What a ridiculous story. Yet I believe that was God's point.
On the road to Jericho Joshua encountered the angel of the Lord. In his zeal, he challenged the angel, who gave a rather cool response -- which was fortunate for Joshua. Then the leader of God's people fell facedown in humble reverence. Thus the tone was set for the taking of Jericho; it would be God's army that did the work. Yet in the same way that the Israelites were now the owners of a land that they still had to conquer, they were to attack a city that God said was already given to them. And so they acted ridiculously, marching for days in battle gear behind the priests and then returning to camp. To any observer it made no sense at all. Yet the results were powerful.
So what do we do when we think God asks ridiculous things of us today? There is the metaphorical approach where we look for the deep truths, aspire to add them to our belief system and carry on with life as normal. There is the historical approach where we write off volumes of his revealed will as applicable only to a former time and place. There is the modernist approach where we doubt that the message really came from God at all and therefore discuss at at length the way we would Shakespeare but without any necessity of living it out. Then there is the Joshua approach -- reverent submission to a holy God and obedience even when it makes no sense.
Considering how unsuccessful most of our society is at obtaining a satisfying life and how successful Joshua was at living a purpose filled life, I have to ask, why not step out in reverent ridiculousness today?
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