{"id":60706,"date":"2025-04-15T23:15:47","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T03:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/?p=60706"},"modified":"2025-04-15T23:18:40","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T03:18:40","slug":"the-walls-of-jericho","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/2025\/04\/the-walls-of-jericho\/","title":{"rendered":"THE WALLS OF JERICHO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Van Yandell<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Joshua 6: 20 \u201cSo the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a trip from Tiberius to Jerusalem, our bus passed through Jericho. We stopped to walk around the town and visualize what happened there 3500 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jericho is located east of Jerusalem and about ten miles north of the Dead Sea. Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in 1947, is about ten miles southwest. Currently the population is just under 21,000 people and governed by the administrative seat of the Jericho Governorate of Palestine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jericho holds the record for being the oldest continuously inhabited city on earth. It is also the lowest below sea level city in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Jericho to Jerusalem is up-hill all the way. Jerusalem is at 2700 feet above sea level and Jericho is 900 feet below sea level. The distance from the River Jordan Valley to Jerusalem is a little less than forty miles so the drive is definitely uphill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-36) took place on the Jericho road from Jerusalem. The trail would have been rough and rocky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A mountain top on the west side of town now blossoms with communication towers and satellite dishes. We were told that is the mountain of Christ\u2019s transfiguration (Matthew 17: 1-8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What appeared to be very old ruins was a little south of the area where the bus stopped. A local man told me that was a part of the wall as described in the Tanakh (Books of the Prophets) and the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can I verify that as fact? No, I cannot, but concede, he may have been correct. Nonetheless, Jericho is a very interesting place and a part of the interest is the Biblical documentation of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is considerable disagreement among archeologists as to whether the story in the Bible of the Battle of Jericho really happened or is a myth. Of course we know researchers usually have findings to support their own opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with any other argument, the logical consideration is to regard the evidence. As a law enforcement friend once told me \u201cFollow the evidence and it will lead you to the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archeologists sometimes use the stratigraphic excavation method. A cross-section of the earth can be examined to reveal a chronological sequence of the human and natural activity. Such a method has been utilized in the Jericho area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joshua 6: 15 indicates the crossing of the Jordan was during the time of harvest and Joshua 5: 10-15 indicates it was during the time of Passover; the two of which correspond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Containers of burned grain were found in the archeological digs verifying the validity of Joshua 6: 24a. \u201cAnd they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein:\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By cross referencing the time line and information in the Bible, and the archeological evidence, it certainly appears the story in the Book of Joshua of Jericho actually is a historical fact. I must go on record as saying, yes, I believe the Biblical account is true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joshua 1: 2 \u201cMoses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, God was giving \u201cThe Promised Land\u201d back to His chosen people, the Israelites. Keep in mind, the Jewish people were God\u2019s chosen to provide the world with a Savior, and that they did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We must always teach that eternal salvation is attained by a faith based belief (Ephesians 2: 8) in Christ Jesus crucified (Matthew 27: 35) for the remission of sin (1 John 1: 9) and resurrected (Matthew 28: 6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we study through the Old Testament, we find it all leads up to the coming of Christ Jesus and His dying on the Cross of Calvary for the sins of all mankind. In order for the scriptures to be fulfilled, the Israelites had to re-enter the Promised Land after their 430 year stay in Egypt and 40 years in the wilderness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joshua chapter 2 tells us that Joshua sent two men as spies into Jericho. They were taken in and protected by Rahab. She and her family were thus protected during the destruction of Jericho in chapter six.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can imagine the reaction of any current day military strategist if given instructions to do battle in the way God gave Joshua in chapter 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joshua 6: 3-4 \u201cAnd ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This plan would make no sense for success based on common military logic. Actually, it sounds like a plan for defeat; the army of Joshua would be easy targets from the wall surrounding Jericho. Interestingly enough, God, at times, does things we do not understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the story goes, on the seventh day, seven trips around the city were made, the trumpets were blown and the men shouted. That\u2019s when the walls of Jericho \u201ccame tumbling down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joshua was then told by God to go into the city and destroy every living thing (except Rahab and her family, (Joshua 6: 23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The finding of the Dead Sea scrolls, carbon dated to 2200 years ago also gives us empirical evidence of that reality. Follow the evidence!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jericho is only about six miles from the baptismal site of Jesus in the River Jordan. To walk along the Jordan, the Sea of Galilee and the streets of Jericho and Jerusalem had been a personal goal for many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To walk where Jesus walked creates in a Christian a sense of placement. Emotions run high but an earthly connection with a spiritual God Jesus is indescribable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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