The Walls of Jericho: Joshua 6:1-27
by Lynn Jarvis

The story of Joshua and the falling of the walls of Jericho, is an appropriate story to read and analyze during this season of Lent leading up to Easter. At first reading, it seems like a short, simple story about God providing a win for his followers. However, with a deeper look, we learn that it is a story full of meaning, promise, certainty, faith, and fulfillment. It is directly relatable to the story of Jesus and his resurrection. How, you might ask? Old Testament v. New Testament? Jesus holds meaning for so many, when so few even know who Joshua was. Jesus is the son of God sacrificed for all of our sins while Joshua certainly did not do anything to help those of us living today.

This is how I see a unified theme. The story of Joshua is a story of God fulfilling his promises to his chosen people after decades of having them wander around in the desert while he taught them how to be in good relationship with him and enter into a covenant with him through his protection, feeding, and support of them; God showing them he loved them and would always protect them; that he only wanted good things for them; and promised to give them the best land and life that the region had to offer, fulfilling his promises to them as he had promised Abraham.