JOSHUA AND THE FIRSTFRUITS
The story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho is so well known that they wrote a song about it. In fact, many know this story so well that we simply read past some fascinating facts.
First of all, there are several mentions of three days. Joshua is told that three days from now, you will cross the Jordan. The spies were advised by Rahab to hide for three days. After three days the officers of the camp gave orders to be ready to cross the Jordan. I suspect that this is a foreshadow of the Children of Israel having to wait three Millennial Days from the first appearance of the Messiah to enter and take possession of the Promised Land (Israel). We are on the cusp of the third Millennial Day.
After the Children of Israel miraculously crossed the Jordan River (during the Spring floods) into the Promised Land, they renewed the Covenant with the Lord by circumcision. Then Joshua had a strange encounter with the Commander of the Army of the Lord. It appears that this happened on Passover. The “Commander” told Joshua to take off his shoe because he was standing on Holy Ground.1
Joshua was given unusual instructions for capturing Jericho. I will not reiterate these instructions, but will comment on how they violated the commandments of the Lord. The Children of Israel were to march around Jericho for seven days. One of those days had to be a Sabbath, when labor and travel was to be limited. The Ark of the Covenant preceded the people. The Ark was not used in warfare. The one time it was used in war, it was captured.2
Jericho fell on the seventh day. If the marches started the day Joshua received the instructions, or Passover, then the seventh day was probably the Day of Firstfruits. The Day of Firstfruits was the Sunday following Passover.3 When Jericho was captured, all silver, gold, bronze and iron was sacred to the Lord.4 This is because Jericho was the Firstfruits of the Promised Land. All devoted items from Jericho were to be dedicated to the Lord. This was the sin of Achan. He took what was devoted to the Lord.
It amazes me how we can read right past something of interest. Brother Perry Stone pointed this out to us on Manna-Fest. You will notice that Joshua was instructed to remove his shoe. (I know, the New International Version says “shoes” but the Hebrew word is “shoe”, singular.) You may recall in the story of Ruth, in the redemption of the land one party took off their shoe and gave it to the other party, solemnizing the transaction.5 Joshua gave his shoe to the Commander of the Lord’s Army because Joshua was about to redeem the Promised Land.
He probably redeemed the Promised Land on the Day Firstfruits. Jericho was the Firstfruits of the Promised Land. This is just another example of how orderly the Lord is. He is in perfect control. There are no coincidences, nor any extraneous facts in His Word. Everything is there for a purpose. How I thank the Lord for His Holy Bible.
1 - Joshua 5:15
2 - I Samuel 4:11
3 - Leviticus 23:11
4 - Joshua 6:18-19
5 - Ruth 4:7-8