God had the Jews destroy Jericho because it was a place of idolatry and wickedness and stood in the way of the Jews entering into the promised land (Gen. 12:1-7; 15:18-21). God deals harshly with immoral people who will not repent (Lev. 18:24-30; Deut. 12:31). In addition, it would be a means by which God could keep the nation of Israel morally pure so that the Messiah would come through it. God called the Jews to be a people separate from the paganism around them, and sometimes, it was necessary to destroy overtly evil, immoral, and idolatrous nations that might influence and corrupt God’s people. Ultimately, this is to keep the messianic line pure so that Jesus would be born and die on the cross for our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
More about Jericho
Jericho was a city northwest of the Dead Sea. The Jews conquered it in their entrance to the land of Canaan. God instructed the Jews to march around the city for six days, and on the seventh day, the priests would sound the trumpets, and the walls would fall down. This happened, and Jericho was defeated (Joshua 6:1-27).1
The word Jericho in Hebrew is יְרִיחֹה, Yâriychow. It occurs 57 times in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the word Ἱεριχώ Ierichṓ occurs seven times. Jericho is first mentioned in Numbers 22:1 when Israel “camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.” Joshua sent spies into his Jericho (Joshua 2:1). Rahab, a prostitute living in the city, helped the two Israelite spies. Surprisingly, her genealogy is included in that of Christ (Matt. 1:5), and she is praised for her faith in the New Testament (Heb. 11:31; James 2:25). It is also the location of Elisha’s miracle where he healed the bad water (2 Kings 2:19-22). Furthermore, Joshua pronounced a curse upon anyone who would attempt to rebuild the city (Joshua 6:26).
In the New Testament, when Jesus left Jericho, he healed the two blind men (Matt. 20:29-34). When Jesus left Jericho again, He healed a blind beggar, Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). Jericho is mentioned in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). When Jesus approached Jericho, He healed a blind man (Luke 18:35-43). When Jesus passed through Jericho, he met Zacchaeus, the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10). And, “by faith, the walls of Jericho fell down” (Hebrews 11:30).
“The name “Jericho” may be connected to the ancient name of the Canaanite moon god. The Hebrew words for moon, month, or new moon, and Jericho are very similar. Others associate it with the word for spirit or smell, assuming that the pleasant fragrances of the fruits and spices which grew in this oasis occasioned the name of the place. V 2, p 1119 p 1119 The OT occasionally calls it “the city of palm trees” (e.g., Dt 34:3; 2 Chr 28:15).” (Elwell, Walter A., and Barry J. Beitzel. 1988. In Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House)
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| 1↑ | I have been to Jericho and stood on the fallen walls. Archaeologists have gone there through the centuries and dug countless times. They have left open areas so that it is possible to see pottery and burn layers embedded into the dirt excavations. It is a Wonderful place to visit. |
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