Jericho, once a “Biblical problem” a seeming disagreement between archaeology and the Bible. However, now we know the archaeological evidence supports the historical accuracy of the Biblical account in every detail.
Psalm 89:1-18
A Maskil [musical, liturgical term] of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah
5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings [the sons of God or the sons of might]
is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?
8 O Lord God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
with your faithfulness all around you?
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
12 The north and the south, you have created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.
It's interesting how Scripture comes up when you are thinking about it.
Today I was thinking of Rahab, 3rd great grandmother of David. As the
Children of Israel left Egypt, with the riches the Egyptians were glad
to give - to get rid them, prophecy came forth of Rahab.
Isaiah 30:6-8
An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb.
Through a land of trouble and anguish,
from where come the lioness and the lion,
the adder and the flying fiery serpent,
they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,
and their treasures on the humps of camels,
to a people that cannot profit them.
7 Egypt's help is worthless and empty;
therefore I have called her
“Rahab who sits still.”
from where come the lioness and the lion,
the adder and the flying fiery serpent,
they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,
and their treasures on the humps of camels,
to a people that cannot profit them.
7 Egypt's help is worthless and empty;
therefore I have called her
“Rahab who sits still.”
and inscribe it in a book,
that it may be for the time to come
as a witness forever.
The Children of Israel do not have lives that please them in Egypt and God hears them. Then 40 years later, they finally enter into the Promised Land because they didn't follow the advice of God, but their own fears. So they enter Jericho first. Jericho is the land flowing with milk and honey. It is fabulous. They are told how Jericho will fall. It seems absurd and hopeless. And today we see, the Bible has once again, told the Truth.
[ According to Bryant G. Wood PhD
Excavations at the outer (lower) fortification wall by the three
major expeditions to Jericho. At the north end (numbers 1–5), a portion
of the mud brick wall (shaded) atop the stone retaining wall survived,
demonstrating that the city wall did not fall in this area. Nothing
remains of the mud brick city wall at other points investigated, showing
that it had collapsed everywhere else (numbers 6–13). Remnants of the
collapsed city wall (shaded) were actually found still in place in three
places at Jericho: number 11 (German excavation), number 12 (Kenyon’s
excavation), and the 1997 Italian-Palestinian excavation extending
Kenyon’s south trench at number 8.
According to the Bible, Rahab’s house was incorporated into the
fortification system (Jos 2:15). If the walls fell, how was her house
spared? As you recall, the spies had instructed Rahab to bring her
family into her house and they would be rescued. When the Israelites
stormed the city, Rahab and her family were saved as promised (Jos 6:17,
22–23). At the north end of the tell of Jericho, archaeologists made
some astounding discoveries that seem to relate to Rahab.
The German excavation of 1907-1909 found that on the north a short
stretch of the lower city wall did not fall as everywhere else. A
portion of that mudbrick wall was still standing to a height of 8 ft
(Sellin and Watzinger 1973: 58). What is more, there were houses built
against the wall! It is quite possible that this is where Rahab’s house
was located.]
Now we can draw from tales of sea monsters, and names of water, but this Psalm was published, verified, sung by her 4th great grandson (Solomon) in the Temple. Written by one of his wisest councilors. Truth being told in the LORD'S TEMPLE and trying to honor a story working for the LORD. If you wanted to honor your heroic great, great, great, great grandmother in the Temple of the LORD - how would you delicately refer to her profession and her salvation? Perhaps to point out God is greater and to say she was crushed in her life...
Who was Rahab? We find out from.... Joshua 6. These were her actions:
Joshua 1:7-8
Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Perhaps. Perhaps because Rahab is listed in Matthew 1:4-6...........
and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah
..........we can say Rahab was like the Gospel.
Matthew 13:17
For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
We are telling God's story. We can draw from Job, Joshua, Solomon, Solomon's advisors, David, Rahab, Isaiah and we are telling of flawed people. Doing what they can. Abiding in God, seeing like Paul....Philippians 2:19-24 ~ how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord
.
Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Father God, we thank You for hearing prayers of your people for the rains around Houston to subside. We continue to pray for Your favor on our area and to help with people experiencing flooding. I am so very glad to find my 19 year old cat, Scoop.
Thank You, Father God, for people who pray! In Jesus. Amen!
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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