Joshua 5:13-6:27
It may seem counterintuitive to say, but sometimes the greatest opportunity for growth comes in a time of complete destruction… But that is exactly what we see in today's Scripture reading of the battle of Jericho.
Have you ever heard of the Knobcone pine tree? This evergreen can be found growing in mild climates, especially in areas with poor soil. It thrives on the west coast from Oregon to Baja California, with the greatest concentration in Northern California/Southern Oregon. But the most interesting feature of the Knobcone pine is that its seeds are enveloped in a hard, closed cone, which will remain closed for many years until it encounters extreme heat… such as the heat from a wildfire! Think about that—the only way the Knobcone seed can be released to sprout and grow is if the area is consumed by a destructive wildfire. How amazing that God would create a tree that relies on destruction to allow its seeds to be released into the ground!
But what does this have to do with our story of Jericho, you ask? Plenty! You see, Joshua has grown to a point where he bows down in front of the Commander of the Lord's Army, and asks, "What does my Lord say to his servant?" To paraphrase the Commander's statement, he tells him to GO! You see, God had a plan to grow the entire nation of Israel, and to put them into a land where they can live and prosper, but in order to get to that land, there had to be complete, total destruction. This destruction doesn't come by the hand of the Israelites; however, it is through the hand of God! I mean, how else do the heavy walls of a city just fall down flat when a bunch of people shout and blow trumpets? God did it, of course! And the destruction doesn't stop there—the Israelites are commanded to burn everything. Only then, can the seeds of growth be planted so the nation can go forth.
So, what does all of this mean to us? God is calling us to grow up and go forth. But we have spent our lives building up the walls of Jericho around us. We are like the Knobcone pine cone, with a hard, sealed shell that can't be broken. God wants to send His wildfire into our lives, to destroy our own thoughts and desires so His seed can be planted in our lives. He wants to knock down the walls of our own understanding, so we can go forth into His promised land! Surrender to God's consuming fire and grow in His will, then go forth into His will.
~ Eric Frantz
