Joshua's Ancient War Cry
“And the
Walls Came a Tumbling Down…” from the story of Joshua and
the Battle of Jericho.
In Ari’s
last Postcard he discussed the new war facing Israel,
coming battles that will require new methods, new
strategies and new weapons for Israel’s survival.
This is
all true were it not for one small caveat: Israel must
return to its ancient battle strategy to defeat its
enemies, or it will be lost forever.
I suppose
at first glance this premise sounds a bit insane. Nuclear
weapons will be aimed at Israeli cities, armies will
invade them from seven fronts and the war will be swift
and sure.
Even as
the western world sleeps, Israel’s enemies will level the
small patch of ground that is Israel and erase all
evidence of a Jewish presence.
Ancient
warfare and Sun Tzu be damned. This is a whole new world
of war, utter destruction and devastation. Wasn’t it even
a Jew, Albert Einstein, who said, “I know not with what
weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV
will be fought with sticks and stones?”
So what am I
babbling about? Ancient methods? Before you judge my
premise, please allow me to explain that they are in no
way conflicted with the more modern tools of warfare, but
actually an essential addition to their effectiveness.
According
to the bible, and despite our enemies’ attempts to rewrite
Jewish history, the Torah is Jewish history.
One
biblical account describes the “Israelites led by Joshua
crossing the Jordan into Canaan and laying siege to the
city of Jericho.”
God told
Joshua to march the Jewish people around the city once
every day for six days and on the seventh to put priests
carrying ram’s horns in front of the ark. The operative
word here is also “ark.” Must we be so literal any
understand perhaps this means the Torah in any form?
On the
seventh pass they were instructed to blow the ram’s horns.
He also ordered the people to be silent, perhaps
prayerful, until he commanded them to shout their war cry
on the seventh day during the seventh pass around the
city.
At the
appointed time the priests sounded their ram’s horns, and
the Israelites shouted their war cry. The walls of the
city collapsed, the Israelites charged straight in and end
of story.
Who cares
how true or perhaps a bit hyped this story may be? The
real point here is not the battle, not Joshua’s
extraordinary warrior skills or even if the city of
Jericho is in any way vital in the annuals of Jewish
History.
Only
three words matter in this story: WAR CRY and ARK.
Even the
British, one of Israel’s greatest modern-day enemies, tell
of a battle cry motto of the English kings: “Dieu et mon
droit,” or “God and my right.”
Our new
war cry must be: “God and Israel’s Right to Exist on their
own land.”
And that
Ladies and Gentlemen is why Israel and the Jewish people
are in deep trouble as we speak.
It is not
her enemies who are defeating her, but Israel herself who
has lost her spiritual voice. Has forgotten her
instructions from God, her Torah and how to conquer her
enemies.
And that
is the secret weapon Israel has dismissed.
Singing
God’s praises, giving thanks for his blessings and voices
raised to the heavens are the greatest weapon ever
devised.
When
Joshua won the battle, it was because the Lord told him to
instruct his people to raise their voices in praise. What
voices of praise are now raised in Israel?
Only
voices of criticism, divisiveness, scorn, compromise,
disregard for such abundant blessings. Is this a battle
cry the Jewish people expect God to reward with renewed
strength?
Does this
inspire Him to fight for our cause?
In actual
fact it diminishes our chances of success and our ability
to overcome our enemies and obstacles and sets the Jewish
people up for disaster.
Why have
we learned nothing from our history?
Why are
the Jewish people, who are supposedly so smart and wise,
such utter fools? Gripe, complain, constantly remind God
of their problems.
OY,
enough already, He knows!
When we
left Egypt, God showed us miracles. After each event
voices were raised demanding more proof. More evidence. So
challenges continued to be thrust upon us to make God’s
point and receive His ultimate message.
At Mt.
Sinai when Moses returned to find his people in the midst
of egregious behavior once more, he had had it! He called
on Israel to either live by God’s laws or die by them.
Many died and those who were left alive did penance for
forty years.
Why?
Because until the people of Israel learned that it was
only by thanking the Lord for His blessings, appreciating
His gifts and praising Him in battle, could they end their
suffering. No missiles can defeat Israel when the Lord is
our shield. No country’s evil agenda can draw Jewish blood
when God is protecting us.
This
fact has been demonstrated over and over in our history.
Seas have parted, walls have fallen and powerful modern
armies destroyed by a small air force with God as its
co-pilot.
Iran
may continue to create evil weaponry to use against the
world. It cannot succeed if the world remembers its
greatest weapon, faith and thanksgiving for the blessings
received.
Mankind
is in decline because faith has been disregarded. Good
works are no longer performed in God’s name and man has
become selfish and all-ego (Edging God Out). This is a
certain path to total annihilation and the surest way to
anger and turn God away.
Just as
the Jewish people marched around Jericho and raised their
voices in praise causing the walls to fall; so shall fall
the walls of our current enemies.
The
Jewish people must stop criticizing, stop identifying with
Israel’s enemies and give thanks for the blessings and
gifts that are the Jewish State. Israel’s light can only
be dimmed through the shouts of negativity that bring on
the darkness.
March
around the walls once more and shout praises and our
enemies will crumble. Their weapons will be rendered
useless, for we will have the greatest of all weapons on
our side: the might of God.
When we
finally remembered this spiritual truth, we survived as a
people despite the constant attempts to eradicate us from
the earth.
If we
dig down and attach ourselves to our roots of faith once
more, we shall overcome as in the past. Without the
“Jewish Secret Weapon” Joshua used so effectively, our
enemies may finally be victorious.
Remember
the past and no weapon forged for our harm can be
successful. That is unless we let God’s protective shield
down and forget our WAR CRY once again.