Rahab and the Fall of Jericho // Jared Thurmon

A few miles beyond the Jordan river, just opposite the place where the Israelites were encamped, was the large and strongly fortified city of Jericho. This city was the key to the whole country… Joshua sent two young men as spies to visit this city and learn about the population, its resources, and the strength of its fortifications. Years earlier Joshua himself had seen the land where according to Duet 9:1 ‘it had great cities with walls fenced up to heaven’ Jericho was a city devoted to the most extravagant idolatry and selfishness. They worshipped the demon goddess of the moon - Ashtoreth. She was the goddess of fertility, sexuality and war. But in the city there was a prostitute who as a child had heard of the plagues in Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Now it was her turn to exercise faith. But does God bless deception? What really caused the walls of the city to fall down? There is more going on behind the scenes in this story than we may have realized.