Children Bible Overview 36 09/12/07

THE METHOD THAT GOD GAVE JOSHUA:

MARCH AROUND THE CITY OF JERICHO

Teachers to read bible scripture: <Jo 6:1-27>

Children to memorize bible scripture: <1The 5:16-18>

Recap
Last week, we saw how Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordon river. God instructed the river to
stop flowing to allow the Israelites to cross the river on dry land.
Introduction
Today, Joshua will lead the Israelites army to the city of Jericho. Because the people in Jericho heard
that God had brought the Israelites across the Jordon river over dry land, they were afraid of the
Israelites and hence shut the entrances of the city tightly. God instructed Joshua, “I have delivered
Jericho into your hands. Therefore, for six days, march around the city once a day. The priests will
carry the trumpets in front of the ark of the covenant. However, the rest should not say a single word.
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 all the people give a loud shout; then the wall
of the city will collapse”. Therefore, Joshua and the Israelites followed God’s instructions to march
around the city. On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times. When the priests
sounded the trumpet blast, the Israelites shouted and the wall of the city collapsed. The Israelites
hence rushed into the city to kill all the enemies and conquer the city of Jericho completely. The
Israelites did not forget to spare Rahab and her family who hid the two spies. They saw the red
(scarlet) cord that hanged outside the window of Rahab’s house and hence saved her and her whole
family.

1. The priests blew the trumpets in front of the ark of the covenant: To tell us to hear
and follow God’s words
1) Just like the people in Jericho who were afraid of the Israelites, the devil, Satan is
already afraid of us! This is because we are children of God, and with God with us,
God will use us to save many people (our family members, friends, etc)
2) Therefore, the devil, Satan often uses lies to deceive us, causing us to be unable to
see that God is with us and hence we do not have strength to save people. Satan’s
lies: “God does not love you; God is angry with you; God did not help you; God did
not provide for you; God did not listen to your prayers; God will not use you, etc” [All
these are Satan’s lies.]
3) In order not to allow the devil, Satan to deceive us, God asks us to continue to hear
and follow His words. (Therefore, the priests have to blow the trumpets in front of the
ark of the covenant, so that the Israelites could hear God’s words). Therefore, we
have to attend Sunday school every Sunday to hear God’s words and also hear His
voice when we pray every morning, so that we do not be deceived by the devil,
Satan. God’s words say, “I love you; I forgive you; I will definitely help you; I will
definitely provide for you; I will definitely listen to your prayers; I will definitely use you,
etc” [Do we hear these everyday?]

2. There is no need to say even a word: Just march around Jericho: To tell us not to
complain, but to be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all
circumstances
1) God tells us not to say words of complaints (words of disbelief). This is because the
devil, Satan will use these words to affect us and also influence the people around us.
 2) God tells us to be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.
This is because when we do this, the angels will work and remove the works of the
devil, Satan. In doing so, the people around us are able to know God.
3) This is especially so when everyone is unhappy and are complaining, but because we
have heard God’s words, and are hence joyful and able to give thanks, the heavenly
host will do great works and chase away the forces of darkness, resulting in many
people knowing Jesus Christ. [Confirm with the children how they can hear God’s
voice and emerge from a state of complaints to become joyful always, pray
continually and give thanks in all circumstances: whether they are at home, in school,
when they have problems, when they are unhappy etc…]

3. To march around Jericho once a day, and towards the end, march around 7 times:
To tell us to wait upon God’s time-table, and when the time is up, to concentrate
pray
1) God tells us to wait upon His time-table. This is because at the most appropriate time,
God will fulfill! However, God tells us to start today, by praying for our family and
friends daily so that they are able to know Jesus Christ as soon as possible.
2) Thereafter, when we pray for our family (father, mother, brothers, sisters) and friends
daily, we discover how to love them daily, to listen to them, to help them, to take care
of them. [Tell the children to ponder over this.]
3) When the time is up, God will touch us and tell us to concentrate pray (i.e. to have a
heart with greater love, greater faith, greater hope to pray for them). The work of the
devil, Satan will be totally destroyed. Each and every one of our family members and
friends will come before God and know Jesus Christ. [Ask: “Do we hope that our
family members and friends all know Jesus?” Confirm with them their present desire.]