Joshua 6:2-4 The Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers. You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days, with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets.
Joshua led the people in their conquest of the land God had promised to them and led them toward from Egypt. When they came to Jericho, they got scared because it was a strong and walled city with very strong defenses. God gave Joshua these seemingly strange instructions. March around the city with seven priests carrying seven trumpets... do this, and then on the seventh day, do it seven times. Lots of sevens. Why so many sevens?
I don't think the seven is so important because of any particular power in the number - it's not an issue of superstition or numerology or numerical symbolism. No - seven is important because of what it reminded the ancient Israelites of. If you think biblically about the number seven, what do you think of? Seven days of creation - God created everything and then rested on the seventh day. The sevens are there to remind the Israelites that everything - Jericho, their own army, their priests, everything - belongs to God. Seven is a symbol of God's ownership and control of all of creation.
So I hope today you have a seven kind of day. I hope you pray seven times, eat seven times, walk around the block seven times - whatever it takes. But remember - everything is in God's hands.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for Holden Evening Prayer - a quiet and contemplative worship experience, on Wednesday at 7 pm. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more information.
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