Gods Sabbath

S UCCESS AND F AILURES

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authority. They could not see the host of angels who attended them under the leadership of the Son of God. They might have reasoned: ‘What unmeaning movements are these, and how ri diculous the performance of marching daily around the walls of the city, blowing trumpets of rams’ horns. This can have no ef fect upon those towering fortifications.’ But the very plan of con tinuing this ceremony through so long a time prior to the final overthrow of the walls afforded opportunity for the development of faith among the Israelites. It was to be impressed upon their minds that their strength was not in the wisdom of man, nor in his might, but only in the God of their salvation. They were thus to become accustomed to relying wholly upon their divine Lead er.” Patriarchs and Prophets , 493.1. At this critical moment in their history, just at the beginning of their assault on Canaan, Israel needed this lesson in gospel order to strengthen their faith in God as their Leader. The plan for the overthrow of Jericho was a golden opportunity for God to reveal His plans in such a way as to develop faith in Him and in the human leader of His choosing. At this time the primary need of Israel was not to learn to counsel and consult together, but rather to obey a “thus saith the Lord” implicitly. Just as at the crossing of the Jordan, God was once more giving Israel a strik ing demonstration of His ability to be their Plan Maker and Problem Solver, reminiscent of the way He delivered their par ents from Egypt and across the Red Sea. By comparing the total failure at Kadesh with the complete success at Jericho, we can learn some valuable lessons. At Kadesh the plan maker was fallible humanity, but at Jericho this role was left entirely to God. The message is inescapably clear and it is true for all time. When we search through the Scriptures, we find that whenever human beings are the plan makers and problem solvers, the Lord’s work suffers constant loss and defeat. Yet when these responsibilities are left with God, His people know “no such thing as failure, loss, impossibil ity, or defeat.” The Desire of Ages , 490.5. Cause and Effect