Today I came across this in my Bible reading:
But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” – Joshua 6:10
This verse is found within the famous account of the fall of Jericho in the book of Joshua. He commanded the army of the Lord to march around the city walls for seven days and then on this last day, they are to shout, and the walls will come a-tumblin’ down. Imagine how ridiculous the army must have felt at this strange command. There has been no connection in the past with shouting and walls falling, but this is God’s plan, and they would follow through with it. The result, of course, was that the walls did tumble, and God’s people were victorious in battle. That land of Canaan had been promised to God’s people, and they were commanded to raise up an army and wage war against the enemies of God. It’s tough to comprehend, as we’re not to live as a totalitarian state today – the church of Christ is not to have an army. And yet, in this time in redemptive history, that’s exactly what God commanded them to do.
But it’s also a reminder to us to follow the words of the Lord despite how strange we find them to be. There are many parts of the Bible that might make you cringe, and yet, he is God of all creation, your maker and deliverer. His ways are not our ways, and his wisdom is far beyond what we will ever know. We must trust his Word, whether it’s an ethical command, trust in a historic event like this one, or a logical conundrum like God’s sovereignty. He is the Lord and we are not.