Post by Betty on Feb 21, 2006 5:56:51 GMT -5
Title: Perfect Promises
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they
rose early about the dawning of the day, and
compassed the city after the same manner seven
times: only on that day they compassed the city
seven times.
Every few years the countries of the free world
participate in national elections. The democratic
system of government provides the opportunity for
men and women representing their parties to
campaign, make promises and pledges, and run for
office on the basis of their platform and
promises. Generally the winner is the person who
promises the most and who, in the minds of the
voters, can actually deliver on those campaign
promises. Unfortunately history has taught us
that most political promises are little more than
campaign rhetoric and the voters have justifiable
reason for concern about their validity. In
contrast to this are the promises of God in which
the believer may have absolute confidence. God
has a perfect record of keeping His promises.
The story of Jericho's conquest is a fine example
of the completed promises of God. Prior to their
entrance into the promised land, Joshua sent two
men across the Jordan to spy out the city of
Jericho. These spies came to the place where
information would freely flow among the men of
the town. They entered the house of Rahab the
harlot. Although the life of Rahab as a harlot
was certainly not condoned by the Israeli spies,
nevertheless apparently the Lord God had been
working in the heart of Rahab. When the king of
Jericho attempted to track down the two spies,
Rahab hid them on her roof among the sticks of
flax. She confessed her faith in Jehovah God
saying "The LORD your God, he is God in heaven
above, and in earth beneath" (Joshua 2:11).
Because this woman aided His secret agents, God
promised Rahab and her household salvation in the
midst of the peril of her city.
God's battle plan for the defeat of Jericho was
unconventional, to say the least. Joshua would
command seven priests, bearing seven trumpets of
ram's horns before the ark of the Lord, to march
around the city walls in silence for seven days,
once each day until the seventh. On the seventh
day they would march seven times around the wall.
Then amid the blast of the seven jubilee trumpets
and the war cry of the people of God, the
destruction of the stronghold at Jericho would
take place.
The children of Israel did as God commanded. "And
it came to pass on the seventh day, that they
rose early about the dawning of the day and
compassed the city after the same manner seven
times" Joshua (6:15). On the seventh circuit of
the seventh day the people shouted and the walls
of Jericho fell down flat. The army of Israel
entered the city unhindered and utterly destroyed
all that was in the city, with one notable
exception--the household of Rahab. Because they
obeyed the Lord explicitly, the people saw two
great promises of the Lord performed on the same
day. The city of Jericho, the strongest outpost
of the Canaanite defenses, had been utterly
destroyed as God had promised. Likewise Rahab and
her household had been spared destruction, as God
had promised.
But there is one final promise of God that can be
seen in the conquest of Jericho. In verse 26
Joshua counseled the people, warning them,
"Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth
up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay
the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in
his youngest son shall he set up the gates of
it." To show that God means business when He
makes a promise, Joshua imprecated a solemn curse
on anyone who would rebuild the now-destroyed
Jericho. This curse was literally fulfilled in
the fate of Heil, the Bethelite, who rebuilt
Jericho in the reign of Ahab (about 925 B.C.).
Heil's firstborn son, Abiram, died as he was
laying the foundation for the rebuilding of
Jericho. Also his youngest son, Segub, died while
he was setting up the gates of the city (1 Kings
16:34). What God promises, God performs.
Whether the promise is for salvation, as in the
case of Rahab, or for destruction, as in the case
of Heil, the promises of God must never be taken
lightly. Whatever God promises, God performs. You
can count on it.
MORNING HYMN
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail
By the living word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Author: Woodrow Kroll
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they
rose early about the dawning of the day, and
compassed the city after the same manner seven
times: only on that day they compassed the city
seven times.
Every few years the countries of the free world
participate in national elections. The democratic
system of government provides the opportunity for
men and women representing their parties to
campaign, make promises and pledges, and run for
office on the basis of their platform and
promises. Generally the winner is the person who
promises the most and who, in the minds of the
voters, can actually deliver on those campaign
promises. Unfortunately history has taught us
that most political promises are little more than
campaign rhetoric and the voters have justifiable
reason for concern about their validity. In
contrast to this are the promises of God in which
the believer may have absolute confidence. God
has a perfect record of keeping His promises.
The story of Jericho's conquest is a fine example
of the completed promises of God. Prior to their
entrance into the promised land, Joshua sent two
men across the Jordan to spy out the city of
Jericho. These spies came to the place where
information would freely flow among the men of
the town. They entered the house of Rahab the
harlot. Although the life of Rahab as a harlot
was certainly not condoned by the Israeli spies,
nevertheless apparently the Lord God had been
working in the heart of Rahab. When the king of
Jericho attempted to track down the two spies,
Rahab hid them on her roof among the sticks of
flax. She confessed her faith in Jehovah God
saying "The LORD your God, he is God in heaven
above, and in earth beneath" (Joshua 2:11).
Because this woman aided His secret agents, God
promised Rahab and her household salvation in the
midst of the peril of her city.
God's battle plan for the defeat of Jericho was
unconventional, to say the least. Joshua would
command seven priests, bearing seven trumpets of
ram's horns before the ark of the Lord, to march
around the city walls in silence for seven days,
once each day until the seventh. On the seventh
day they would march seven times around the wall.
Then amid the blast of the seven jubilee trumpets
and the war cry of the people of God, the
destruction of the stronghold at Jericho would
take place.
The children of Israel did as God commanded. "And
it came to pass on the seventh day, that they
rose early about the dawning of the day and
compassed the city after the same manner seven
times" Joshua (6:15). On the seventh circuit of
the seventh day the people shouted and the walls
of Jericho fell down flat. The army of Israel
entered the city unhindered and utterly destroyed
all that was in the city, with one notable
exception--the household of Rahab. Because they
obeyed the Lord explicitly, the people saw two
great promises of the Lord performed on the same
day. The city of Jericho, the strongest outpost
of the Canaanite defenses, had been utterly
destroyed as God had promised. Likewise Rahab and
her household had been spared destruction, as God
had promised.
But there is one final promise of God that can be
seen in the conquest of Jericho. In verse 26
Joshua counseled the people, warning them,
"Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth
up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay
the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in
his youngest son shall he set up the gates of
it." To show that God means business when He
makes a promise, Joshua imprecated a solemn curse
on anyone who would rebuild the now-destroyed
Jericho. This curse was literally fulfilled in
the fate of Heil, the Bethelite, who rebuilt
Jericho in the reign of Ahab (about 925 B.C.).
Heil's firstborn son, Abiram, died as he was
laying the foundation for the rebuilding of
Jericho. Also his youngest son, Segub, died while
he was setting up the gates of the city (1 Kings
16:34). What God promises, God performs.
Whether the promise is for salvation, as in the
case of Rahab, or for destruction, as in the case
of Heil, the promises of God must never be taken
lightly. Whatever God promises, God performs. You
can count on it.
MORNING HYMN
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail
By the living word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Author: Woodrow Kroll
