The verse anchor
"The wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city."
Joshua 6:20 · King James Bible
The story
After Moses died, God chose Joshua to lead the people of Israel into the promised land. God said, "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid… for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
The first city in their way was Jericho. Jericho had huge stone walls around it — so high and so thick that no army could break in. The gates were shut. Nobody went out. Nobody came in. The city was ready for war.
God gave Joshua a very strange plan.
For six days, the people of Israel were to march around Jericho — one time each day. Seven priests would carry rams' horns and walk in front. Behind them, four other priests would carry the ark of the covenant — the golden box that held God's law. Behind the ark, all the soldiers would march in silence.
For six days they did this. Every day, once around the city. Every day, in silence. The people inside Jericho watched from the top of the wall.
On the seventh day, they got up before dawn. This time they marched around Jericho seven times. When the priests had gone around for the seventh time, Joshua said: "Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city."
The priests blew the rams' horns loud and long. And all the people gave a great shout. And the great walls of Jericho fell down flat. Every stone tumbled outward. The way into the city was open. Israel walked straight in.
God had given Jericho into their hands — not by weapons, not by clever tricks — but by seven days of marching, and by shouting when God said to shout.
One thing we learn
God's ways are not our ways. Sometimes he asks us to do something that looks small or strange — walk, wait, obey, praise. But when he says the wall will fall, it will fall.
Memory verse
"Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid… for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
Joshua 1:9 · KJV
Say it three times before bed. In seven days you will know it forever.
A prayer
Lord, when a wall stands in front of me,
help me trust your plan even when it seems strange.
You are stronger than any wall.
Amen.
Beneath the story · for grown-ups
To walk further with the household: