**The Fall of Jericho: A Story of Faith and Obedience**

The sun hung low over the plains of Jericho, casting long shadows across the fortified city. Its massive stone walls loomed high, an impenetrable barrier that had withstood countless sieges. The people of Jericho had heard of the Israelites’ approach—how they had crossed the Jordan on dry ground, how their God had dried up the waters before them. Fear gripped the city. The gates were shut tight, and no one dared venture out.

Joshua, the leader of Israel, stood before the camp, his face set like flint. The weight of command rested heavily upon him, but he was not alone. The Lord had spoken to him in a vision, saying, *”See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.”* Yet the strategy God had given was unlike any battle plan Joshua had ever known.

### **The Divine Strategy**

That evening, Joshua gathered the priests and the commanders of Israel. The flickering light of the campfires danced across their faces as he relayed the Lord’s instructions.

“Tomorrow,” Joshua said, his voice steady, “the armed men shall march around the city, followed by seven priests carrying trumpets of rams’ horns. The Ark of the Covenant will go with them, and the rest of the people shall follow in silence. We will do this for six days. But on the seventh day, we shall march around the city seven times, and at the sound of the trumpet blast, all the people shall shout with a great shout. Then the wall of the city will collapse, and every man shall go straight in.”

A murmur spread through the assembly. Some exchanged uncertain glances. To seasoned warriors, this plan seemed foolish—no battering rams, no siege towers, just silent marches and the blast of trumpets. But Joshua’s faith did not waver. He had seen the Red Sea part, had tasted the manna in the wilderness. If God had spoken, it would be done.

### **The March Begins**

At dawn, the army assembled. The priests, clad in their sacred garments, lifted the Ark upon their shoulders. The trumpeters took their positions, their ram’s horns gleaming in the morning light. The soldiers fell into formation, their sandals kicking up dust as they began their silent procession.

The people of Jericho watched from the walls, their faces pale with dread. They had expected an assault, but instead, the Israelites marched in eerie silence, the only sound the steady tramp of feet and the occasional blast of the trumpets. Once around the city they went, then returned to camp.

Day after day, the same ritual repeated. The tension in Jericho grew. Some mocked, thinking the Israelites weak or superstitious. Others trembled, remembering the stories of Egypt’s plagues.

### **The Seventh Day**

On the seventh day, before the first light touched the horizon, Joshua rose. “Today,” he declared, “the Lord will give us the city.”

The people moved with purpose. Once, twice, three times they circled Jericho. The sun climbed higher, the heat pressing down, but they did not falter. Four times, five, six—and then, as the shadows lengthened, the seventh circuit.

Joshua raised his hand. The priests lifted the trumpets to their lips. A long, piercing blast shattered the silence.

“SHOUT!” Joshua commanded. “FOR THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE CITY!”

A thunderous cry erupted from thousands of throats, a roar of faith and triumph. The ground trembled. The massive stones of Jericho’s walls groaned, then—with a deafening crash—collapsed inward, crumbling into dust.

### **The Victory**

The Israelite army surged forward, pouring through the gaps where the walls had stood. The city, once so proud and defiant, was now defenseless. Only Rahab the prostitute and her household were spared, for she had hidden the Israelite spies and sworn allegiance to their God.

As the smoke of the burning city rose into the sky, Joshua stood amid the ruins, his heart full. The victory had not been by sword or spear, but by faith and obedience. The Lord had fought for Israel, proving once again that no fortress could stand against His will.

And so the name of the Lord was magnified in all the land, for He alone had brought down the walls of Jericho.