the seventh day at Jericho
Did the Israelites break or honor the sabbath when they fought the battle of Jericho?
(Read the story in Joshua 6)
After all, they marched around the city once a day for six days. And then, on the seventh day, they marched more than they did on the six days leading up to it. In fact, they worked way harder on this seventh day. They marched around it seven times that day.
Seven times more walking than on the days leading up to it.
At face value, it may read as if the Israelites are breaking God's command to honor and keep holy the seventh day as one of rest. But if you go a little deeper, they're actually walking in obedience.
Rest doesn't mean complacency. Rest comes out of active worship and obedience to God.
While it is debated whether or not this "seventh day" was actually the sabbath, I think that argument misses the point. After all, they walked all six days leading up to it, so either way, we're talking about a sabbath day no matter where it falls in the week. However, the wording leads me to believe it was the actual sabbath day.
I could be wrong. But if it is the actual sabbath day, I think it gives even deeper meaning to the way we should understand sabbath rest.
Whenever we see the seventh day in scripture, it seems to refer to the sabbath. Again, I could be wrong. But here's the thing. The sabbath remains a day of rest. Always.
How then does this story then fit into the bigger narrative of scripture without being contradictory?
Well, the seventh day is also a day of victory.
You walk your normal walk on all the days leading up to it. But then, the seventh day comes and you get to spend more time walking in worship and obedience to God.
It is a day of victory!
The battle of faith can seem harder on that seventh day, because you are somewhat forced to realize how many things are actually pulling for your attention. And so, it can seem like you have to walk in circles to see progress or prosperity.
Is it even worth it?
Yes. Yes, it is. So basically, I'm telling you to keep walking in circles.
Because eventually, God will break down the walls. The Israelites obeyed and kept going. And then, God broke down the walls. But first, they had to obey consistently.
They crossed the threshold into conquering the promised land of "rest" with a battle that God fought for them...on the day of rest.
That is actually pretty cool.
A bigger portion of their day was devoted to walking in God's command on that seventh day. Not just a small portion of it like on the other days.
So in applying this old story to your everyday life, be reminded that it isn't by your strength that you're renewed and refreshed, but by God's. And yet, you need to actively pursue that refreshment and victory.
The story of Jericho speaks of your story. You need to rest on that seventh day, but rest doesn't mean complacency. Sabbath rest means you keep walking.
God finished his work and rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2).
One other element of this idea is that the work you do on the six days leading up to the seventh day plays into how your day of rest will go. I hadn't heard this idea stressed until listening to a sermon this week, when I realized the "6 days you shall labor and do all your work" portion of the sabbath commandment is often ignored. You've got to work diligently during the week so that you have the capacity to give your seventh day to the Lord. It all goes together.
And if you're needing a catchy tune to keep your mind on this topic, here you go:
Anyways, that's all for today. Because the work of those 6 days is piling up and I've got to go get some of it done before both kids are up from their naps!!
A throwback picture of falling down on skis in honor of the story of Jericho seems an appropriate way to end...
#spreadtheword
#theseventhday