Hebreus 11:30

DISCOURSE: 2329
THE WALLS OF JERICHO THROWN DOWN BY FAITH

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

HOW intelligent creatures should be affected by any principle, is easy to be conceived; because the human mind is susceptible of the strongest impressions from every thing that is submitted to its consideration. But what connexion any principle can have with inanimate creatures, any farther than through its influence on human agents, does not at first sight appear. Take the principle of love, for instance. We may love the flowers which are growing in our garden: but any farther than our love operates to secure attention to those flowers, they will be altogether unaffected by it. But there is a peculiarity in the principle of faith which does not attach to any other principle whatever; namely, that it has respect to God, and calls forth his power; and is therefore capable of influencing every thing, whether in heaven or earth. A surprising effect of it is mentioned in reference to the walls of Jericho, which, through its powerful operation, were thrown down.

In speaking of faith as illustrated by that event, we shall be led to notice,

I. Its distinguishing properties—

Wherever a living faith exists in the soul, it will approve itself by,

1. A patient observance of the appointed means—

[The means appointed for the capture of that fortress were certainly very peculiar. The Israelites, who were encamped against it, were to walk in procession around it seven successive days in perfect silence; the trumpets only blowing. On the seventh day, they were to go round it seven times, and then to shout: and at the precise moment that they shouted, the walls were to fall, and open for them a free passage into the city. These means they used. They did not pour contempt upon them as unsuited to the end: nor did they grow weary in the use of them: nor did they attempt to add any thing to them. They felt that it was not for them to canvass the wisdom of God’s appointments, but to obey them: and therefore they followed implicitly the Divine command [Note: Josué 6:1.], and “compassed the city seven days.”

Such is universally the operation of true faith. God has appointed means for the salvation of the soul. He requires that we should repent of all our past sins; that we should believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as having offered an atonementfor sin; and that we should give up ourselves to Christ, to be washed by his blood, and to be renewed by his Spirit. In order to further this work within us, he has prescribed means to be used by us both in public and in private: in public, we must attend on his ordinances; because, as he is peculiarly honoured by them, so he is pleased to make them in a more especial manner the channels of his gracious communications to our souls: in private, we must read his blessed word, and meditate upon it, and pray over it; and, through the influence of his Spirit, endeavour to mortify the whole body of sin. We are not to be questioning the use and efficacy of these means, but to use them in obedience to our God. True faith will not say, like Naaman, “Are not Abana and Pharpar better than all the waters of Israel? and may I not wash in them and be clean [Note: 2 Reis 5:12.]?” but it will go to Jordan, according to the direction given, and expect the blessing only in the use of those ordinances which God has prescribed.]

2. A confident expectation of the promised end—

[At the appointed time the Jewish army “shouted,” not doubting but that they should see the predicted event accomplished [Note: Josué 6:20.]. In all the instances of faith recorded in this chapter, this is a very prominent feature. Noah believed that he should be saved in the ark: and Abraham believed that Isaac should be restored to him even from the dead.

Thus it is at this day. Faith never questions either the power or veracity of God: it assures itself, that “he is faithful who has promised;” and that what he has promised he is “able also to perform.” It is not from the means that faith expects the end; but from God, in and by the means. The adequacy of the means to the end comes not within its contemplation. If a posterity, innumerable as the stars of heaven, is promised to Abraham and Sarah, they consider not their own advanced age, but believe, that the promise, however improbable according to the course of nature, shall be fulfilled. Though the promise, after it was first given, was deferred for twenty years, they still hold fast their faith, and expect its accomplishment in due season. Thus shall we also, whatever difficulties may arise in our Christian course, expect a successful issue, assured, that “none who come to God through Christ shall ever be cast out,” and that “of those whom the Father has given to Christ, not one shall ever be plucked out of his hands.” This is the very description which the Prophet Isaiah gives of faith as to be exercised under the Christian dispensation: “It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God! we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For in this mountain (the Church) shall the hand of the Lord rest; and Moab (the representative of all the Church’s enemies) shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill: and he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: (making the very resistance of his enemies the means of advancing his own glory:) and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands: and the fortress of the high fort of thy walls (be they even as strong as those of Jericho,) shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust [Note: Isaías 25:9. The image of swimming is worthy of particular notice.].”]

In addition to the properties of faith, our text leads us to notice,

II.

Its sure effects—

If exercised to the end without wavering, it will surely issue in,

1. The believer’s triumph—

[Down fell the walls of Jericho at the appointed moment, and its garrison became an easy prey to the Jewish army. And what is there which the believer cannot effect under its influence? “If he have but faith as a grain of mustard-seed, he can remove the most deep-rooted mountains with a word, or plant a sycamore-tree in the depths of a tempestuous ocean.” Nothing can stand before it. Mountains of guilt, though so high as to reach unto the heavens, are “cast by it into the very depths of the sea [Note: Miquéias 7:19.].” Lusts, though deeply rooted as hell, shall be plucked up [Note: Romanos 6:14 Ezequiel 36:25.], and the tender plants of divine grace have stability, and growth, and fruitfulness amidst all the storms and tempests, whether from without or from within, that can disturb and agitate the soul [Note: Hebreus 13:9; 1 Pedro 5:10.]. Does Satan summon all his forces to withstand its power? He finds the believer inaccessible to his assaults [Note: Efésios 6:16. 1 João 5:18.], and is put to flight before him [Note: Tiago 4:7.]: and in a little time “he shall be bruised under the feet” of the least and weakest of God’s people [Note: Romanos 16:20.]. “All things are possible to him that believeth,” because his faith brings down Omnipotence to his aid; so that, though earth and hell combine against him, he sets them at defiance, and is “more than conqueror over all [Note: Romanos 8:37.].” See this exemplified in the combat of David and Goliath. In the eye of sense, it was impossible for David to succeed: in the eye of faith, it was impossible for him to fail. The issue is well known: the stripling slew the giant, and cut off his head with his own sword. And so shall the weakest stripling among the soldiers of Christ prevail, making the very weapons of his adversaries the means of advancing and completing his own triumphs.]

