Hebrews 11:30

In this verse the apostle adds another instance of the faith of the whole congregation, in the sense before declared; for although respect no doubt be had unto the faith of Joshua in an especial manner, yet that of the whole people is expressed.

Hebrews 11:30. Πίστει τὰ τείχη ῾Ιεριχὼ ἔπεσε, κυκλωθέντα ἐπὶ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας.

Hebrews 11:30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

The apostle in these words gives us a compendium of the history of the taking and destruction of Jericho, which is at large recorded in the sixth chapter of the Book of Joshua, with what was spoken before concerning the spies, in the second chapter. I shall not need to report the story, it is so well known. Only I shall observe some few things, wherein the faith of the people did concur unto this great work of divine Providence, when I have a little opened the words.

The thing ascribed unto their faith, is the fall of “the walls of Jericho.” The city itself was not great, as is evident, because the whole army of the Israelites did compass it seven times in one day. But most probably it was fortified and encompassed with walls of great height and strength; with which the spies sent by Moses out of the wilderness were terrified, Numbers 13:28. And in all probability the Israelites were destitute of any engines of war for the casting of them down, or making a breach in them. And because the king of the place neither endeavored to hinder the passage of the Israelites over Jordan, which was but a few miles from the city, when he knew that they designed his destruction; nor did once attempt to oppose them in the field before they sat down about the town, as did the men of Ai; it is probable that he placed his confidence in the strength of the walls and their fortifications. And it is uncertain how long it was besieged by the Israelites before God showed unto them the way of demolishing these walls; for the town was beleaguered by Joshua it may be for some good while before he had the command to compass it, Joshua 6:1. These walls, saith the apostle,” fell down.” They did so unto the very ground. This is signified in that expression, חחוֹמָה תַּחְתֶּיהָ וַתִּפֹּל, Joshua 6:20; “And the wall fell down under it.” Which, although it doth not prove that the wall sunk into the ground, as some of the Hebrews judge, (yea, that notion is inconsistent with the words whereby its fall is expressed,) yet it intimates the utter casting it down fiat on the earth, whereby the people went over it with ease into the city. And therefore this fall was not by a breach in any part of the wall, but by the dejection of the whole. For the people being round about the city when it fell, did not go from one place unto another to seek for an entrance, but “went up into the city, every one straight before him,” in the place where he was; which utterly deprived the inhabitants of all advantages of defense. Yet need not this be so far extended as that no part nor parcel of the wall was left standing, where the fall of it was not of any advantage unto the Israelites. So that part of it whereon the house of Rahab was built was left standing; for in the fall of it she and all that were with her must have been destroyed. But the fall was such as took away all defense from the inhabitants, and facilitated the entrance of the Israelites in all places at once.

This, saith the apostle, was done “after they were compassed about seven days.” “Compassed about;” that is, by the army of the Israelites marching round the town in the order described, Joshua 6:2-3, etc. And this was done “seven days.” The first command of God was to have it done six times in the space of six days, verse 3; but an especial command and direction was given for that of the seventh day, because it was then to be done seven times, verse 4. This seventh day probably was the Sabbath. And somewhat of mystery is no doubt intimated in the number of seven in this place. For there were to be seven priests going before the people, having seven trumpets of rams'horns to sound with; and the order was to be observed seven days, and on the seventh day the city was to be compassed seven times, which thing was of divine designation. The reader may, if he please, consult our discourse of the original and institution of the Sabbath, wherein these things are spoken unto. The apostle takes no notice of the compassing it seven times on the seventh day, but only of its being compassed seven days. And some things there are wherein the Israelites did manifest their faith herein.

1. It was on the command of God, and his promise of success therein, that they now entered the land of Canaan, and began their work and war with the siege of this strong town, not having by any previous fight weakened the inhabitants. Here they made the first experiment of the presence of God with them in the accomplishment of the promise made to Abraham.

2. They did so in their readiness to comply with the way prescribed unto them, of compassing the town so many days with the noise of trumpets, without the least attempt to possess themselves of it. For, without a respect by faith unto the command and promise of God, this act was so far from furthering them in their design, that it was suited to expose them to the scorn and contempt of their adversaries. For what could they think of them, but as of a company of men who desired indeed to possess themselves of their city, but knew not how to do it, or durst not undertake it? But this way was prescribed unto them of God, to give them a distinct apprehension that the work of the conquest of Canaan was his, and not theirs. For although he required of them therein to use the utmost of their courage, prudence, and diligence, yet he had taken upon himself the effecting the work itself, as if they had contributed nothing thereunto. And the compassing of the city once every day for the space of six days, and the entrance into it on the seventh, had respect unto the work of the creation. For God was now entering into his rest with respect unto his worship, in a new way of settlement and solemnity, such as he had not erected or made use of from the beginning of the world. Hence he frequently calls it his rest, as hath been declared in the exposition on the fourth chapter, Psalms 95:11; Psalms 132:8; Psalms 132:14; Hebrews 3:11; Hebrews 4:3; Hebrews 4:11. And it was a type of the new creation, with the rest of Christ thereon, and of believers in him. Therefore would God give here a resemblance of that first work in the labor of the six days, and the reward they received on the seventh. Besides, hereby he took possession as it were of the city for himself, not intending to allow the people any share in the spoil of it; for it was wholly devoted.

3. In the triumphant shout they gave, before the walls stirred or moved. They used the sign of their downfall before the thing signified was accomplished; and triumphed by faith in the ruin of the walls, whilst they stood in their full strength.

Wherefore the apostle might justly commend their faith, which was acted against so many difficulties, in the use of unlikely means, with a constancy and persistency unto the time and event designed. For,

Obs. 1. Faith will embrace and make use of means divinely prescribed, though it be not able to discern the effective influence of them unto the end aimed at. On this consideration was Naaman induced to wash himself in the waters of Jordan for the cure of his leprosy, 2 Kings 5:13-14.

Obs. 2. Faith will cast down walls and strong towers, that lie in the way of the work of God. It is true, we have no stone walls to demolish, nor cities to destroy: but the same faith in exercise is required of us in all our concerns as was in Joshua when he entered on the conquest of Canaan; as the apostle declares, Hebrews 13:5. And there are strongholds of sin in our minds, which nothing but faith can cast to the ground.