After 40 years of talking about it, the Israelites were finally in the Promised Land.  To celebrate, they renewed their covenant with God and prepared for the new life awaiting them.  No longer desert nomads, they would become farmers and shepherds in a land flowing with milk and honey.

“The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain.”  Joshua 5:11 NIV

Their daily supply of manna suddenly stopped falling to the ground and the river Jordan once again raged at their backs.  They couldn’t retreat to the desert.  What they needed now was complete trust and obedience in God, their deliverer.  Thankfully, Joshua appeared to be connected to Him just like Moses was.   This thought seemed to put the people at ease.

Meanwhile, the people living in Jericho looked down with fear at the sight of 2 million Israelites covering the countryside.  Would their massive city walls be enough to protect them?  They had the living God on their side.  Jericho’s army shut themselves tight inside the fortified city and waited.  A showdown loomed…

“When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?”” Joshua 5:13 NLT