When the Wall Falls

The story of Jericho's walls collapsing isn't just an ancient military victory—it's a profound lesson in trusting God's unconventional methods over our human logic. When we encounter this passage in Joshua 6, we're confronted with a puzzling strategy: walk around a fortified city in silence for six days, then seven times on the seventh day, and shout. No battering rams, no siege tactics, just obedience. What makes this account so compelling is that Israel worshiped God before the walls fell, not after. They shouted in praise while the walls still stood strong, trusting in God's promise before seeing its fulfillment. This challenges us deeply—do we worship God only after He answers our prayers, or do we praise Him in faith while we're still waiting? The tension between God's compassion and justice finds resolution here too, as we see 400 years of patience extended to the Amorites, with Rahab's household representing those who finally responded to God's mercy. For us today, this means believing God's Word over the evidence of our eyes, trusting His wisdom even when it defies our reasoning, and learning to rejoice in His promises before we see them realized. Biblical faith isn't blind optimism—it's reasonable trust in God even when we cannot yet see the reality of what He's promised.