The city of Jericho was devoted to the most extravagant idolatry. The inhabitants were very wealthy, but all the riches that God had given them they counted as the gift of their gods. They had gold and silver in abundance; but, like the people before the Flood, they were corrupt and blasphemous, and insulted and provoked the God of heaven by their wicked works. God’s judgments were awakened against Jericho. It was a stronghold. But the Captain of the Lord’s host Himself came from heaven to lead the armies of heaven in an attack upon the city. Angels of God laid hold of the massive walls and brought them to the ground. God had said that the city of Jericho should be accursed and that all should perish except Rahab and her household. These should be saved because of the favor that Rahab showed the messengers of the Lord. The word of the Lord to the people was: “And ye, in anywise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.” “And 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 first-born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.” {3T 264.1}

(264) Jeriko by var indviet til det mest overdrevne afguderi. Indbyggerne var meget velhavende, men alle de rigdomme som Gud havde givet dem regnede de som en gave fra deres guder. De havde guld og sølv i overflod; men, ligesom folket før vandfloden, var de fordærvede og blasfemiske og forhånede og opæskede himlens Gud ved deres onde gerninger. Guds domme blev vækket imod Jeriko. Den var en befæstning. Men Herrens hærs Anfører selv kom fra himlen for at lede himlens hære i angrebet på den by. Guds engle lagde hånd på de massive mure og lagde dem ned til grunden. Gud havde sagt at Jeriko by skulle forbandes og at alle skulle gå fortabt undtaget Rahab og hendes hus. Disse skulle frelses på grund af den gunst som Rahab viste Herrens budbringere. Herrens ord til folket var: »Men I skal tage eder vel i vare for det bandlyste, så I ikke attrår og tager noget af det bandlyste og derved bringer bandet over Israels lejr og styrter den i ulykke.« »På den tid tog Josua folket i ed, idet han sagde: »Forbandet være den mand for Herrens åsyn, som indlader sig på at opbygge denne by, Jeriko. Det skal koste ham hans førstefødte at lægge grunden og hans yngste at sætte dens portfløje ind.«