We may never know exactly how Yahweh brought down the walls of Jericho. The sceptics view it as a fairy tale, of course, liberals as an embellished story attributing a natural cause, like an earthquake, which became transformed into a 'supernatural' event by a keen imagination. They are aided by the certain knowledge that the Jericho region lies in an earthquake zone and the fact that earthquakes had reduced the city before, so you can see where liberals and sceptics find their justification. You can argue that Yahweh uased a natural earthquake, foreknowing when one would take place and ensuring Israel's arrival some days before at the exact moment, enough time to send in spies and march around seven times. Or you can argue that He caused one supernaturally. At any rate, you have to make a choice: are the Bible events factual, embelleshed versions of natural occurences like earthquakes, or wholly mythological?

Scientists are by profession sceptics (they have to be in order to remain objective) and I happen to be a scientist as well as a minister. You could say I am sceptical with one hand and trusting with the other. I do actually believe the Bible accounts and it's not because of blind faith. I have taken the time - gone to the trouble - to dig deep and to be thorough. With each passing year and with each new piece of archaeological evidence, I become more and more satisfied that my emunah (faith) was well vindicated. I believe the Battle of Jericho happened the way the Bible relates it, and I still find no conflict between the scientist in me and the man of faith. It would require more faith of me not to believe than to believe.

I think, to be at peace with yourself, you have to be satisfied that you are dealing with historical reality when you open your Bible, otherwise how could emunah (faith) be anything but superficial? I have more than once staked my life on the Bible being literally true and I have never been disappointed yet. Jericho is a real place. The geography of the Bible matches up with what's on the ground and it definitely occupied a location of immensely important strategic value. Invaders from the east knew they had to take the city to successfully capture what lay beyond.

How you came to faith, and how your faith grew, is your own personal story, repeatable by no one else. We will all therefore 'see' the Battle of Jericho slightly differently in the sense that we will be able to relate to the account in a way that is unique to our experience and choices. I don't know how many Christians I have met who have 'marched around' something - an obstacle of some sort, whether in their minds or literally in the flesh, emulating the Jericho march. I've done it and on at least one occasion witnessed a miracle. Of course the marching around in a circle is not what 'caused' the miracle to happen. It was an enactment of emunah (faith) that happened to be aligned with what the Ruach (Spirit) was telling me. And as I did it, at the very hour I knew a satanic coven would be meeting and abusing someone I cared about, Yahweh intervened and destroyed the event by flooding the basement of the theatre in which the secret meeting was taking place. So I have experienced what I am speaking about and can bear witness that Yahweh does act in this sort of way still.

I do need to underline the importance of being led by the Ruach (Spirit), and I don't say that tritely. What we do each year to memoralise a supernatural historical event is not to go through some ritual. Most years we don't physically 'march' around anything and we have never blown any shofar's even though we do own one. For a ritual to become 'active' it must be mandated by Yahweh at the right time and be done in the right way. We could not, if we wanted to, simply go and repeat Joshua's crossing of the River Jordan, even assuming we had an Ark of the Covenant (which we don't). Some events were designed only to be done once. We don't need the apparatus of the Old Covenant any more. Everything now is contained in a Person, the Eternal Cohen Gadol (High Priest), Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

I haven't mentioned that Joshua undoubtedly had invisible allies in his seven day-long marching exercise. Rarely seen, but always there, are Yahweh's angelic armies or hosts. I guarantee they were present at the Jericho Event. Elohim (God) is not called Yahweh-Tsevaoth (Lord of Hosts) for nothing. These beings are real and I say that not simply because the Bible tells me so but because of numerous personal encounters of my own. The main ministry of these malakim (angels) is to succour the Children of Elohim (God).

There are lots of them. Legion upon legion of these supernatural beings are constantly on standby to go to war with evil at Yahweh's bidding. Do we have 'guardian angels' as so many believe? The Bible says so and I know so:

"Are not all malakim (angels) ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Heb.1:14, NIV).

Whether we sense these beings or not, they are there. Only rarely to we get glimpses of them. Years ago, when I lived in Norway, I woke up in the middle of the night and saw three of them standing at the foot of my bed. They came to the point and simply said, "We have come to inspect yout house", and then they were off, and I guess that is what they did. On another occasion, in the same room, one of them struck me on the shoulder - quite painfully, I might add - and told me to "Wake up!" and I did so just in time to see three fiery balls enter my room through the wall. I was under demonic attack. I was smartly in prayer and repelled them. I could tell you lots of stories like that. So, yes, they're around, and in large numbers. Whether we have one or more assigned to us personally, I could not say, but I am pretty sure we have at least one.

I did once have an experience not unlike that described in the Tanakh (Old Testament). Elisha the navi (prophet) was invested by a Syrian army sent to arrest him. His young assistant was terrified to see the host of chariots and horses surrounding the city where they lodged. But not the navi (prophet) who was able to see in the ruach (spirit) and assured his assistant with the comforting and by now famous words:

"Those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Ki.6:16, NIV).

The account continues:

"And Elisha prayed, 'O Yahweh, open his eyes so he may see.' Then Yahweh opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2 Ki.6:17, NIV).

If you are a servant of El Elyon, the Most High, you will, I guarantee, have plenty of enemies. Some years ago, this time in Sweden, we found ourselves in a similar kind of situation. We were under intense attack both invisibly and visibly, the same crowd (only locally) I mentioned earlier in that rather special 'Jericho Walk' I did. We were hard pressed and petitioning Heaven for assistance when in a similar manner my spiritual eyes were open, and I saw a huge ring of fire around our property. As I strained my eyes I could see the outline of men in the fire, standing at close quarters, and I knew they were malakim (angels). The Enemy did not prevail.

So is our Elohim (God) the same today as He was then? You'd better believe it and not that band of theologians who say all of these kinds of miracles ceased two millennia ago. I believe, literally, the Scripture which tells me that "the malak (angel) of Yahweh encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them" (Ps.34:7, NIV). Do you know who that particular malak (angel) is? You should. His Name is Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), the same one who appeared to Joshua and at whose feet Joshua fell and offered worship, the only malak (angel) allowed to receive worship, because He is Elohim (God) like His Father.

Our defence is sure. We can rest easy at night, as David did when he was surrounded by enemies, as I talked about yesterday, though I will admit that in my spiritually youthful days I was scared because I knew so little about such things. The more you trust, the more you will see, and the more you will relax in the knowledge that Yahweh is taking care of you. He destroyed Pharaoh's army. He destroyed the inhabitants of Jericho. He destroys the Enemies of Yah even today, and He will destroy many more before He is done.

Maybe if you have forgotten these things, or never really knew about them, you will become reacquainted with the invisible realm by re-reading the Biblical accounts and listening to living prophetic witnesses and make up your mind sufficiently to say, "Yes, I believe!" The blind man who had his sight supernaturally restored to him by the Master said these words (Jn.9:38) and the Samaritan woman whom the Master prophetically saw right through said them too (Jn.11:27). Make a decision to believe and you will see a greater reality and grow in confidence.