Joshua 6:1 "Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in."

Joshua 6:2 "And the Lord said unto Joshua, "See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour."

God is calling attention to Joshua that it was He that gave Jericho into his hand. Did Israel and Joshua conquer Jericho? No! God is telling us that He is the One that prepared Jericho to fall into their hands. I set up the way for Jericho to fall, and have given it into your hand. This was one of the blessings that Joshua would receive for following the instructions of God, and having the faith to move out and take the land, unlike their fathers. They were faithful to the circumcision, in setting themselves apart, in obedience to God's commandments.

Joshua 6:3 "And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days."

Notice that God is asking the Israelites to march around the city of Jericho for six days, once each day. Remember a day with God is as a thousand years. II Peter 3:8: "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." The victory over the enemy would take six days, and this would represent one day for each dispensation of time, up to the Millennium. The Millennium age is the seventh dispensation when you count the first earth age. The first earth age is just as real as the flesh age we now live in. However today, this first dispensation is missing from the teachings in most churches. This is what causes Christians to look foolish in explaining the creatures remains that are from that period of time. This earth is millions of years old.

So what announces the start or bringing in of that seventh earth age of the Millennium? the seventh trumpet sounds, and all souls that are living in their flesh are changed instantly into their new incorruptible bodies. I Corinthians 15:51, 52 lays this out for us.

Joshua 6:4 "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."

Have you ever heard of the seven trumpets? On that seventh day the priests shall march around the city seven times, and then blow the seven trumpets seven times. This should bring your attention immediately to the seven trumpets of the book of Revelation. When that seventh trump sounds we get our victory and the true Christ returns to this earth. The seventh trump is the last trump, and there are no more. that is the time when this earth age is over and done with, and all flesh is changed instantly into their new incorruptible bodies.

I Corinthians 15:50 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."

Corruption is the flesh body, and Incorruption is the body as the angels have, the spiritual body. Each body exists in the dimension that it was created for. In God's heavenly kingdom, flesh and blood simply cannot exist, so the soul of each individual must put on it incorruptible body. When Jesus returns to this earth at the seventh trump, the evil things that go to make up this flesh age will be over and done with.

I Corinthians 15:51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed," [51] "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be change." [52]

Paul is showing us a mystery that had not been revealed before, for at a certain point in time, all souls that exist and live in their flesh body will be changed. That's right, changed from their flesh body to their incorruptible body that will live for the next thousand years in Jesus Christ's kingdom right here on earth. The change will come faster than you can wink your eye, and it will happen when the seventh trump sounds. This marks the end of the sixth dispensation, and the start of the seventh. "The dead shall be raised incorruptible"; which means that the souls that are spiritual dead while in their flesh body, will be changed ["raised"] to their new body that shall continue for the next thousand years without aging or getting sick, as these flesh bodies do. What a glorious day that will be.

Joshua 6:5 "And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the rams' horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the People shall ascend up every man straight before him." 

When the seven trumpets make that long blast with the rams' horn, then every one will give a great shout, and the walls of Jericho will come tumbling down. What this is saying is that the walls will sink out of sight and leave the town wide open. God is telling the people that you have circled it seven times, and when the walls come down, then come against the down from every direction. This is why God could say that He gave the city to you. He brought the walls down, and put the fear in the minds of the people of Jericho.

God allowed the news of each miracle and victory to reach the ears of these people of Jericho, from the start of the plagues, to victories that He gave the Israelites over their enemies for the past forty years. Then on the morning of the tenth day, as these people watch from the walls of their cities, think of the terror that came over them as they watch as the waters of the Jordan were dammed up instantly, and the forty thousand man army came marching at them through the Jordan on dry ground.

Then the calm as the Israelites set up camp on their door step to take time for the circumcision of the entire camp, and the start of the six day marching around their city. By the seventh day these people of Jericho must have been out of their minds with fear, and then came the blasts of the seven trumpets, the call to war. God set the stage for victory, and then He said to Joshua, "I give it unto your hand."

Joshua 6:6 "And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord." 

Joshua 6:7 "And he said unto the People, "Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord." 

Joshua gave instruction to the priests to keep on marching with the ark of the Lord, and let the seven priests with their trumpets go out in front of the ark of the Covenant. However in front of the entire group, these forty thousand armed men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh led the entire group. God set the stage for this war, and these men were all well disciplines and ready for battle. The knew who the enemy was, and that God would give them the victory.

When we allow God to organize our lives through His Word, and maintain discipline in our lives, God gives us victories that are unforeseen in advance. He knows the problems that are before us, but we have to prepare ourselves for those spiritual battles ahead of time. We do that when we study His Word, and be obedient to His instructions.

