In last week’s lesson on faith from the Hebrews 11:29, we learned that when God makes known His will in the lives of those around us, it is our place to have faith that God knows best, no matter how ridiculous the request may seem. Faith requires us to support and encourage them, to commit them into God’s hands, and to believe that God, in His wisdom, will make “everything beautiful, in His time” (Eccl. 3:11). Now let’s go on to Heb. 11:30 for the next lesson in faith brought to us by Israel:
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” (Heb. 11:30 NIV)
Did you ever stop to think just how much faith it must have taken for the children of Israel to conquer Jericho? I mean, there they were, ready for battle, and all God would let them do is march around the city. To make matters worse, it wasn’t just once, but ONCE A DAY FOR SIX DAYS! And never in all of those six days did they get any indication that they were doing any good. Then came the seventh day. They were told to march around the city seven times on this day. I don’t know about you, but I might have had a conversation with my marching partner similar to the following:
“Hey! Did you hear what crazy thing we have to do TODAY???”
“Yeah. I’m beginning to wonder about this man Joshua . . .”
“I know what you mean. If Moses hadn’t been the one to appoint him and all . . .”
“I wonder what Moses would say if he saw us today! Marching aimlessly around this city day after day after day. Can’t Joshua see? WE AREN’T ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING!!!”
“Shhhh . . . Remember we were told to stay completely quiet.”
“You know what??? I don’t think I care! Quiet or not, those walls are just as thick, just as strong, just as overbearing. And today we have to walk around them not just one time, but seven times!!! My poor feet . . .”
That might have been my conversation, but it wasn’t Israel’s. Israel obeyed blindly. Why? Because they had faith. They had seen how God had brought them out of Egypt. They had experienced miracle after miracle in the wilderness, and most recently, they had seen God stop a flooded river so that all of them could walk over on dry ground. They had learned hard lessons in strict obedience, and they had learned that having faith in God is the only way to go, no matter how ridiculous the command, no matter how little results they see.
Israel did not always have such faith. If you read from Exodus 1 to Deuteronomy 35 you will find these books literally cram-packed with stories of how Israel’s faith seemed non-existent. So where did their faith come from?
The Bible teaches that each one of us starts out with a little faith: “God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.” (Rom. 12:3 NASV). It isn’t very much, and God makes it clear that He cannot work to His potential in us unless this little bit of faith is grown: “Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand . . .” (2 Cor. 10:15 NIV). There is only one way for our faith to grow: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling . . .” (Phil. 2:12 NASV).
And that’s exactly what Israel did during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They learned their faith one step at a time by working it out. And they learned their lessons well, because when God told them to do something as totally ridiculous as marching around a city 13 times over seven days, without showing them any results of their march, they did it. Without a word. And as a result of their grown faith, God was able to move on Jericho: “So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the WALLS FELL DOWN FLAT.” (Josh 6:20 NASU).
Enough to ponder. But do ponder this: Though we are all allotted a measure of faith, this faith must grow and expand so that we can be opened up to God’s expanded work around us. The way to grow and expand our faith is by exercising it, and if we, like Israel, are faithful in working out our faith, it, too, will grow to the point that God will be able to bring down the walls of our lives as well!
Next week’s lesson in faith will be brought to us by a prostitute. Please join us to see what this sinful woman can teach us about faith.
God bless you!
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Author, Moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets website, www.scripturalnuggets.org , Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org .
(To access tne entire “Faith” mini-series, please click here.)