The fall of Jericho was a domino effect that took decades to design.
The First domino, was the Pharaoh's order to kill all the Israelite boys.
That domino lead to a basket on a river that save the life of Moses who grow up to know the ways of the Egyptian empire. The second domino was Moses's walk that leads him to witnessing a Hebrew slave beaten by an Egyptian guard. This lead to him to kill the guard and that lead to Moses running to Midian to escape death. The third domino was the burning bush. This led to God's calling on Moses's life that lead to speak to the leaders of Israel and took him to the Pharaoh's throne where he demanded that the Pharaoh let the Israelites go and that led to many plagues because of his repeated refusals. The forth domino came after the death of all the firstborns in Egypt. This lead to the Pharaoh releasing the slaves that lead to him coming after them only to be shallow after God parted the sea for the Israelites. This led to God performing any miracles that provided vital resources for their journey. The fifth domino was Moses giving the ten commandments to the Israelites that lead to choosing leaders and give more instruction that lead to the people breaking them The six domino that the Israelites refusing to take the promise land that lead to forty years in the wilderness and include Moses's death that lead to Joshua being chosen as the leader of God's people. The seven domino was Jericho. God gave instruction to Joshua who have instruction to several others who follow them faithfully. This lead to six days marching without a word around the walls of Jericho that lead to the seventh day where they march around six times the same way that lead to the seventh times where Joshua told all the people surrounding Jericho to shout. As a result of their obedience the walls came tumbling down like dominos and they enter the promise land.
Often, even Christians, look to the laws science including those of mathematics to forecast a cause or produce a result. Yet, as believers, we must consider there has and will be events in this life that we do not understand and cannot rely on science as a compass to guide our reasoning, position or path to our future. Jericho's demise is one of the moments in Biblical history where God's supernatural power trumps the laws of nature. Science engineering may say that the walls of Jericho may have been weaken through erosion. Therefore, the vibrations of the multitude of people's shouts shattered key cornerstone of the structure. The reality of that possible theory is highly unlikely. The people probably did not have known about the condition of the structure anyhow. No one cane explains how seven days worth of praise and obedience would break the barriers to God's promise for them.
So...
What was Jericho's Kryptonite? God's timing? God moving supernaturally on Earth? I believe it is both. God moves on his timing, not ours. God is the builder of every domino designs on Earth and he is the one who sets them into motion.
People often serve as his dominos. It doesn't matter whether their piece is blank or if it has twelve dots on both ends. It doesn't matter whether the piece is old or new, damaged or polished, thin or thick, black, white or colored. God can use anyone at anytime to accomplish anything.
No one is not meant to face this world alone; Likewise, no one is meant to be the whole design in God's big picture plan. Thus, people are not the only dominos in God's domino creations. They are events , obstacles, actions, and elements of nature that serve as dominos. Additionally, they are designs within a design. Those designs within and other dominos affect the other designs and dominos. When people stand in the design, they often stand with other whether they are besides, in front or behind them. When people fall, they often fall into others that fall with them or support their fall.
For example, Joshua was not the only domino in the fall of Jericho. There were spies that scope out the inner cities. There was a prostitute who served as a haven for the spies. There was the Ark of the Covenant, priests that marched, horns that were sounded and people who were silence, days that totaled seven and the action of shouting.
Proverbs 16:9 "A person's heart plans [her] way, But the Lord determines [her] steps."
Like the Israelites, we are not given the Eagle's eye or a heavenly view point that show us the grand design of God's plan for our life or others that we care about. Their hearts longed for the promise land, but God gave them a detour to show they his power over nature. The water was bitter and they was no food, but God uses Moses to give them fresh water and manna. They knew the promise land was God's will for their lives while they let their eyes deceive them for years. They had to wander in the wilderness for forty years; yet, I believe, many learned gratitude.
Jericho's kryptonite is not found in a quick potion. It is not found in a magic wand held by a fairy godmother who transforms the world around us to serve our desires. It is a brew that takes several years to form Something it is about stand firm in place and waiting on God to move the world through us. Other times, it is about moving forward toward the promise as we pray for direction and the proper resources to get us there.
But what moves God?
Prayer, Praise, Perseverance, and Patience to His Purpose (Faith)
There are opportunity that come from when we are placed into position and there are opportunities that come from when we fall into place. The time in-between can be the most difficult.
It is a struggle to remain silence when God promises you something. It is a fight to keep walking in the pursuit of those promises when you are exhausted. It is painful to stay in a hardship when you want to run to the river of freedom. It is a courage to praise when it has been years since the promise was made.
The time of waiting, can be the most powerful and influence part of the design. These are the times when faith is strengthened, prayer life increases, when a personal relationship with God grows, and times when a person discovers their voice and spiritual gifts to fulfills God's design.
No wonder when it was time God's people to shout outside Jericho, they shouted as loud as they could. They had energy that had been stored in their blood for generations.
When we come together to pray-he listens. When we come together to praise; he sees belief in action. When we submit to his purpose- he gives opportunities. When we are patience in his Purpose- his timing makes the most impact.
Let's remember that Jericho's kryptonite is a domino effect requiring a believer's willingness to God's design and God's timing to set it into action. We must live with the assurance that whatever God ordains, no force of nature can change. Then, we will have the power of Jericho's kryptonite and see God's promises come true in our lives and show the world his power to overcome any obstacles even the ones that seem impossible to break through
With God all things are possible!
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