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Let us pray. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace who made both one and broke down the middle wall of separation. Ephesians 2, 13-14
Dear Heavenly Father, we are humbled and grateful that you saw fit to break down the walls of division and bring unity where there was once estrangement.
We pray, O God, that you continually remind us of this beautiful truth, the harmony you desire among your children. May we extend the same grace, love, and mercy to others that you have generously poured upon us.
May we bridge the gaps and foster unity in our homes, communities, and nations, reflecting the peace Christ brought us by breaking down the wall of hostility. May your spirit guide us in all we do and all we say, reminding us that we are no longer strangers and aliens, but members of your household, knit together by your love. In Jesus' name, amen.
Thank you for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for another episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider. Is your vehicle stopping like it should? Does it squeal or grind when you brake? Don't miss out on summer brake deals at O'Reilly Auto Parts. O-O-O-O'Reilly Auto Parts Night was approaching. Joshua positioned himself atop a nearby hill and rested in thoughtful silence.
He peered intently at the great city of Jericho below. His gaze traveled across its formidable walls, estimating their height and width. He imagined the forces of Israel storming those barricades and shuddered. He saw nothing but doom. Assaulting the walls would mean feeding his soldiers to the enemy's arrows. Entering through the main gate was akin to marching willingly into a trap, and climbing over was unthinkable. Avoiding the city wasn't an option either.
The walls of Jericho had to crumble if they were to inherit the land promised by God. Joshua descended the hill with the sun's last light casting long shadows behind him. The knight soon became alive, speckled with the shimmering brilliance of stars. Then Joshua spotted a figure, a man standing proudly a few yards ahead with a sword drawn.
Joshua's hand instinctively moved towards his sword as he approached, asking with a cautious voice, "Are you friend or foe?" The man, seemingly aloof to Joshua's question, replied, "Neither. I am the commander of the Lord's armies." The words struck Joshua, sending him sprawling onto his face in reverence. His voice was a whisper as he asked, "What does the Lord command?" "Remove your sandals, Joshua.
You stand on holy ground. And so Joshua did. Old tales sprang up in his mind, recollections of Moses' encounter with God on sacred ground. At this moment, he understood God Himself was standing before him. Joshua listened carefully, his heart pounding in anticipation of his strategy. Yet what he heard next was beyond anything he would have imagined. God had an unorthodox plan for liberation.
a plan most would consider foolish. Joshua listened to every word, ready to topple the walls that kept Israel from their promise. Hello and welcome to another episode of the Stories of the Messiah podcast. I'm Rabbi Kurt Schneider from Discovering the Jewish Jesus, here to guide you through some of the most iconic stories ever told. If this podcast has blessed you thus far, please take a moment to leave us a comment and review.
Doing so will make sure others discover these life-changing stories. This season of Stories of the Messiah is called Jesus the Greater. Together we have been traversing the peaks and valleys of the Bible's most famous characters. These people's lives were marked with tragedy, triumph, faith, and failure. These heroes ultimately point us toward the greatest hero of all, Jesus.
We have learned how Jesus is the greater Adam, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Joseph, and Moses. Now we're about to journey to the edge of the promised land. After 40 years in the wilderness, the former slaves of Israel are ready to reenter the land God promised them. But there's an obstacle in their way, Jericho. Their intimidating fortified walls represent the barriers in our lives that keep us from God's promises.
Their leader and commander Joshua will use unorthodox methods to defeat Jericho. His story of bravery and conviction will point us toward an even greater hero who went to great lengths to topple barriers between God and us. Let's immerse ourselves now in a cinematic retelling of Joshua 6. I'll then be here to unpack this story for you and connect it to the Gospel. "Dawn had broken, yet the sunlight was shrouded by the formidable silhouette of Jericho's walls.
The citizens of Jericho were fortified inside, poised to fight if Israel dared to attack. Leading his people, Joshua advanced towards the sun-eclipsed city. The Ark of the Covenant preceded them, escorted by seven priests, each bearing a ram's horn. God had given Joshua an unorthodox plan. He commanded them to march silently around the city walls seven times with the Ark of the Covenant before them.
