And the Walls of Jericho Came Down

Scripture: Joshua 2: 12 – 14

¹²“Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that ¹³when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.” ¹⁴“We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety,” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the Lord gives us the land.”

Scripture Commentary:

Rahab was one of Jericho’s well-known prostitutes. She not only lived in Jericho, she also practiced her trade there. This was the perfect place for the spies to hide. The townspeople were accustomed to men coming from and going to her home.

The king got word that spies were in Jericho. Gossipers told of strangers who had come to Rahab’s house so he sent his men to check it out. Rahab hid the men from the king’s spies. She told the spies that she had heard of their God and believed.

Through her faith, Rahab was spared.

Rahab, who the people of Jericho looked down on, had placed her faith and belief in the one God, Yahweh. She kept her word and told the spies where to hide and then to make their escape. In turn, the spies told her to tie a scarlet cord on her window to signify which house not to destroy. The color scarlet has been a symbol of Jesus’s blood shed on the cross.

Only God can turn our sin into a scarlet cord of forgiveness. Only Jesus’s blood has the power to remove sin.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Joshua 2

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Joshua:

Serve Only the Lord Your God

Who Can Raise the Dead From the Grave?

Scripture: John 11: 4, 14, 17, 23, 26

⁴But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” ¹⁴So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁷When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. ²³Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁶Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

Scripture Commentary:

The story of Lazarus is one of the most popular in the New Testament. When Jesus hears about Lazarus, Jesus knows that he has to die. If Jesus had been there the day Lazarus died, the people would have said that Jesus healed him of his sickness. In itself, this miracle would have been good; however, Lazarus dying and being in his grave for four days was something entirely difference.

The villagers loved and held Mary, Martha and Lazarus in high esteem. They had been witness to the funeral and saw the body go into the tomb. Jesus waited before entering the village to perform the miracle to show the people that he is the Son of God. He has power over the grave.

Lazarus is not the only one who Jesus raised from the dead. Jesus brought back the daughter of the synogogue leader (Matthew 9: 18-26) and the widow’s only son (Luke 7: 12 -15). However, neither of these people had been in the grave. Lazarus, on the other hand, had been in the grave and had started to decay.

With this miracle some rejected Jesus and started plotting to kill him. Do you accept Jesus as your Savior … or are you rejecting him?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John 11

Matthew 9

Luke 7

Read Other Commentary From the Book of John:

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

What Do You Say?

Jesus Told Them What To Do

Scriptures:

John 4: 50

⁵⁰Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

John 5: 8

⁸Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

John 11: 43

⁴³Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”

Scripture Commentary:

These scriptures show us the power of God working through Jesus. He told one man to “Go back home. Your son will live!” And he told another to stand and walk. He didn’t have to touch them or have them do anything. He just spoke the word.

Even now, 2000 years later, if you believe, all Christ has to do is speak the word into your life. His Holy Spirit is with us. All you have to do is believe and ask.

John recorded these miracles so that we can see Christ’s power, both then and now. The government official believed without question. The man at the pool just took up his bed and walked away.

Do you know the sound of his voice?

In order to hear him you must first accept him into your life. Otherwise you don’t know who is speaking to you.

Do you know him?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John 4, John 5, and John 11

Read Other Commentary From the Book of John:

Jesus Is the Door to Salvation

All Is Possible For Those Who Believe