Q3. Walls Fall

[Pastor Ralph]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down? 

[ducminh]

When I read the Word of God, I would take it as it is.  I do not make up any imagination, or hypothesis, or theory, or looking for scientific, or archaeological evidences to confirm it.  If I have confirmed my faith in God, and accepting Him as the Creator of all and the Giver of life, then all of His works are true as they have been recorded.

Should I rely on scientific research to confirm that God has definitely created Adam and Eve?  Christian churches, today, believe in the scientific evolution theory.  The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church (the Mother Church of Christianity) has said:

“When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so.

He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfilment.

Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.”

According to his statement, probably God has initially created the human molecules some billion years ago and then they follow the course of the evolution to become the modern human kinds as we know today.  In consequence, the creation of Adam and Eve is simply a kind of mystical story for us to imagine.

If that is so, how it is useful to read the Bible?  Do we need to wait for some archaeologists to confirm the cause of the fall of Jericho?

[Stanley Tavaziva]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down?

The ark was Gods presents all the time.God’s purpose in all this was to keep the people’s faith and religion uncontaminated. He did not want the plunder to remind Israel of Canaanite practices. God also wants us to be pure. He wants us to clean up our behavior when we begin a new life with him. We must not let the desire for personal gain distract us from our spiritual purpose. We must also reject any objects that are reminders of a life of rebellion against God.

God used his power to make the walls fall.

[Gladys E.]

The seven days of marching with the ark meant that God is in their midst and He has given them the city.

The ark represent 'the throne of Almighty God. '

The mechanism that God used to make the walls fall down is by causing an earthquake. 

[blezed]

(Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down? 

Seven is the number in the Bible used for fullness and completeness.  The art represents the throne of Almighty God.  No one really knows what mechanism God used to make the walls fall down.  However, the assumption is that God timed an earthquake to occur precisely at the time the Israelite's shouted.

[Susan B]

On 6/10/2016 at 3:51 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down? 

 

Seven is the symbol used to indicate completion. The journey to the Promised land is complete. The  preparation to take the city is complete. The ark symbolizes God among us. While some believe God used an earthquake to bring the walls down. I don't agree. God didn't  want to hide behind some geological phenomenon . He wanted everyone.....friend and foe....He was moving on earth

 

[Jesus is the Answer]

What is the significance of the seven day march .  We understand that in scripture the number 7 is perfection  , completeness and wholeness . The Ark represented the presence of God .  The important thing is OBEDIENCE to God's Command and instruction . As far as what mechanism God used . Why would God need to use any mechanism .  Did He use any mechanism when He created the heavens and the earth ? Did He use any mechanism when He stopped the waters of the Jordan for Israel to pass over ?  There is no hint in the Bible that God used some mechanism .  His very WORD is enough . It was a supernatural miracle . We do not need to have to explain the mighty acts of God by any human experience or understanding . GOD IS GOD . 

Isaiah 40

²¹ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
²² He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
²³ He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
²⁴ No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

²⁵ “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
²⁶ Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

[Blublack]

 (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down? 

The seven days marching with the ark was done in obedience to the  specific instructions of God. The seven days marching which included seven circumnavigations on the seventh day evidences the stamp of God on the actions. This divine mark  of perfection and completion starts from Genesis where God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. The number seven and multiples of the number seven can be found in the King James Version of  the Holy Bible scores of times. Persons who study the numerology and the mathematics of the KJV Holy Bible have found even more connections between the occurrences of particular words and phrases and multiples of seven.  For example, the word forgive appears 56 times, forgiven 42 times and forgiveness 7 times; the word parable 49 times.    We should also remember that  after marching around Jericho, the priests were required to blow their trumpets seven times. The number 7 and its multiples are at all times  evidence of  Divinity in action.

The Ark of the Covenant as representation of God's throne on earth served as a reminder to the Israelites that God was with them  in every step that they took around Jericho. It was also a visible warning to their enemies of the presence of the God of the Israelites in this battle. 

God is omnipotent and can achieve any outcome with a word. At times  I do believe God sees fit to harness the natural laws of physics and chemistry to achieve  his ends and confound the enemies of his people. So it is possible that the thousands  of Israelites marching around the walls for a continuous period may have opened up and widened existing fractures /cracks in the wall. When the trumpets were then blasted in unison the sound combined with the shock waves of  the marching feet and the  edifice collapsed. I do not believe  there was an earthquake as such an occurrence would not have brought glory to God.

