God kept His Word, His Promise!
The wall of Jericho had fallen “flat!”
The city had essentially been destroyed.
Then … “Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.” Joshua 6:26
What a warning!
The verb “adjured” translates the Hebrew word “shaba,” meaning ” to swear.” (Literally it means “to say something seven times!” To mean it that deeply!)
And the verb “cursed” is “arar” in Hebrew, meaning “to bitterly denounce.”
God clearly DOES NOT want Jericho rebuilt! “Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho.” Doomed of God!
Scripture even lists the consequences for disobeying this injunction. The deaths of two of the foolish builder’s sons, the elder and the younger! If anyone blatantly disobeys God on this matter … “He shall lay the foundation (of the city) thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.”
His oldest boy, due to some unexpected and tragic death … his body shall be buried in the city’s foundation! The same with his youngest, except his death will somehow involve the city’s gates!
Warning clearly given!
Now … turn with me to 1 Kings 16:33-34. “And (wicked King) Ahab (of Israel) made a grove (in which to worship false idols); and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. In his days did HIEL THE BETHELITE BUILD (REBUILD) JERICHO: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.”
A disobedient father!
And “Hiel’s” Hebrew name means, grammatically, “God lives!”
Wow!
Disobedience, rebellion … DEATH!
Just like God said!
Folks … God always keeps his Promises!
This was one costly construction project … if Hiel loved his boys, anyway!
I’ve written enough today.
Is anyone reading here this morning (knowingly) violating some principle of God’s Word?
If so, I beg you, sober up!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Sin has consequences!