The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-10-18

2
Jericho had been weighed in the 5sI-
ances and found wanting. and because
the IsTaelites ConseCrated themselves 70
his service in the world. God put him
self at the head Of the Israelitcs and
led them himself against the 5troER city
Of Jericho. GCd gave them The victory
over his own enemies and theirs be-
cause they trusted in his leadership and
obeyed his directions. Men have 40
right to expect victoTy in their battles
except as they fight Gods enemies in
Gods own way- Our enemies are not al
ways Gods enemies. Our battles are
not always Gods battles Our ways OF
fighting even Co.'s enemies are not
Gods ways. O1ss he who fights IS God
fights and IN the way that he approves
can hope for victory. Such q man IS the
ally Of God. jos ua and the israaIises.
by their faith and obedience we're The
army Of the &c plain Of the most OF the
Lord" Such an army is always vic
toTious- It is inspiring to know that all
may belong to the amy OF God. But ne
organization Of men on earth can CLAIM
to be the perfect army Of God, and
therefore clai-C perfect victory and sue
cess. In our prayers for victory we
must say: Thy viii be done.
The Silent Battle
The battle of Jericho was the strang-
est battle that ever took place On
earth Not a gate was attacked; not
a wall was hammered: not a sword was
drawn; not threat was made Silently
the tramp of the soldiers went on with
out a sound being heard. except the
blowing Of the priests horns in front
TO enable, possibly, the army to keep
step, like the sound Of drum beat. The
Israelites did not know what was going
70 happSa TO themselves. They only
knew that Jehovah was leading. and
that he was present. and that he would
command them to encircIe the doomed
city day by day as they we're doing
What a solemnity must have pervEded
their minds and hearts, How tbs
spirit of faith must have kept them
calm, expectant, patient, and perse-
veri1gI
the strongest forces. Light. gTavita-
ton, electricity. magnetism, heat, cold,
and the force that we call the Iife-force,
are all silent forces. The spiritual
forces are all silent forces. The IN
huence Of truth, love, hope and faith
is silent force So the. silent war
fare for God. and by him goes on in
the world eyeTmOre. No doubt the PEG
pie Of Jericho jeered aloud from the
walls anf towers OF their city, and no
doubt many Of the IsraeIites were per
picked at the stran eness OF their Gods
ways But at last the command 20
shout came, and the high and strong
walls fell. Such is the victory Of
faith going on IN the world at the pres
ent time. Now the trudging, and the
hoping and praying is being done, If
ter awhile the shouting at the signs
Of victory will begin. and all will find
that the kingdoms OF this world have
become the kingdoms OF God and his
Christ -
Faith in Christ is gradually and i'm
peTcepdbly conquering the Jerichoes OF
sin in the world-the Jericho of car
nality. the Jericho Of tyranny and op-
preston, the Jericho Of inidelity, the
Jericho Of incompetence. the Jericho OF
heathenism, the Jericho OF immortality
and greed
The Warfare of Destruction
Faith, in the name OF God. raises the
black flag against all Jerichoes and
kingdoms of unrighteousuess in the
world. The way of the transgressoT is /
hard There is no peace saith my
God TO the wicked. - excIaims the !
prophet
The utter destruction Of the peo7. e o. /
Jericho by the TsTaelites can only De /
justified by remembering that they were
acting under the direct command Of God. (
It shows that the war itself was alb
solutely unselfsh- It was a war OF di- i
vine judgment. The spoiIs were not % !.
be touched for personal use God is 4 4
God Of judgment and law Those zf3 /
GespiEe and resist his mercy md grace /
must at last feel his justice aud wrath. (
Canaan was . land Of moral degeneT-
- nd NJ q pT
ties. and idOlatTies- History proves over /
and over again that wickedness will de- 1
stToy a nation like e simeon OF de-
struction. Il Is the law OF life. The
awful destruction of Jericho and the /
holocaust of Its inhabitants By -hs /
lsTaelites teaches US a deep spiritual /
lesson as to our spiritual enemies, anJ !!