“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.” Joshua 6:1
The Bible is filled with parallels with regard to truths, their application, and their usefulness to the believers of today. For example, we see in the book of Joshua, when Israel was to confront the first defiant resistance point with regard to true faith, and the fulfillment of the will of God, that the people had to face the impenetrable walls of Jericho. Those walls of defiant resistance stood as the physical representation of Satan’s opposition to God’s people in conquering the promised land of Caanan. There was far more involved in that confrontation than just material hardness of the walls of the city, for those walls represented a spiritual resistance which Israel by her own strength could not overcome. That which is the great truth in this scenario is that God, by His authoritative power and strength, had declared to Joshua: “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Joshua 1:5) The promise of God to the people of Israel was that God had given them the promised land, and that, regardless of their enemies, their victory was secured.
In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus draws a parallel to the truths concerning the conquering the city of Jericho. On one occasion, when speaking to Simon Peter, He said: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18) Though Peter would be instrumental in the building of Christ’s church, His body, the “Rock” of which He spoke was Christ Himself, for He would be the foundation of all that is of God, the very cornerstone of this spiritual edifice called the church. That which is similar to both the conquest of Canaan and Jesus’ remarks is the matter of Christ’s victory, God’s intervention according to His word of promise concerning the kingdom of God, the advancement of that kingdom, and the conquering of every enemy for its establishment. God in Christ is the victory, revealed in the church, in every member of the living church. As it was by the power of God that the spiritual forces opposing Joshua and the people were overcome and routed, the walls falling down at the sound of the last trumpet sound, so Christ, dwelling IN His church is the Conqueror today, able, willing and waiting to put to rout the enemy of our souls, setting the captive free, “…pulling down…strongholds, casting down “…imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” (2 Cor. 10:4,5) As was the case of Israel in the days of Joshua, and the conquering of the land of Caanan, so it is today with the church in this world, the body of Christ in which Christ dwells, with every member of that body having the Spirit of God. The calling of the Church is to KNOW Christ, to be filled with Him, His Spirit, so that, being led and strengthened by the Spirit every individual should be enabled to overcome the enemy. A perfect example of the practicality and reality of such a truth is found in the epistle of James where he writes: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (4:7) God gives His authority in Christ by the Spirit to the one who submits fully to His authority.
In the book of Revelation, in Christ’s address in every single letter to the seven churches, He concludes his address by speaking of two things. First, He speaks of “Overcoming,” conquering the enemy and reigning in life by Christ. Secondly, He speaks of hearing what the Spirit is saying to all the churches. Are we as members of the Christ’s body, His church, indwelt by the Spirit, hearing what the Spirit is saying? And are we overcoming every day?
Dear Father, Fill us with Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.