3 March | Teens
«So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.» Joshua 6: 20
Joshua was Moses' successor as leader of the people of Israel. He conquered many cities, but Jericho was the most famous. In Bible times, one of the ways to take a city was to smash it through the walls. But in today's story, the Israelites wouldn't have to fight. They went up the mountains slowly, for the Lord went to war. They surrounded the walls, made thirteen laps around the city (one lap each day and seven laps on the seventh day), the priests sounded the trumpets shaking the sky and the ground, the people shouted, the wall collapsed and Jericho came to an end!
An important detail of this story is the thirteen laps that the people of Israel took around Jericho. But why thirteen? This divine strategy had a purpose: after so many twists and turns, the Israelites should be absolutely clear that, by human force, it would be impossible to break down those walls. They needed a miracle! In the same way, as we believe we live in the end times, we are reminded that in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, our victory depends entirely on divine intervention.
When you see “trumpets”, “promise of a new land”, “walls falling”, basically destruction, don't them remind us of what will happen in the future? What happened in Jericho will happen again in the end. We are going round and round, but we need to get together and blow the trumpets, announcing the return of Jesus. As impossible as it may seem, nothing is impossible with God! So don't be discouraged! If we believe and trust in Him, He will help us move forward and fulfill our mission.
Take Action
Together with your parents, use a cell phone to share a message about Jesus' return with thirteen friends. Remember, as in the story of Jericho, with God nothing is impossible. Let's accomplish this mission together, even if it seems impossible!