And the walls come tumblin’ down

To set the scene for today’s blog, have a listen to this – Mahalia Jackson singing ‘Joshua fit the battle of Jericho’ in 1957.

This song is a well-known African-American spiritual believed to have been composed by slaves in the first half of the 19th century. By the time Mahalia Jackson sings this on TV in 1957, many African Americans are still fighting huge battles against discrimination all over the United States.

The lively rhythm and melody of this spiritual provided inspiration and energy at a time when inspiration and energy were being sapped from life by cruelty and injustice. The lyrics are based on the events recorded in Joshua chapter 6 and were sung aloud in the hope of a coming escape from slavery – ‘and the wall came tumblin’ down’. The way the notes for this line plunge emphatically downwards give a glorious sense of triumphant collapse.

Here are the lyrics –

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumblin’ down

You may talk about the men of Gideon
You may talk about the men of Saul
But there’re none like good old Joshua
At the battle of Jericho

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumblin’ down, Hallelujah

Up to the walls of Jericho
With sword drawn in his hand
Go blow them horns, cried Joshua
The battle is in my hands

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumblin’ down.

Which pretty much sums it up. Read the account in Joshua 6 if you want to know the exact details.

Here are some observations from my reading of the story. This is how it starts –

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.  Joshua 5:13-15

A great place to start. With a reminder – two very visual reminders in fact – of the holiness of God and of his constant presence. Of the fact that He is set apart from all other gods and yet draws near to His people.

You see, because of this realisation and this reminder, Joshua is then ready and willing to do whatever God commands. However ridiculous it sounds. However impossible victory seems. However imposing the city of Jericho appears. However high the walls seem and however secure the gates look. Joshua knows who His God is and the awesome things His God has already done and he has confidence in him. He is ready to trust and obey.

March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.  Joshua 6:3-5

And so he does. And his complete trust in God is conveyed to the rest of the Israelites and they believe the victory is theirs also.

Remember Rahab the prostitute who hid the spies? Joshua did. He made sure the promise made to her was kept and that she and her family were saved.

And then there’s a warning to the people. Don’t be tempted to take any of the ‘devoted things’ – any of the confiscated ‘silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron that are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury’. The consequences will not be pretty. I can already imagine who this is going to play out…………

And the lesson for me today?

I am facing a battle of my own at the moment. The enemy seems strong and the walls seems high and the gates look secure. I don’t know how I am going to overcome this.

I need to start where Joshua started – on holy ground – in the presence of the Holy One, remembering who He is and what He has done and what He has promised –

Be still, for the presence of the Lord, The Holy One, is here.

This is the God in whom we have the victory.

He will help us face our enemies. He will be with us in our battles. He will give us strength and courage. He will enable us to overcome.