“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days” ( Hebrews 11:30 )

This account of defeat of Jericho truly belongs in the Hebrews hall of fame. This was a crowning moment for Israel as they trusted God to make good on His promise to them. After wandering the desert for forty years, due to their unbelief, the first mission in the Promised Land of Canaan was to conquer Jericho, a fortified city whose walls were thick and impenetrable.

Previously Joshua had sent two spies into Jericho to scope out the city and their report was vastly different than the report given back to Moses the first time spying out the Promised Land. Instead of doubt, dissension and unbelief, the spies told the people, “The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us” ( Joshua 2:24 ).

As they prepared to defeat the city, instructions were given about how to do it. The entire army was to march around the city every day for six days. On the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times.Then the priests were to blow their trumpets while the people shouted and the walls would fall down for them to enter and fight. The Ark of the Covenant would go before them to remind them of their covenant with God.

Joshua also gave further instructions, “Joshua had commanded the people, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” ( Joshua 6:10 ). This was wisdom on Joshua’s part after witnessing the repercussions on the entire nation of Israel, caused by the ten spies who had made negative reports. ( Numbers 13:26 - 14:4 ). The people of Israel had allowed these negative words talk them out of God’s promise and His best for them, As a result they ended up wandering the desert for forty years until that entire generation died.

Since the idea of marching around the city day after day, believing at the end, the walls would cave in to deliver it into your hands takes faith, Joshua was helping them along forbidding them to speak any doubt. In fact, I believe each day it probably got harder and harder to march around the city, I’m sure there were people camped on the walls shouting insults which only got worse with each passing day. I’m sure it would have been easy for the Israelites to talk themselves out of the victory even if only one person started voicing doubts. Instead they remained silent which allowed them to walk out their faith in what God had instructed them to do.

The result was complete and total victory. On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times, blew the trumpets and shouted their war cry as they entered and defeated Jericho, burning it to the ground. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing, just as they were instructed. Only Rahab and the family that was with her was saved.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell and the people of Israel enjoyed great success. They took God at His promise and carried out His instructions and God did exactly what He promised He would do. What a great lesson in faith for all future generations to study and examine.

“By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned” ( Hebrews 11:29 )

It takes faith to walk into the midst of the sea with water piled high to both your left and right side trusting that you will make it safely across. However, this is exactly what the Israelites did as they fled from the Egyptians. God demonstrated His power both to Israel and the nation of Egypt as He fully delivered His children from their captors.

As they fled, the Israelites looked back to see the Egyptians pursuing them. Crying out against Moses for bringing them to a place of sure death, Moses responded in faith “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” ( Exodus 14:13-14 ). He spoke in faith that the Lord would deliver his people before he knew what the plan for deliverance was.

The account of what happened next was amazing, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” ( Exodus 14:15-18 ).

The Lord responded to Moses faith and delivered His people as promised. Moses acted in faith by raising his staff and stretching out his hand over the sea and in return God moved the waters creating an escape path of dry ground. The angel of God blocked the way of the Egyptians so that Israelites could safely escape. After the entire nation was safely across, the Egyptians pursued, only to be drowned as the waters returned to their natural place. God’s power and glory was displayed as He delivered His people remaining true to His word.

Faith is what propelled Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and faith is what sustained them through their escape. God always responds to the faith of His children. “As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame” ( Romans 10:11 ).