The Men of Jericho

In our family reading last night I was struck by the mention of men from Jericho rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, tucked neatly in Nehemiah 3:1-2:  "Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel. ² Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built."  The books of Ezra and Nehemiah confirm 345 men of Jericho returned to Jerusalem 70 years after the Babylonian captivity.  The fact they worked alongside the high priest on the walls of Jerusalem--and that they were reckoned to have an inheritance among the children of Israel--is an amazing demonstration of God's grace considering the history of that accursed city.

Jericho was the first stronghold defeated in the conquest of Canaan by the LORD at the hand of Joshua.  The city and all in it were accursed by God, save the harlot Rehab and her household who feared the LORD who were saved alive.  On a side note, Rehab ultimately converted to Judaism and married a man of Judah.  All the gold, silver, and precious things were brought into the treasury of the LORD, but everything else was to be destroyed and burned with fire.  Because Jericho was accursed by God Joshua also uttered a curse over the burning ruin in Joshua 6:26:  "Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, "Cursed be the man before the LORD who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates."

About 500 years later this curse came into effect according to 1 Kings 16:34:  "In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun."  In 2 Kings before his departure the prophet Elijah visited Jericho where there was a school for prophets of God.  This should be no surprise, for even in the darkest places in this world the light of the LORD shines bright.  There is no heart too darkened by sin and wickedness which cannot be redeemed, no human soul incapable of being reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Elisha the prophet carried along after Elijah's departure and was approached by Jewish men who resided in Jericho.  2 Kings 2:19-22 says, "Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren." ²⁰ And he said, "Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him. ²¹ Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, "Thus says the LORD: 'I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.' " ²² So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke."  By the power of God Elisha miraculously healed the source of the waters of Jericho with salt--which naturally would always have the opposite effect!  True to God's Word, the waters of Jericho have remained pure to this day.  When I visited Israel in 2005 I was treated with a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness by "Jericho" spring water.

Think of it:  from the accursed city Jericho God saved the harlot Rehab who is included in the lineage of Jesus Christ; after Jericho was rebuilt the bad water and barren soil were healed by the Word of the LORD; God brought men of Jericho out of captivity in Babylon to rebuild the holy city of Jerusalem!  It is a demonstration of God's grace and faithfulness that we can identify with personally because this is what Jesus has done for all who believe in Him.  We were accursed by our sin, yet we have been spared the wrath of God by grace through faith in Jesus.  We were barren and unfruitful, and God has redeemed and reconciled us to Himself, making us fruitful by the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.  He has purified and cleansed us from within, now the pure source of our lives.  By Jesus' stripes we are healed now and forever!  God has chosen us as His inheritance, and His is ours.

The scene of the men of Jericho building reminds me how we are God's chosen materials to construct His habitation in 1 Peter 2:4-5:  "Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."  Jesus is our great High Priest and we are enabled to take His yoke upon us.  We are the accursed once afar off but have been brought near as Ephesians 2:19-22 says:  "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."  Praise the LORD!