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Israel Marches Around Jericho

To Remember: God's supplies the power for His work

Vocabulary: miracle - when God does something that is impossible for man or nature

Lesson
 

Joshua 6 "Joshua must have wondered how they would ever capture the city of Jericho. Maybe he could even see its thick stone walls from their camp. How would he ever get enough men inside to take it over? They had no battering rams or any other weapons strong enough to break through its walls. Joshua knew one thing for sure, though - - if God fought for them, no walls in the world were strong enough to stop them..."  Read the Full Lesson Text
Craft: build a wall of empty cereal or packing boxes. Have students re-enact story. Knock the "wall" down at the end.

Printable Craft: From www.gospelhall.org, download this pdf, print the pages, and cut out a paper version of the walls of Jericho.

Puzzle: Tribes of Israel

Activity: play a Simon says game of "Joshua says"
1) Joshua says blow your trumpet.
2) Joshua says walk in a circle.
3) Joshua says yell hallelujah!
4) Clap your hands
5) Joshua says stomp your feet
6) turn around
7) Joshua says blow your trumpet.

Discussion Point: God's instructions to Israel were 1) very specific, and 2) were not normal for a battle. Was it important for Israel to remain quiet the first 6 days and shout the 7th? It was, if only because that was how God wanted it done. What would have happened if the Israelites had marched around like God said, but had shouted each day? Would God have rewarded their disobedience? Sometimes, God tells us to handle our problems in a way totally different from how we think it should be done. Sometimes we try to mix our ways with His, and then blame Him when it doesn't work. We have to totally submit our ways to His. When we do, we are amazed at how He does incredible things.

Memory Work: Have the students act out this verse with hand motions (that you or they create) to help them remember it.
Joshua 6:5 "It shall come to pass, when [the priests] make a long blast with the ram's horn (hands in front of mouth like a horn),
and when you hear (hand cupped to ear)
the sound of the trumpet (hands in front of face "gripping" a trumpet),
that all the people (spread hands around you)
shall shout with a great shout (say this part loudly and raise hands above you);
then the wall of the city will fall down flat (bring hands down sharply, palms down).
And the people shall go up every man straight before him. (walk in place)"
Hebrews 11:30 “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.”
Sing: I'm in the Lord's army, March, March Around Jericho, Here we go around Jericho wall OR Joshua Got a Plan from God (click links for lyrics and tunes)

True or False
  1. No one would go in or out of the city of Jericho while the Israelites were camped at Gilgal.       
    T     (Joshua 6:1)
  2. God told Joshua what to do to capture the city of Jericho. 
    T     (Joshua 6:2-5)
  3. God wanted six priests to carry six trumpets in front of the ark of the covenant as the Israelites marched around Jericho. 
    F (7 - Joshua 6:6)
  4. Joshua told the people to make lots of noise each time they marched around Jericho.    
    F (they were to be silent the first 6 days, and only to shout the 7th day when the priests blew the trumpets - Joshua 6:10)
  5. The walls of Jericho fell flat when the Israelites shouted after the priests blew the trumpets with a long blast.
    T   (Joshua 6:20)
  6. The Israelites destroyed everything in the city of Jericho except Rahab and her family, and what Joshua told them to put into the treasury of the Lord.  
    T  (Joshua 6:21)
  7. Rahab and her family were taken safely out of Jericho.  
    T (Joshua 6:23)
Review Questions for gameboard

linguistic questions

  1. Describe a trumpet.
  2. Name the tribes of Israel.
  3. Fill in the blank: The Israelites were silent the first ____ days.       Six

activity questions

  1. Find Jericho on a map.
  2. Draw a large wall.
  3. Act out the last circuit of the last day.

 emotion questions

  1. How do you think the people of Jericho felt about the Israelites circling their city? First they were afraid, then probably confused, then possibly mocking
  2. How do you think the Israelites felt when the walls came down? amazed, glad
  3. How do you think the Jericho citizens felt when the walls came down? stunned, scared

 application questions

  1. When God asks us to do a task, who will supply what we need? God will
  2. When we accomplish something good - whom should we thank? God
  3. When we don't see how a task will be done, whom should we ask for help? God

fact questions

  1. How many days did the Israelites circle Jericho? 7
  2. How many times did the Israelites circle the city on the second day? 1
  3. What did the Israelites after the last circuit on the last day? blew trumpets

review questions

  1. Why did the Israelites circle the city? It is what God told them to do.
  2. Why did God choose to defeat Jericho without using Israel's army? to show both Israel and Canaan that it was God, not Israel's army, that defeated Jericjo
  3. Why was Jericho such a daunting target? it had very large walls