The Story: Chapter 7 - Weird Things...

God has a way of using weird things for His advantage...

• A giant fish that swallows up a prophet to protect him from peril
• The sun standing still in the sky to save time for a victory for Israelite army
• A fiery furnace to prove His protection for His people
• A baby floating helplessly, unprotected in crocodile infested waters
• Safe passageway on dry ground across what once was the Red Sea

This week, we read that God takes a city for his people (Jericho)... not with swords, spears and an army... but with trumpets, footsteps and a shout.  

Why?  

The Israelites, if you are following along, came up out of Egypt prepared for battle.  After their unfaithfulness to God's command to take the Promised Land, they were forced to march around in the desert for 39 years (until all the men of fighting age had died).  But they were still prepared for battle.  They still possessed swords, spears and other weapons of war.  Why wouldn't God simply send Joshua and the troops in to take the city.  

I believe: It was to show His power.  

God has a way of using odd things like the ones mentioned above, because when He does, the glory and honor for the victory can go to no one else but Him.  No one can make the sun stand still in the sky... except God.  No one could rescue three men thrown into a super-hot furnace... except God.  No one could command a giant fish to eat up a prophet and then spit him out unharmed on the shore... except God.  No one could protect Moses floating down the Nile... except God.  No one could dry up the Red Sea overnight so that His people could pass through... except.  

So there would be no doubt in the people's mind who would give them the victory in the Promised Land, God chose to use feet, trumpets and shouts to bring down the mighty walls of Jericho.  

Question is: what odd or weird thing might God use in your life to accomplish His will?  So that there will be no doubt that it was His hand at work... ?

The Apostle Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 1... "²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wiseby human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chosethe foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."

JC

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