Introduction to Jericho
I'm referring to the journey that Elisha made with Elijah from Gilgal to Bethel to Jericho and then to the Jordan and beyond. It is in 2 Kings 2. I've spoken of Gilgal and Bethel elsewhere in my other blogs, but I thought I should share something about Jericho.
Jericho is known as the City of Palms; it must have been very scenic, located in the Jordan Valley, about 800 feet below sea-level. It had luxurious vegetation; not only palm trees, but bananas, balsam, henna, etc. It was a flourishing trade centre in Biblical days, and was located close to the fertile Moab region.
Jericho appears as a city with high walls, a Canaanite stronghold, not easy to be captured. It was the city of Rahab, which means harlotry flourished in that place. It had treasures such as a beautiful Babylonian garment, silver and gold, which attracted Achan. In the New Testament it was the city of two blind men [healed by Jesus]. It was also the city of Zaccheus, the rich man who gave up his riches.
Jericho speaks of the world. It looks very attractive. No wonder Satan offered the world and its kingdoms and their glory to Jesus in the Temptations in the wilderness. Jericho attracted that Jew in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, just as the world attracts many Christians today. From the high level of Jerusalem we slip down [backslide] to Jericho. As that Jew was wounded and became unconscious, we too are full of sores and wounds [Isaiah 1] and are unconscious of our backsliding; a time comes when we become insensitive to the Holy Spirit.
The world is famous for its harlotry. James calls the lovers of the world adulteresses, James 4.4. The world is full of riches, full of exotic treasures, full of attractions, full of glamour and excitement, full of marketing and advertising. Even without the silver and gold, I am sure many of us would have been enticed by that 'beautiful Babylonian garment'. [Apart from the religious connection, I am sure the garment from Shinar attracted Achan because of its trendy colours and exquisite fashion.] We know that the world lies in darkness; worse still, the people of the world are blind, and only God in His mercy has to open their eyes.
And, most important of all, the world is full of riches and splendour; Zaccheus must have lived in style. Everyone wants to invest in the world, rather than in heaven. Our heart is where our treasure is, and our treasure is buried in this world. Jesus said, You cannot serve God and Mammon, Matt 6.24. The desire to make a quick buck is a tendency very strong in us. We all want to make our fortune in the world. It is like that man in the parable who built bigger and bigger barns. One day God took away his life!
Oh, the deceitfulness of riches. We are living in a time, when the trend to earn money is growing stronger and stronger, and most churches have become like the church in Laodicea, which boasted foolishly that it lacked nothing.
When will we learn? When will we learn that the conquest of Jericho is the key to the taking of the land? We have to overcome the world by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to obtain our inheritance [enjoy the abundant blessings of the Promised Land].
Jericho is known as the City of Palms; it must have been very scenic, located in the Jordan Valley, about 800 feet below sea-level. It had luxurious vegetation; not only palm trees, but bananas, balsam, henna, etc. It was a flourishing trade centre in Biblical days, and was located close to the fertile Moab region.
Jericho appears as a city with high walls, a Canaanite stronghold, not easy to be captured. It was the city of Rahab, which means harlotry flourished in that place. It had treasures such as a beautiful Babylonian garment, silver and gold, which attracted Achan. In the New Testament it was the city of two blind men [healed by Jesus]. It was also the city of Zaccheus, the rich man who gave up his riches.
Jericho speaks of the world. It looks very attractive. No wonder Satan offered the world and its kingdoms and their glory to Jesus in the Temptations in the wilderness. Jericho attracted that Jew in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, just as the world attracts many Christians today. From the high level of Jerusalem we slip down [backslide] to Jericho. As that Jew was wounded and became unconscious, we too are full of sores and wounds [Isaiah 1] and are unconscious of our backsliding; a time comes when we become insensitive to the Holy Spirit.
The world is famous for its harlotry. James calls the lovers of the world adulteresses, James 4.4. The world is full of riches, full of exotic treasures, full of attractions, full of glamour and excitement, full of marketing and advertising. Even without the silver and gold, I am sure many of us would have been enticed by that 'beautiful Babylonian garment'. [Apart from the religious connection, I am sure the garment from Shinar attracted Achan because of its trendy colours and exquisite fashion.] We know that the world lies in darkness; worse still, the people of the world are blind, and only God in His mercy has to open their eyes.
And, most important of all, the world is full of riches and splendour; Zaccheus must have lived in style. Everyone wants to invest in the world, rather than in heaven. Our heart is where our treasure is, and our treasure is buried in this world. Jesus said, You cannot serve God and Mammon, Matt 6.24. The desire to make a quick buck is a tendency very strong in us. We all want to make our fortune in the world. It is like that man in the parable who built bigger and bigger barns. One day God took away his life!
Oh, the deceitfulness of riches. We are living in a time, when the trend to earn money is growing stronger and stronger, and most churches have become like the church in Laodicea, which boasted foolishly that it lacked nothing.
When will we learn? When will we learn that the conquest of Jericho is the key to the taking of the land? We have to overcome the world by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to obtain our inheritance [enjoy the abundant blessings of the Promised Land].
posted by prolix at 9:15 PM
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