We have come to one of the “tent pole” stories of the OT – Joshua and the Battle of Jericho.

At the end of chapter 5 we left Joshua standing there barefoot with the Commander of Heaven’s armies. 🗡️🤨

Remember that the chapter break does not exist in the original text. If you ignore it, we have Joshua kicking off his shoes then the Lord speaks to him.

This is just like Moses at the Burning Bush. The Angel of the Lord is what scholars call “the second Yahweh figure.” The first Yahweh figure would be the one you can’t look upon. The second Yahweh figure is the one who eats with Abraham, and appears to Moses and Joshua and others and they look at Him and don’t die.

Personally, I think the Word of the Lord in 6:2-5 is being spoken to Joshua by the Commander of the Lord’s Armies. Why else would He be there? To just make an appearance and have Joshua take off his shoes, then He just… disappears? I don’t think so. He has come to give Joshua the battle plan. It’s exactly like the Angel of the Lord appearing to Moses in the Bush to give the instructions for defeating Egypt.

And note- if this is the Commander of Heaven’s Armies speaking in 6:2, He identifies Himself as Yahweh.

1. The ground is holy (5:15)
2. “Yahweh said to Joshua, ‘See, I have given into your hand Jericho…’”

The Jewish Historian Josephus, (who lived during the time of the Apostles), recorded the history of the Jewish people from creation to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. In his account of the fall of Jericho, Israel’s first trip around the city happened “on the first day of the feast” which was probably the Feast of Unleavened Bread; which lasts 7 days – the exact number of days they marched around the city.

Unleavened Bread is basically part of Passover, so there is a strong tie between the fall of Jericho and the fall of Egypt. In both cases, Israel marches triumphantly and makes off with massive spoils of gold, silver, and bronze.

This is the same song as the Exodus. Same tune different words.

Speaking of songs…

If you haven’t heard Carmen’s Battle of Jericho (ever or in a while), you’ll hear a message in under 8 minutes that’ll stir you up! I’m guessing my neighbors (who are curiously ALWAYS out on their porch – seriously… I’ve looked out there in the winter and they’ll be out there when it’s 20 degrees and they’re out there havin’ a smoke. Or it’s 40 degrees and they’re out there watching a flat screen tv set up for the purpose. Or it’s over 80 and humid and I’m like – “You people have a perfectly good house with heat and air conditioning. What is with you?!”) Anyway – they probably think that my team just won the championship ‘cause I had to shout along with Carmen. 😆 If you’re a young pup and you missed out on Carmen, he was part preacher, part singer, and part Vegas showman for Jesus.

Now… Where was I?

Oh. That’s right…songs.

If Carmen isn’t your jam and you prefer classic southern gospel quartets, here is And The Walls Came Tumbling Down by the Inspirations.

😏 What are we, a DJ now?

😳 What?

😏 You sounded kinda like a DJ just now. Admit it. You secretly wanna be on the radio.

🤭 Doesn’t everyone?

🤨 No. Don’t quit your day job.

😌 Jobs…. Plural.

🙄 Whatever. Just stick to Bible study, please.

😑 Okay…

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So the walls came tumbling down and we have more parallels with Revelation.

Rahab and her family are snatched out of the destruction and taken to a safe place outside the camp while the entire city is burned to the ground. IYKYK. (Which for my Older Gen X’ers and Boomers means “If ya know, ya know.”)

I think that Rahab is a picture of the Church- snatched out just before the fiery destruction of earth when the Heavenly Joshua, the Commander of Heaven’s Armies marches in to evict evil and take possession of what is His.

Rahab becomes “grafted in” (to use the Apostle Paul’s language) to the olive tree of Israel.

“But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.” Joshua‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Remember Nahshon, the 4-star General who led Israel as the camp was on the march? (Num. 10:14). Well, he had a son – Salma (1 Chron. 2:11). And Salma married Rahab, (Matt. 1:5).

🔔🎊🤵🏽‍♂️👰🏽‍♀️🍰🍾💖💍🥰

Salma is from the tribe of Judah. Remember how Judah thought his daughter-in-law, Tamar, was a prostitute because she dressed up and hired herself to Judah so she could have a child by him to inherit her dead husband’s property? So we get the repeated theme of Judah-prostitute. Tamar had twins – Perez and Zerah. Perez was the ancestor of Salma.

Salma and Rahab had a son named Boaz. 👶🏽Boaz was the great-grandfather of King David. Salma and Rahab are 32 generations back on the family tree of Jesus. Their redemptive marriage is a beautiful picture of the redemptive marriage of Christ to the Church.

And that’s why we don’t skip genealogies! 😁

Oh – and I looked up the name Salma. I thought it was odd that it was based on the word for clothes/clothing. 👕👖🧥

Shin, Lamed, Mem, Hey are the letters (right to left).

Shin – teeth, destroy

Lamed – shepherd, staff, guide

Mem – waters, cover, lift up

Hey – man, life

So…

the destruction of the Shepherd covers man.

😲 😧 🤯 🥲 🙌🏼

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

It’s just like back in Eden when God slew an animal to make coverings for Adam & Eve.

Salma – the ancestor of Jesus – covered (clothed) his bride Rahab (whose name means “pride”) when she became his. Their very names are a picture of the Gospel where Jesus covers our sin in his robes of righteousness. Rahab’s body – which had once been available to anyone with some cash – was redeemed and covered by her husband and became an irreplaceable link in the chain to bring Christ into the world.

And they lived happily ever after. 🥰