependent upon Mana from God to sustain them. The day after they ate from the land the Mana ceased. I had forgotten that every day of every year for forty years the people were dependent on God for Mana.
The third and most amazing event detailed in Joshua 5 gives me shivers and chills as I read it. “Now when it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with His sword drawn in his hand. and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” He said, “No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.” (Joshua 5:13-15 NASB) I am truly speechless about this: The captain of the host of the Lord! Joshua goes up to confront this man to see if he is for or against Israel but quickly finds that it doesn’t matter. What did the man look like? Was this a Chistophany? I do not know whether this is an appearance of Christ or just an angel of God but needless to say it is amazing how before God we lose all the power we think we have because before God our only response is to fall down and worship. It is encouraging to know how powerful God is because I am so weak and helpless but my strength is found in Him. The God that I see as I read through my Bible is the same God that I know today and I find strength and courage as I wait upon learn to trust and follow Him.
What do you place your trust and confidence in? Do you ever find yourself arrogant thinking that you are invincible? Education, money, property, strength, family, friends, and beauty are things that people their confidence in. In Canaan the city of Jericho placed it’s hope and pride in the cities wall. When the Jordan river dried up allowing the Israelites entry into the promised land was the confidence of the people of Jericho shaken? When the Israelites circled the city consistently for six days what did the men and women of the city think? The eyes of the city watched the circling day after day probably with ridicule and taunting but on the seventh day of circling the city the Israelites circled seven times and with a shout the wall of Jericho fell. The only people spared from death were the family of Rahab because she had hid the men who had spied on the city. The story of Jericho’s defeat and total destruction is an encouragement and a warning for me. Any stronghold that I hold in my life can be utterly destroyed just as Jericho was and this fact is encouraging to me knowing that my sinful flesh has no foothold against the power of Jesus Christ. Anyone who places their hope in anything but Jesus Christ will place their world is in jeopardy just as Jericho and they need to heed the warning of scripture. Where do you place your confidence