Joshua 6:8 "And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the People, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them."

Remember what God said in verse two; "I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor." These children of Israel didn't take Jericho, but God arranged it to happen. Those victories that we have in our lives, God arranges them to happen, and as we continue to follow His Word, the blessings and protection come our way. Your the one that chooses whether the protection and blessings are there or not.

The Lord was with Joshua, the priests and the armed men of Israel as they completed their seventh trip around the walled city of Jericho, they stopped, and the priests blew their seven trumpets just as the Lord commanded. The ark of the covenant was right there with the Israelite army as the blast of the trumpets flowed over the walls of Jericho.

Joshua 6:9 "And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets."

The "rereward" is the main or central body of priests and armed men that would march in a military fashion, following the ark of the covenant, as they circled the city of Jericho.

Joshua 6:10 "And Joshua had commanded the People, saying, "Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout."

Did you get that? The order from God through Joshua was that you keep your mouth shut until "the day I bid you shout; then shall you shout." When Joshua gives the order to shout, all the emotions that have been building for the past weeks, since the order to cross the Jordan, will be released at one time.

Remember, our Lord Jesus Christ instructed us to remain silent when we are delivered up, and we are not to think ahead of time what we shall say.

Mark 13:9, 10 "But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them." [9] "And the gospel must first be published among all nations." [10]

When the end times God's elect will be delivered up before the councils and churchs of Satan, and they shall try to make you make statements to trip you up. Remember that Satan knows the scripture better than you do, and he is a expert in words. God has a purpose for you being there at that time and He expect that you are fully aware of His plan that is written in His Word.

Mark 13:11 "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit [Ghost]."

Do you get it? God is instructing us to keep our mouths shut also until He gives us the right to speak. No, you are not to even think ahead of time what to say to these people for Satan and his fallen angels will be right here on earth at the time, and only the Holy Spirit will have the words that ought to be said. Remember that the whole would will be watching this trial take place. God expects you, one of His elect, to be obedient to this moment in time, and there is no forgiveness for those of the elect that refuse to be used by God, to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to the world. Remember it isn't your words, or thought that is being said, but God's words from the Holy Spirit that are being spoken at that time. Many will hear what is being said by the Holy Spirit and come out of confusion at that time.

The false Christ Satan is coming first and He will cause those that refuse him to give account of why they will not fall down to worship him. God is telling you and I that when this happens, keep your mouth shut, clam up, be still, and don't say a word until God instructs you to, by His Holy Spirit placing the words that you are to say in your mount at that moment in time. Is it your thoughts, no; God is speaking through you. This is exactly as it was on Pentecost day, as Peter himself would say in Acts 2:16; "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;" Was that message in the unknown tongue all messed up and had to be translated? No, it was clear and everyone that was there in Jerusalem from all over the world heard it in their native tongue back home.

If someone starts mumbling in confusion and you can't understand the mumbling going on, that is not what happened here on Pentecost day, for those words were clear and everyone understood exact what was said with any interpreter. The Asians, the Egyptians, the Europeans all heard the word at the same time, and it was clear in their language back home. That is the speak of the Holy Spirit. Joel the Prophet spoke of this time [Joel 2:28-32] of the last trumpet when this speaking of the Holy Spirit would take place. God will be using both men and women to have the Holy Spirit speaking through them.

This is how we get the victory, by following God's instructions through His Word to the letter of the Word. If you are thinking of taking some of the glory for what the Holy Spirit does through you, forget it, only God gets the glory and honor, for you are just the vessel that God is using, just as you use a glass to drink water, or knife to cut your stake. The glass doesn't get the glory for quenching your thirst, nor the knife for the joy of eating the stake. If the glass can't hold the water, or the knife can't cut the stake, you get one that will. Get it, you are the vessel that God will use, and when that vessel is defective, God will get rid of it, for it's no use to Him.

The children of Israel are entering into the promise land, and these things that happened to them are examples for us living today, that are also approaching the entering into our promise land. The seventh trumpet will sound, and God expects all his elect to do their part. The priest holding one of the corners of the Ark is just as important as the man with the trumpet, and the armed men from Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. Each of God's elect will be delivered up to the exact location where God has placed them, and each is expected to follow orders, just as these men are doing with Joshua. Keep your mouth shut and don't say a word until I give the order to shout. The spirit of God will be the trumpet, and form the words that are to flow from your mouth.

I Corinthians 10:11 "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [examples]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [end of this earth age] are come."