[Eilen]

1.   Maybe the seven days had something significance to the creation in Geneses I the 7^th day signified the completion of God’s work. The 7 days marching with the ark represents the manifestation of the Israelites faith in God.  Their victory was dependent on God’s power and their faith in Him.  They had to obey his commands. 

2. The ark represents a most Holy place, the presence of God.  It most likely contained the tablet with the Ten Commandments.

      c. I think that God created some act of nature / miracle to bring the walls down, since there

[hanks]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) 
What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? 
What does the ark represent? 
What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down? 
I the past “seven days” signals a special event for God (Genesis 7:4,10; Exodus 7:25; 29:37; 1 Samuel 13:8). 
Here, this is emphasized by the seven priests, seven trumpets, and seven marches. 
This march, besides the warning of Israel’s hostile intent, is also done to intimidate, and terrify the inhabitants of Jericho. 
The ark symbolizes the presence of the Almighty God. 
On what mechanism God used to make the walls fall down I have another idea.
This could all be a lot of nonsense.
I am reminded of Colossians 1:17 which reads: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together”. 
Jesus is the One who controls the laws by which our universe functions in an orderly manner.
If unsupported by Him all things, or specific things, would fall into disorder.
So we have Jesus preserving, for example, water in such a way that it continues to act like water.
The same with rocks, or any other substance, He causes it to continue act like rock and hold the walls of Jericho. 
However, Jesus could allow the walls to spontaneously dissolve into another substance, like water for instance.
Or perhaps, only the foundations to morph into something else. 
Causing the walls to fall down.
It is still a miracle, but only in another way. 
 

[lighthouse2014]

On 6/10/2016 at 2:51 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down? 

 

The meaning of the seven days of marching with the army of Israel and the Ark represent the perfect entrance of the King into the city.

The Ark, in the procession, represented the throne of God.

Most likely the method God used to bring down the walls of Jericho was an earth quake. For the Lord does use natural means to accomplish his will. He is the Lord of all creation and can use what ever means to accomplish his plan. 

[JanMary]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark?

In Scripture, seven represents God's number of completion, just as the number five represents Grace. Marching with the Ark preceded by Priests and followed by 600,000 soldiers would have been terrifying to those observing the march, but the point was that this was God's battle and it would be done without any weapon being drawn. The only sound was the shofar being blown until the seventh time around and then the shout. I've read that there are a few walls which have been uncovered recently from that era which fell inward, validating that the people were able to go right over them into Jericho. There is one section near a gate that is still standing, which may have  been Rahab's dwelling.

What does the ark represent?

The Ark represents the Throne of Almighty God...His Presence among His people.

What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down?

It makes sense that God used the timing of an earthquake He knew was coming at that exact time, as He did with the Jordan River and the Red Sea. But it is within His power to have used the vibrations of 600,000 plus marching feet every day for 7 days to cause the walls to fail and fall. He can do anything!

I noticed in Psalm 114 that it as much as says that earthquakes were responsible for the Red Sea and the Jordan parting..."When Israel came forth out of Egypt......V3 The Red Sea looked and fled; the Jordan River was turned back. The Mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. (sounds like the earthquakes we experience here in California!)  V7 Tremble, O Earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob!"   Swedish scientists are responsible for a documentary I loved watching where they traced the actual Exodus to and through the part of the Red Sea where a land bridge had risen up at the place described in Scripture where they crossed. They showed underwater film of chariot wheels encrusted with coral, tipped on their axles, and other items which could only have been from that time. They used that Psalm and other writing to search underwater for just such a place. It's near the a mountain top which is burned black with an enormous stone altar at the base, which is in the correct proximity to the crossing place to be Mt. Sinai. The Saudi's have a tall fence around that mountain with a no trespassing sign, as if they don't want any Biblical sites to be widely known or explored. 

 

 

[PrayingMan]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall 

seven is a number that means fullness of complete.  God shows mercy to Jericho by giving them an opportunity to repent, as did Rahab.  The ark going before them represented their king going into battle before them, being God Himself.  I think it matters not what mechanism was used to bring the walls down.  I believe it only matters that God brought the walls down.   Focusing too much on mechanism only detracts from the power of God to do what He does.

[charisbarak]

Marching with God's covenant and His promises--while obeying Him to the letter...7th day--day of rest--God does the work!

He could have used an earthquake.  He only needs to say it and it's done.

[Ganti Vivek]

The seven days of marching with the ark indicates firstly the number seven indicates the wholeness and complete perfection.