The only sound was the haunting melody of the priests' horns, a spiritual battle cry in the quiet. Jericho's people watched from above, puzzled yet relieved at the absence of attack. For six days, Israel's army marched a lap around the city. Their silence was as unsettling as it was ominous. No battle cries rang out, no shield clashing or bellicose roars. Their swords remained sheathed, but God was not idle.
On the seventh day, the men rose with the sun, filling their lungs with the cool embrace of dawn. The remainder of Israel watched as they readied themselves once more. With armor strapped and spears grasped, they advanced upon Jericho. This time, seven laps were made around the city walls. A billowing cloud of dust trailed behind their synchronized march, the priests' horns echoing a symphony of imminent war.
God was preparing his advance. As the seventh lap was completed, Joshua halted. His soldiers, as one, mirrored him. The silence was deafening. Turning to his men, Joshua's voice resounded like a thunderclap. "Shout! Shout! For the Lord has delivered this city into your hands! Today Jericho shall fall as a testament to God's might! Shout!"
And they did. A seismic roar erupted from the Israelites' ranks, their battle cries and trumpet blasts sending shockwaves through the earth.
Their battle cry sounded like worship songs. As the haunting cries filled the air, the formidable stones of Jericho's walls began quivering and cracking. The city's strong defenses crumbled to the rhythm of the roars. The ground shook as the mighty walls surrendered to God's command. As the walls crumbled, terror echoed through the city.
Amid the chaos, Joshua perched atop a fallen stone, sword raised, ordering his men, "Take the city, but refrain from acts that will tarnish your souls!" Like a relentless tide, they surged into the city. Swords clashed and soldiers fell. The gruesome melody of war echoed for miles, punctuated by the cries of the panicked city. Blood-stained streets bore testament to the harsh realities of war.
Hours later, the eerie silence declared the end. Joshua drew a breath of victory. Jericho lay in ruins before them. God delivered the land, bringing his people closer to the promised land. God would break down any barrier that kept his people from him. He would topple any wall that separated them from the love and promises of God.
Israel had been in the wilderness for 40 years, and now a titanic city with fortified walls stood between them and the promises of God. Joshua, Israel's commander and leader, knew they were outmatched, but God had a plan. You see, no army, wall, or obstacle could ever stand in the way of God. The Lord is faithful to remove any barrier keeping us from Him. The Lord gave Joshua unorthodox marching orders.
The people of Israel were commanded to march around the wall for seven days. Every time they marched, their swords were sheathed and the Ark of the Covenant walked in front, symbolizing that this was God's fight, not theirs. The Ark of the Covenant represented God's presence among the people. Therefore, as the Ark led the people in marching, we are reminded that God was the real leader of Israel, not Joshua. God was the one who would go before the people and defeat the city.
His power toppled the walls that stood between Israel and his promises. At Discovering the Jewish Jesus, we are passionate about connecting the compelling stories of the Old Testament to the Messiah. The story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho foreshadow something greater accomplished by Jesus. So let's go now to the retelling of John chapter 2, when Jesus passionately removes barriers between God and his people.
Then we'll connect these two stories to see the greater picture. The Passover season was upon them, when individuals from across the region would gather near the temple to worship. The city was flooded with millions of individuals who brought with them their families, offerings, and prayers to be given to the Lord. It was a magnificent celebration of God's redemption of His people from the bondage of Egypt. It was also a period of profound introspection.
The men and women contemplated the vastness of God's love for them, appreciating their status as His chosen people, a holy nation. Amidst the swarm of worshippers, Jesus made His way to the temple, its radiant apex visible from afar. It was Jesus' deep-seated longing that every individual might find God at the heart of their existence. Seeing Jews, Greeks, and people of all creeds and cultures united in worship warmed His heart.
The heart of God yearned for all to seek His face without barrier or hindrance. However, Jesus' countenance shifted as He observed the activity within the temple. The temple courtyard had become a marketplace filled with people selling offerings and bartering prices. Men offered oxen, pigeons, goats, and sheep, asserting at an outrageous expense. Money changers were there, exchanging people's currency for a unique temple currency.
Its exchange rate was far too exorbitant for many to afford. Jesus witnessed with horror as the temple was manipulated into a place of enterprise. Foreigners were briskly dismissed if they could not afford the newly instituted temple-certified sacrifices.