You are studying Joshua to give you an example of what we are to do when Antichrist is here on earth. Satan will call you into one of his church houses to account for yourself, why you won't play his game. The whole world has bought into Satan's system and worship him, but here you stand a reject of the world in Satan's kingdom, one of the few that just won't play the game. What will Satan's church houses look like? Like one of those churches that preach the rapture, for they are preparing their people to fall in line at the coming of the first christ. That christ will be Satan, and he will come at the sixth trump. There you are, not accepting this supernatural being that has come and dazzled the world with his lies and ticks, and this Mark 13:9 - 11 deals with you standing before them giving your account. Friend, it is not yours to give, God is telling you to keep quiet, and at the right time, the His Spirit will do the talking for you.

So the instruction by Joshua is over, and the children of Israel are falling into ranks and about to start their seven day journeys around Jericho.

Joshua 6:11 "So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp."

So the first day the priests with the ark of the covenant, the priests with the trumpets, and the army of men marched boldly around the city of Jericho.

Joshua 6:12 "And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord."

Joshua 6:13 "And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets."

Joshua 6:14 "And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days."

For six days they marched around the city of Jericho, blowing the trumpets, yet speaking not a word, and returning to camp after each trip of the day.

Joshua 6:15 "And it came to pass on the seventh day, they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times."

On this seventh day, the priest with the ark, the men with the trumpets and all the soldiers marched seven times around the city, just as they had done once in each of the six days prior to this day. The number seven is spiritual completeness in biblical numerics. So this would signify that the seventh trump had sounded, in relationship to the future sense, rather than the historical sense.

Joshua 6:16 "And it came to pass at the seventh time, which the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the People, "Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city."

Joshua had followed instructions so that the Lord YHVH hath given them the city. The victory was theirs because they had followed the instruction for the Word of the Lord exactly as it was given.

Joshua 6:17 "And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent."

This city, and all the people, the wealth of the city was accursed, and not over for the children of Israel's personal gain. Notice that Joshua did not forget Rahab the business woman, for he gave strict instructions that she and her family waiting patiently behind the scarlet thread should live.

Remember that she hid the spies under the layers of flax that were drying on her roof. No harlot would spend the time and effort to tend to the flax, make and die the material into quality linen. She knew the things of the true God of Israel and wanted to be part of God's people, and the entire nature of Rahab was not that of a harlot. This identity of being a harlot was branded on her because she was a successful business lady, well known in the community, and from miles around, by men who did not measure up to her success. Remember that she even call God "YHVH" by the sacred name. She loved and worshipped the true God.

So in a futuristic sense, who is the harlot in the Babylon of the end times? The harlots were the ones that took part with the false christ's system. Revelation 18:7 "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, `I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.' " This church that reigns like a queen when Satan is here on earth, is taking part in Satan's system, living deliciously with all the fine gifts that Satan rewards her with, and she has no idea that there is a difference between Satan and Jesus, nor the times that they are in. Her only thought is for the moment, and this harlot church and her members think that they are in Christ's kingdom.

Then just as Jericho will fall in one day, we read in verse 8; "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire for strong is the Lord God Who judgeth her." Just as confusion was everywhere in Jericho, the events of the end times are going to leave this harlot church in confusion also, because they would not pay attention to God's Word, but would rather have itching ears for the wagging tongues of the men around them. God wrote us a letter telling us everything that we can expect to happen in these end times, yet most church houses would rather listen to the fairy-tales of the traditions of men, than pay attention to events going on around us.

Just as the children of Israel were given an order of events to follow, for the six days prior to the end, so also God has given us a listing of events marked by a trumpet, for the events that are taking place before our eyes today. On the seventh day, Joshua ordered the trumpets to blast, and at the seventh trumpet of these end times, God will order the trumpet to blast and immediately this earth age of flesh man will come to a close. If any man comes before that seventh trumpet, and you are still in your flesh body, that man is a fake; sure he may be supernatural, for Satan and all his fallen angels will be supernatural and not of the flesh.

Joshua 6:18 "And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it."

"The accursed thing" is the thing that God hates. When you mess around with the things that God hates, you then make yourself accursed just like that thing is. There are no blessing for those messing around with the accursed thing.

Joshua 6:19 "But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord."

The wealth of Jericho, the silver, gold and vessels of brass and iron are set aside for God, for the treasure of the Lord's house. Those things become holy and they belong to God. This "accursed thing" then is not the silver or gold or anything made with human hands, but this has to do with salvation. We are told that our deeds are tested as by fire, and our deeds had better be of gold or silver to hold their value under the fire. Many of our deeds are of wood and stubble and will be burned up when the fire of God's testing comes to consume them. Those deeds just don't amount to anything.

Jesus tells us in Revelation 19:8 "And to her [the bride of Christ, at the marriage supper of the Lamb] was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

Your deeds here in this earth age tell what position you will be placed in that next earth age of Christ's kingdom. This is reality, not a religion.

