GOAC Ch. 14 – comments

The God Of All Comfort by Hannah W. Smith
Can be found online at http://www.ccel.org/


>>The Shout Of Faith
“And when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up, every man straight before him.” The shout of a steadfast faith is an experience that is in direct contrast to the moans of a wavering faith, and to the wails of discouraged hearts, both of which we have been considering in our last two chapters. In the history of the children of Israel there were many occasions when they indulged in these moanings and wailings and always to their sad undoing; but on one occasion at least they gave a magnificent shout of steadfast faith that brought them a glorious victory. And among the many “secrets of the Lord” that are discovered by the soul in its onward progress, I do not know of any that is more practically valuable than the secret of this shout of faith.<<



There’s a hymn that sings, “It is no secret what God can do…”


We can certainly understand that the Living God created the heavens and the earth and all living things so His power is the ultimate power in the universe and His wisdom is incomparable. But what may escape us is how God works on the behalf of His people whether as a group or the individual. We might say to ourselves, I know I am His child, I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior God and understand that it is by His shed blood that my sin debt has been paid. So what’s the problem? I recognize that I am in trouble or facing insurmountable odds and there is no progress. Either we are at a standstill or even loosing ground. I’ve been there and have often remarked how I felt like I was stuck, up against a wall.

I believe that it is good and necessary to look at the first six chapters of the book of Joshua to get a perspective on how the Israelites got up to the point Hannah makes in her book concerning the “shout of faith.”

In chapter one Moses has died and Joshua has been named by God to lead the people into the Promised Land. In verse 2 God says, “Moses My Servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place you set your foot, as I promised Moses.”

What I see is two things, one the people have to get ready and the promise(s) of the LORD God are delivered and recognized.

First come the promises of God. The land is given and the extent of its territory. No one will be able to stand up against Joshua. God promises to be with Joshua all the days of his life just as He was with Moses. “I will never leave you; I will never forsake you.”

Joshua’s participation was to be strong and very courageous, not to be terrified or even discouraged. To obey all the law Moses gave them and not to turn from it or veer off on some tangent. Success for Joshua as a leader depended upon his faithfulness as well as his faith. Faithfulness meant knowing what the law was and knowing what it was about. “Meditate on it day and night”, God had said.

Then Joshua told the officers, the leaders of the 12 tribes and the clansmen to have the people get ready along with supplies, in three days time they would cross the Jordan. During that time the spies would be sent out to check out the land and especially Jericho. It would take them three days to return. They returned with a very positive report.

Joshua then gives the people specific instructions for moving out. They always traveled and camped in specific order by tribes and then by clans. They would move out the same way. There is always order with purpose in God’s way of doing things. Keeping in the line of march is the same as staying in step with the Spirit.

‘When you see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests, who are Levites carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.’ God would be the sign and He and His promise were portrayed in the Ark. God would lead the way especially since they had never been this way before. The people were to keep their focus on Him. They were warned not to get to close but to keep their distance. It reminds me that I need to keep my hands off working God’s promises directly.

Consecration, the people had to consciously decide to be sincere and participate just as God had told them. Then they could expect Jehovah to do amazing things on their behalf and according to all His promises.

God didn’t leave anyone guessing as He showed them a definite sign that He was just as He said. When the Levites stepped into the Jordan the water would stop flowing. All the people would pass on dry ground to the other side.

Joshua was then directed to make a memorial to capture the moment much like we do today with pictures and journals lest we forget and for those who will come after us to know what was in this day.


By chapter 5 of Joshua we find that Amorite and Canaanite kings are very worried. They were aware that the Jordan had dried up long enough for Israel to cross over. It was enough to discourage these people from attacking.

Now it was time for the Israelites who were the children of those who had left Egypt with Moses to be circumcised. These were the ones who were born along the way as they traveled through the wilderness. Apparently it had not been done in the wilderness by their parents.

Here we get a reminder that the greater population was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because they had disbelieved God. Even Moses who had disobeyed was not allowed to enter yet God did allow him to see it from a mountaintop. Disbelief can stop you dead in your tracks and disobedience can lead to missing out on a blessing.

When the military men had healed from being circumcised it was the time of the year to celebrate the Passover. Once again the people would remember and participate in God’s redemption by eating the Passover. After Passover the food that God had miraculously supplied would stop and they would then eat the produce of the land, no more manna. For me Passover it is a portrait of realizing and accepting God’s gift of salvation through the sacrificed lamb and how God wants us to participate in it.

Just before chapter six Joshua gets a visit. While he is sitting by the roadside a warrior appears. Joshua asks the warrior, are you here for them or us? Neither is the reply. It is a striking reply if you think about it.

The warrior was none other than the Captain of the LORD’S army, Jesus. We can know that by the command for Joshua to take off his sandals for the ground he was now on was holy ground. Just like Moses when he was confronted with the presence of Jehovah at the beginning of his service. God’s presence is made known to us today by His working and certainly by His Holy Spirit in us.

The Lord Jesus just as He was in the New Testament times is always first about doing His Father’s will. When we understand and accept that God comes first out of necessity we can relax in His care.

“See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and fighting men.” The thing is already done. Accept it and participate in it just as God has said.

Now we come to the instructions for taking down this stronghold and the right time to shout that shout of faith.

These are the preparation to our active participation, recognition, sincerity, conscious decisions and declarations and obedience. What I find is that it doesn’t come overnight. There is time and learning involved as well as getting to know God Himself. There are places to camp and wait. There are times of reflection and meditation. Times for decisions to be made and a call for action knowing that when the time is right God will tell us.

I hope this makes some sense to you and you find it a benefit. I would be interested in your insight as well as God can bless us through your participation.