Secondly the ark indicates the presence of God with them who is walking with them in front and leading them to win battles and situations which are humanly impossible to overcome.

The mechanism God has used to make walls fall is Faith and Trust in God who is leading them to the promised land, God is making them to go through all the  physically activity mental preparedness, and by blowing the horns during the war indicates that the war has started, by such multitude of Israelite's walking abound the Jericho the people inside we made feel timid and loose hope, but the Israelis were made stronger in faith, God wants them to understand and have faith in Him by making them go through this process and to show them He is the only God and all Powerful and nothing is impossible to Him. 

God will help and do wonders and miracles in the peoples lives who believe and trust in Him and walk His ways at the same time destroy who goes the evil way.

[DawnMc13]

The seven day march around the city first gave the enemy a sense of their impending doom.  This also demonstrated to God Israels obedience to Him, following His orders even though they didn't understand them.  Seven also means completeness.

The ark represented the throne of the Almighty God. That God was their Commander.  That He was with them.

The timing of the shout may have coincided with an earthquake thus making it a miracle.

[Debra Grant]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down?

1. It was the completeness that they took the city.

2. It represents the throne of Almighty God

3. I believe most likely the cause was a well-timed earthquake.

[haar]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down?

Seven in the Bible represents completness. The Israelites went round the wall for SEVEN days and SEVEN times on the seventh day, the day complete victory was to be achieved, it came to pass.

The Ark represents the presence of the Lord

God used His power to cause the walls to fall period. It was not any physical mechanism but the sheer power of the Omnipotent Lord God Almighty like the one that uprooted the tomb stone that was used to prevent the disciples from stealing the body of Christ. 

[Commissioned]

On 6/10/2016 at 0:51 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down? 

 

The seven days of marching with the ark signifies obedience to the command of the Lord.  Whether they knew the outcome or not, they obeyed the command of the Lord.

The ark represented the presence of the Lord.

God used an earthquake to make the walls fall down.

[Robyn G.]

God gave the instruction for 7 days with 7 priests and 7 trumpets.  The Biblical significance of being associated with fulfillment fits.

The Ark represents God with them and in reverence of His presence with the Israelites.

God is God, he could use anything or nothing.  Though I would agree that He could have easily been using timing to make the miracle.  (Being on the fault or a volcanic tremor from under sea as it is so far below sea level makes complete sense.

[Stanley Tavaziva]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down?

God had already given them the city and God wanted them to be involved for 7 days with 7 priests and 7 trumpets.  The Biblical significance of being associated victory for us. This was a miracle from God and showing His powers.

[Anstey Jeremiah]

For those with the knowledge of creation, covenant people and heathen nations, seven would represent the completeness of God, Seven days to create seven days to destroy. Again seven days can also represent the timing of the arranged miracle. It also shows Joshua's and Israel obedience and courage in trusting In unusual method of conquest.

Heathen idolatrous nations (they would think themselves religious), would understand the ark to mean the presence of God, the presence of the priests and the distance of the people would enhance this view. They would think unlike the Red Sea and Trans-Jordan conquests God himself has come to oversee the conquest of Canaan.

it really doesn't matter what method God used, what matters is that we can attribute what happened,  to God's control if His creation. 

[Irmela]

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23)

What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark?

What does the ark represent?

What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down?

I see that this as a testing of Joshua's faith. He did not question but trusted and obeyed.  Secondly it was a testing of Israel's obedience to the will of God.  The march would possibly not take an hour every day.  But they were exposing themselves to danger and ridicule.  Marching in silence!!!!!    Thirdly it put fear and bewilderment into the hearts of the people of Jericho.  When and how would the Israelites attack, was possibly on their minds.  The strategy used was strange to them.

The Ark represents the Throne of Almighty God.  

First you had the armed guard, then the 7 priests blowing the shofar.  (announcing God's presence)   4 priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant,  then the rear guard, being the rest of the army. I see here the whole procession is visibly embedding in the people's minds that their King is being presented as the One Who is head of their army.  He will fulfill His promise that the battle is His and that He will be with us in the battle.  

I personally believe that God commanded the walls to fall and that at the sound of His command they crumbled.  Whether He used forces of nature eg., an earthquake to happen just at that time or whatever else, is not for me to surmise.   

I can only imagine that the sound of those trumpet blasts and the sound of 600 thousand strong voices, shouting together, must have put fear into the inhabitants of the city and those of the surrounding area.