Joshua 6:20 "So 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."

What this is saying is that the ground opened up and swallowed the wall that was around the city. The children of Israel went into the city and killed the inhabitance of the city. After the six days of constant stress on the city, left them without the will to fight. When the trumpets sounded and the wall was sucked into the earth, it left the people unable to defend themselves. God gave the city to the children of Israel.

Joshua 6:21 "And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword."

There were some that were not destroyed, for Rahab and her family were spared.

Joshua 6:22 "But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, "Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her."

Joshua is telling these two spies to go directly to Rahab's house and protect her, for she has kept her word, now you keep yours.

Joshua 6:23 "And the young me that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel."

We see here that Rahab was the true leader of her family, and it was because of her knowledge and faith that her entire family was saved. This period of time was after the last trump had sounded and God's people that were in the camp of the enemy is now save in the care of Joshua.

There is another time coming prophetically that matches this, for after that seventh trump sounds, and our Lord returns to this earth to protect and reward His people, the elect will have the right to go to their family and keep them safe. We are talking about the Millennium age of Jesus Christ's thousand year kingdom here.

Ezekiel 44:25 "And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had not husband, they may defile themselves."

One of God's elect, an over-comer of this earth age that stood against Satan and did not yield to his system, will have the right given him by our Lord Jesus Christ to go to his family and try to keep them from straying away. The elect, or as they are called the "Zadok" can help their family members when it is needed keep them from getting caught up in the confusion that will exist even at that time. Sure, at the first day of the Millennium all knees will bow to Christ, but as the thousand years wears on, many will drift back into their old habits. By the end of the Millennium age when Satan is released for a short time, most will go right back and follow Satan, right into the lake of fire.

I can just see each day as the children of Israel marched around Jericho, Rahab instructing and assuring her family that everything will be alright. The whole town is to a point of insanity, but this family sitting quietly behind the scarlet thread waiting for the end to come.

Joshua 6:24 "And they burned the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord."

God is the consuming fire in the future of this earth age, but the gold and silver, and brass and iron were taken first and placed in the tabernacle, the house of the Lord.

Joshua 6:25 "And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelteth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho."

Sure Rahab and her family lived in and became part of the children of Israel. She married Booz, as recorded in Matthew 1:5, and had a son named Obed, the grandfather of King David of Israel. I hope you can see how perfect the bible fits so neatly together. Sure she took part in a covert act, but she was faithful to God and to her word. God always keeps His Word and pays what is owed to those that trust Him.

Joshua 6:26 "And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, "Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it."

The walls and the gates of the city of Jericho were part of the land that Joshua gave to the Benjamites, when the land was divided amongst the tribes; as recorded in Joshua 18:12. In the expression; "he shall lay the foundation", means that his youngest son shall die at the foundation of those gates that he build.

Jericho was rebuilt three times, and three times it was also destroyed after this time of Joshua. The city that was destroyed at Joshua's time has not yet been reached by recent excavations. Long after the death of Solomon, the city that was rebuild by Hiel in Ahab's reign between 822 and 790 B.C. was captured by the Herodians in 3 B.C, just prior to the time of Jesus Christ's birth; and rebuild by Archelaus in 2 A.D. This was the Jericho of Jesus day, which was destroyed by Vespasian in 68 A.D.

I Kings 16:33 "Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him."

I Kings 16:34 "In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which He spake by Joshua the son of Num."

Under the reign of Ahab, king of the house of Israel, Hiel of the tribe of Benjamin rebuild and fortified the city of Jericho. And just as God told Joshua that the youngest son of the one that rebuilt the city would die, so also did the youngest son of Hiel, when Abiram his first born set the foundation of the city. So we see that this verse was prophecy that was fulfilled in the days of Ahab.

Joshua 6:27 "So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country."

God promised Joshua that if you keep My word and obey my instructions, I will make you respected even as Moses was. And God kept His Word. The word Jericho means "fragrance and sweet", yet it was filled with corruption. The harlot church of the end times will also be filled with delicious things, sweet things that bring glory to herself, yet it also will be filled with corruption. And just like Jericho was brought to complete destruction, so also will the harlot church that becomes married to Satan, and sits a queen over Satan's system.

The church world today continually tries to present itself sweet and fragrant, as it plays around with the traditions of men and mixing the heathen religious ideas into her teachings. Satan will come in the same way, peacefully and prosperously, yet there are those of the elect that will be within that system, yet not take part in it. They will be behind the scarlet thread of the blood of Christ, waiting for that day when the seventh trump will sound, and like Rahab, be saved from destruction when the rest of the city around her was destroyed.