2. The glory of God—

[The whole land of Canaan trembled at this event, just as they had before done at the report of all the wonders which had been wrought in Egypt [Note: Josué 2:10. with 6:27.]. Had any thing been left for the Jewish army to execute, the glory might, in appearance, have been shared by them: but when nothing but a shout proceeded from them, the work was manifestly the Lord’s alone.

And thus it is that God will work in behalf of all who trust in him. He makes our faith the measure of his communications, saying to us, “According to your faith be it done unto you.” It is owing to our want of faith that we behold so few manifestations of his power and grace: “He does not many mighty works amongst us because of our unbelief [Note: Mateus 13:58.].” But where faith is in exercise, he honours it with peculiar approbation, passing by all other graces that are combined with it, and commending faith alone: “O woman, great is thy faith;” “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace [Note: Mateus 15:28; Lucas 7:50.].” This is the grace which, above all others, honours God; and, as “they who are strongest in faith give most glory to him [Note: Romanos 4:20.],” so to those who exercise it he will not fail to give the brightest discoveries of his glory: for what he said to Martha, he says to every one of us, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God [Note: João 11:40.]?” Yes, he does say it, and will fulfil it, not only in the progressive triumphs of his grace, but in the ultimate and everlasting possession of his glory. Men may deride our expectations, as it is probable the men of Jericho, after a few days, did the harmless processions of the Jewish hosts: but God will in due time make bare his arm, and gain himself the glory and the victory.]

We will now endeavour to improve this subject,
1.

In a way of caution—

[Every one imagines that he has faith. But, if we come to inquire into the objects and grounds of men’s faith, we find it for the most part, nothing but presumption. They expect heaven; but not in the way of God’s appointment, but in some way of their own, which he has never prescribed. Instead of repenting deeply of their former sins, and fleeing to Christ for refuge, and living in the constant observance of public and private ordinances, according to God’s command, they are supine and careless, as if nothing at all was to be done by them as evidential of their faith. Now I would ask, what would have been the event, if the Jewish army had proceeded on this plan? Suppose they had said, ‘We think it absurd to look for the destruction of this fortress by faith alone: we will form a trench round the city, and batter it down with the implements of war:’ would they have succeeded? Or suppose they had said, ‘We will expect the city to fall, as God has said; but to what purpose are these repeated processions? We shall spare ourselves that fruitless trouble, which will only expose us to the derision of our enemies:’ Or suppose they had said, ‘We will use the appointed means; but in order to make success doubly sure, we will form a trench, which shall both add to our security, and prevent their escape:’ Do we imagine that on any one of these plans they would have been crowned with success? We feel no hesitation in saying, that they would have been disappointed of their hope; because they proceeded not according to the commands of God: yea, we doubt not but that the wrath of God would have broke forth against them, as it did on Uzza, because David in carrying up the ark was inattentive to the order that Moses had prescribed [Note: 1 Crônicas 15:13.]. Know then that, however confident our expectations of heaven be, they will end in disappointment, if we presume to alter, or neglect, or add to, the means which God himself has ordained. I pray you all to consider this: you especially, who have never yet repented in dust and ashes; you who have never given yourselves to reading, and meditation, and prayer; you who are not yet daily prostrating yourselves at the foot of the cross, and relying on Christ as your only hope; I beseech you to consider, how awfully you delude your own souls, whilst you promise yourselves the enjoyment of the heavenly Canaan. The same too I must say to those, who, whilst they profess to rely on Christ, are making their own works either a joint ground of their hope, or a warrant for their faith in Christ. Your victory can be gained only in the way that it was gained at Jericho: you must use all the means which God has enjoined, without either taking from them or adding to them: but you must expect success from God alone, and be content that he alone be glorified.]

2. In a way of encouragement—

[Many are discouraged because of their own extreme weakness, and because, though they have diligently used the appointed means, they seem not to have advanced at all, or to have any nearer prospects of success. But what if Israel had yielded to such discouragements, and ceased from their labours before their work was done? True it is, that the precise time for the interposition of Jehovah was made known to them; but it is concealed from you: nevertheless it is as much fixed m the Divine counsels with respect to you, as it was to them: and “in due season you shall surely reap, if you faint not.” What if you are unequal to the task; was not the sound of rams’ horns, and the shout of the people, weak? Only be content to be weak, and you will then be strong; because “God will perfect his own strength in your weakness.” See how God himself chides, yet supports, your fainting mind [Note: Isaías 49:24.] — — — And see what a frame of mind, though in the midst of all your conflicts, you are privileged to possess [Note: Isaías 50:7.] — — — Follow then the advice which God himself gives you; and, “though walking in darkness, stay yourselves upon your God.” And, if still unbelieving fears arise, chide yourselves, like David, and say, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God [Note: Salmos 43:5.].” In a word, let this saying sink down into your ears, and animate and sustain your souls; “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper [Note: 2 Crônicas 20:20.].” Only go on a little longer in a patient continuance in well-doing, and the victory is yours; and glory, and honour, and immortality are yours also.]