56
Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4a
In order to convey to the mind of Joshua that he was no less than
Christ, the Exalted One, he says, “Put off thy shoe from off thy foot.”
The Lord then instructed Joshua what course to pursue in order to take
Jericho. All the men of war should be commanded to compass the
city once each day for six days, and on the seventh day they should go
around Jericho seven times.
“And Joshua, the son of Nun, called the priests, and said unto
them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven
trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord. And he said unto
the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed
pass on before the ark of the Lord. And it came to pass, when Joshua
had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven
trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the
trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. And
the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets,
and the rearward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing
with the trumpets. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye
shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any
word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then
shall ye shout. So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about
it once; and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.”
[63]
The Hebrew host marched in perfect order. First went a select body
of armed men, clad in their warlike dress, but not now to exercise their
skill in arms, but only to believe, and obey the directions given them.
Next followed seven priests with trumpets. Then came the ark of God,
glittering with gold, a halo of glory hovering over it, borne by priests
in their rich and peculiar dress, denoting their sacred office. The vast
army of Israel followed in perfect order, each tribe under its respective
standard. Thus they compassed the city with the ark of God. No sound
was heard but the tread of that mighty host, and the solemn voice of
the trumpets, echoed by the hills, and resounding through the city of
Jericho. With wonder and alarm the watchmen of that doomed city
marked every move, and reported to those in authority. They cannot
tell what all this display means. Some ridiculed the idea of that city
being taken in this manner, while others are awed as they behold the
splendor of the ark, and the solemn and dignified appearance of the
priests, and the host of Israel following, with Joshua at their head.
They remember that the Red Sea, forty years before, parted before