The Next Step
Joshua 6:20 “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people when up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”
(This was the battle at Jericho….for six days all the men had walked around the city with the priests carrying the Ark, silently….once.
Then the seventh day, they walked around seven times….and when the trumpets blew…..they shouted….and the walls fell down.
The men then went up, right where they stood at that time, and fought….taking the city.)
This requires some consideration on our part:
This was their first battle for the land that God would give them
It was a battle won by God, for only the Might of God could make the walls fall down, as they did.
It was a battle won by faith and obedience, for God honored their walking around….waiting seven days….and their shout.
It was a battle won by the sword….for God honored their fighting against the inhabitants of that wicked city.
This should have been a pattern for all other battles:
Getting specific direction about the battle.
Informing the people.
Being Obedient….in silence and shouting; in walking and in fighting.
Israel was to be a Theocracy…..which means that they were to be ruled by God…through His Law, and His priests….coming before Him with their sacrifices and offerings.
As such they were to be a showcase nation of brothers, living faithfully to God and each other….for the whole world to see.
But….
Amos 3:1-3 “Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
(Remember, “iniquities” is anything unequal to their high calling as God’s servants and citizens.)
Paul writing to them, as a church, wrote:
Hebrews 5:12 “When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;
and are become as such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”
After all they had been through, and after all they had seen and experienced (the day of Pentecost, the miracles, outflow of brotherly love, standing with Christ at first, in the day of persecution)………yet they were still babes in Christ.
Believers…..but never having gone on to maturity of affections.
How can such privileges not bring about Christian maturity?
How could they not be, under such miracles and power, be grown up in Christ?
It is one thing to be born along in the Spirit with the wonder of His works in HIs church….many people do this.
It is another to have established a personal relationship with Christ…..coming under that authority and power ourselves.
The Lord said:
Isaiah 28:9-10 “Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; Line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”
If we would go on to maturity….this is the path that we must tread.
For precept must be upon precept.
And line upon line.
A precept is a commandment; to put in order. God’s Word is given….not as a suggestion….but as precepts….commandments so that we can put our lives in order before Him.
And a line upon line. How many things do we want to change…..”no it can’t be just that strict….just that way, Lord.” But it is. It is a narrow way….which leads to Heaven….and if we are citizens of the Great King, Jesus Christ; we must follow His lead all the way there.
Obedience does not save us, the Lord Jesus Christ does that…
….but we will never know Him…whom to know aright is to have salvation….without it.
God blessed the faith, obedience….even in the shout at Jericho for His ancient people….
God promises to bless a cup of water given in His Name (Mark 9:41)….
…for it is not what is done…..but what He has called us to do…..great or small….for Him, that counts.
There will be great miraculous things…..after all He saved us…and that is a great miracle, after our sin and rebellion…against Him.
There will be times of blessing…..and times of persecution (verbal and physical).
There will be brotherly love and…..yes, sadly, betrayal.
For we are His servants and citizens of Heaven…..we are not of this world, though we live in it. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
But we can follow HIs precepts…..and walk the line of His example, in peace and joy….and get that maturity of affections that He has for all His children.
Will we?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 