Now Joshua rose early in the morning, and
the priests took up the ark of the LORD. The seven priests carrying the seven
trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and
blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them and the rear guard came
after the ark of the LORD, while they continued to blow the trumpets. Thus the
second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did
so for six days. Then on the seventh day they rose early at the dawning of the
day and marched around the city in the same manner seven times; only on that
day they marched around the city seven times. At the seventh time, when the
priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout! For the LORD
has given you the city. Joshua 6:12-16 NASB
The trumpets that the priests used after
they marched around Jericho sounding were not the brass trumpets we think of
today. Those trumpets were actually ram’s horns—known as shofar. The shofar has
a piercing sound…and as I understand, they are not easy to blow. Things worth
doing are not always easy…but they are worth doing right—doing it God’s way.
When God told Joshua to march around the city of Jericho…for six days and then
seven times on the seventh day, Joshua was obedient. He was a good leader and
example for the Israelites. They started off in the Promised Land as obedient
to God. What happened? Rebellion.
Those Israelites really needed to follow
God’s laws, teachings and feasts or Holy Days. One of those Feasts occurs at
the Jewish New Year is called the Feast of Trumpets—where the blowing of the
shofar is essential in calling the people to repentance. God gives the Jews a
chance to repent and that repentance sets them right with God and with others.
Relationship is what life is all about. Relationship to each other and
relationship to God. Just like the Israelites, we need God’s guidance, too.
How are you doing with that? Look closely
inside yourself. How are your relationships to others and to God? Look. Then
listen for the shofar—calling everyone to repentance.
Prayer
~ Lord, help me to see myself and others the way that You see me…and see my
relationship to other people. I want to do things right…to live in a way that
pleases You. I can only do that when I surrender my own will to You. I can do
all things through You, Christ, as You give me strength (Philippians 4:13).
Daily
Bible Reading: Ezekiel 43-45
Recycled
– from September 2017 Banquet With The King blog
© 2018 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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