What is the significance of the fall of Jericho?

from the old testament

• While Jericho was not Israel’s first battle (cf. Numbers 21:21–35), it was the first inside the land of Canaan, the land God had promised to Israel. Thus, it marked a significant foray into the Promised Land.
• Being the first, God devised a foolish-sounding battle plan to show Israel and the surrounding cities that God was the one fighting. He commanded Joshua, saying, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout” (Joshua 6:2–5a).
• Humanly speaking, the plan was ridiculous for multiple reasons. First, no one captured a city by just walking around it. Second, sending non-warriors, such as the priests and people, put civilians in harm’s way. Third, sending the Ark of the Covenant, God’s dwelling place and what Israel’s enemies considered the center of Israel’s power, on the front lines was likewise baffling. Yet this was all intentional, meant to display God’s glory.
• Joshua and the people obeyed God despite the outward signs of foolishness. They marched around the city in silence except for the trumpets (Joshua 6:10, 12) once a day for six days. “So he caused the ark of the LORD to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp” (Joshua 6:11).
• On the seventh day, they “marched around the city in the same manner seven times” (Joshua 6:15). At the completion of the seventh time, “Joshua said to the people, ‘Shout, for the LORD has given you the city. And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction’” (Joshua 6:16–17). The people shouted, and “the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city” (Joshua 6:20).
• God had commanded that this city be devoted to destruction, something he did a handful of other times to protect the Israelites from adopting the city’s sinful ways (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:1–2). “Devoted to destruction” referred to the complete obliteration of the city. “Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword” (Joshua 6:21).
• Joshua then pronounced a curse upon anyone who would try to rebuild that city (Joshua 6:26). It was not to become an Israelite city, but to remain a memorial of God’s great strength and His eradication of the wicked Canaanites. However, valuable metals were retained for God and His treasury (Joshua 6:24).
• However, though the city was devoted to destruction, Rahab had helped spies escape prior to its capture (Joshua 2:1–6). For her trust in Israel’s God and her protection of His people, Rahab and those in her house were rescued before the destruction and came to live with the Israelites (Joshua 6:22–23).

from the new testament

• The New Testament highlights the fall of Jericho as a great act of faith (Hebrews 11:30) as well as the reason Rahab was saved (Hebrews 11:31). Additionally, James, showing how faith necessarily reveals itself in works shows how Rahab’s true belief in the greatness of Israel’s God proved itself to be true by her righteous works (James 2:25). The key significance, then, in the Jericho story was that it involved faith in God and faith in His plan.
• Additionally, the fall of Jericho revealed how God was working out His plan of salvation even through pagan nations, as Rahab continued the line that would ultimately result in Jesus (Matthew 1:5).

implications for today

God does not need us! He doesn’t need our talents; He doesn’t need our knowledge; He doesn't need our strength; He doesn’t need us. He, alone, is God (Isaiah 45:5–6). The attack on Jericho shows how He can use any means He desires to defeat His enemies. That is humbling for us who often consider ourselves self-sufficient. But it was for good reason that the enemy’s hearts melted with fear when they heard about God’s works (Joshua 2:9–11). They understood that Israelite strength came from their God (e.g., Joshua 2:9–11). Our weakness and humanness point to a great God who is good and in control.

And, although God doesn’t need us, He almost always chooses to use us to share in His work. Most of the remaining battles in Canaan involved ordinary warfare, but God was with them and strengthened them just as much as He was when He alone brought down the walls (e.g., Joshua 10:7–10). He used His people to be the hands and feet of His plan. This should also be humbling but exciting. God, who created and sustains all, chooses to be involved in human history and in our lives, and chooses to includes us in His great purposes!

Therefore, as believers, when we look at all the good things that “we” have accomplished in this life, let us be quick to remember that it was God guiding our steps (Proverbs 16:9), the Spirit gifting our spiritual abilities (1 Corinthians 12:11), and that apart from Jesus, we can’t do anything (John 15:5)!