Walls were created between people and God, walls of greed and vapid religious traditions. Jesus' blood simmered with righteous indignation. The courtyard was sacred, a place for foreigners and gentiles to worship, yet it was exploited by religious leaders to amass wealth. A quiet righteous rage stirred within Jesus, so potent that, if he willed it, it could rain fire from heaven.
He saw the money changers and peddlers bartering near the steps. They were commercializing salvation, commodifying communion with God. Jesus would not stand for it. To his left, he spotted palm fronds scattered on the ground and nets used to confine animals hanging off the steps. Gathering these materials, Jesus began to weave. He went unnoticed, his deliberate weaving overshadowed by the frenzy of profiteering.
When God constituted Israel as a nation, His command was clear: they were to serve as a sanctuary for every nation, a haven for refugees and foreigners. No one willing to seek His face in repentance should be denied His blessing. However, the priests, appointed to embody God's heart, succumbed to corruption. Jesus would not tolerate any hindrance to God's loving embrace.
The foreigner would not be rejected, nor the poor be burdened with debt for a lack of grand sacrifice. He remembered King David's words: "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it. You will not be pleased with burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
With these words fueling his righteous anger, Jesus stood, brandishing a whip made of cords. With a robust swing, he lashed out, hitting the oxen, causing them to stampede, breaking their enclosures, overturning carts, and instigating panic.
Jesus then strode over to the money changers. He lifted and flipped their stone tables with divine strength, sending a tremor through the courtyard. Coins scattered across the ground, causing the money changers to scramble, desperately trying to retrieve their lost fortune. Standing atop the temple steps, whip in one hand and a crate of doves in the other, Jesus had single-handedly dismantled the temple's marketplace.
Raising the crate, he smashed it to the ground, liberating the doves. The pandemonium paused momentarily as the people turned their attention to Jesus. Breathing heavily, he pointed towards the Pharisees and scribes who watched from afar. This is a place where men and women are meant to seek the face of their God, yet you have made it into a temple of greed!
You have defiled my father's house, transforming a place of prayer into a marketplace. Jesus made it his mission to topple any obstacle keeping people from the Lord on the cross. He would make the ultimate sacrifice, breaking down the wall of separation between the people and their creator. Did you feel Jesus' passion in that story? Could you feel his anger toward the corrupt money changers and priests?
The outer section of the temple was a sacred place meant for foreigners to come and worship God. By making the outer course a place of commerce, the temple officials made a barrier between God and the people who desired to seek him. God the Son, who's passed on top of the walls of Jericho long ago, sought to remove those barriers by flipping the tables. God breaking the walls of Jericho and Jesus cleansing the temple communicate the same thing.
God will do whatever it takes to bring you close to him. Sin creates a barrier between God and us. Because of the corruption of sin, we can't be close to God. A wall exists between us and the promises God has for us. Promises of hope, eternal life, and righteousness.
Just as Jesus violently drove out the money changers and overturned the tables, He violently broke down the walls of sin on the cross. Ephesians 2:14 tells us that those who were far off from Christ have been brought near by His blood. He is our peace and broke down the walls of hostility between us and God. Do you feel far from God today? Do you feel like barriers of sin, shame, and dysfunction keep you from Him?
take comfort that Jesus went to great lengths to restore you to himself. No sin is too strong or wall too wide for God's unstoppable love. Joshua may have led the people of Israel around the walls, but God broke them down. In this way, we can confidently say that Jesus is the greater Joshua breaking down sin's barriers. Next time, join us as we explore one of the Bible's most flawed characters.
a man who, despite his monstrous strength, couldn't overcome his flesh. Join us for our next episode of Jesus the Greater to discover how Jesus is the greater Samson. Explore more about Jesus in the Old Testament at discoveringthejewishjesus.com. Also consider checking out my recent book, Messianic Prophecy Revealed, Seeing Messiah in the Pages of the Hebrew Bible. You can get your hands on it via my website.
If this podcast impacted you, please take a moment to leave a comment and review. Doing so will make sure others discover these life-changing stories. And be sure to download the Pray.com app to make prayer a priority and experience the Bible in new ways.