The Walls of Jericho

Date of talk: 
Sunday, 1 July 2012
Preacher: 
Paul Harrison
Bible verse: 
Hebrews 11:30

This week we looked at Hebrews 11:30 and the story of the walls of Jericho.  We looked at some of the moral questions associated with God's command to 'devote the city to destruction', at how this was not a question of ethnicity but God's rightful judgement of sin.

We then looked at why God instructed the Israelites to march around the city for seven days, that God was seeking to get them to rely on him rather than their own wisdom or strength.  We compared this with 1 Cor 2:1-5 where Paul says he did not come to the Corinthian church with 'plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.'  I encouraged us to continue to press into God to see more and more signs and wonders and miracles both inside but particularly outside of our gathered church meetings.

Small group questions: 

1. Considering God's command to the Israelites that they must put everyone in Jericho to death, how would you explain this to someone who was looking into Christianity and was having trouble reconciling this with a God of love?

 2. What is the next step of obedience God would have your small group take to see signs and wonders accompanying the bold sharing of the gospel in your communities?