After a long and arduous journey of forty years wandering in the wilderness after leaving Egypt, the Israelites finally reached the Promised Land. The former slaves crossed the Jordan River to enter their new home. Their faith and obedience had been repeatedly tested, shaping their reliance on God. They had experienced many hardships and struggled with doubts and unbelief, but by God’s grace, they had finally arrived in the land that flowed with milk and honey. However, this beautiful land which they had longed to see for so many years also had walled cities and giants.
The Israelites came to the strong, fortified city of Jericho. Although it seemed impossible to conquer such a city, God did not leave them to their own abilities and devices. God told Joshua, “I have given into thine hand Jericho”
(Joshua 6:2). God gave Joshua specific instructions: march around the city once a day for six days—on the seventh day, march around the city seven times. On the seventh time around the city, the priests will blow their trumpets, the people will shout with a great shout, and the walls of the city will fall flat.
The Israelites obeyed God’s command and marched silently day after day. Their silence was more than compliance; it was an act of worshipful trust in God’s plan. The sixth day seemed no different than the first, as nothing happened, and the repetitive actions seemed fruitless. Their persistence culminated on the seventh day, at which time their faith and obedience bore fruit. As the trumpets resounded and the people shouted, the impossible happened—the walls fell. The city was conquered, and they experienced a great success. Although God’s instructions were not textbook military strategy, the Israelites trusted in God. Their unwavering faith and obedience to God brought about victory.
The concept of obedience resonates throughout the Scripture. God calls on His people to exercise faith and to be obedient to His divine plan. Many times God’s instructions do not align with human logic, and yet when people submit to God, they will ultimately find God’s purpose, timing, and power to be perfect. Even when nothing happens after six days, six months, or six years, remain steadfast in obedience. God’s silence is not His absence. It is often in the waiting, in the repetitive acts of obedience, that our faith is refined, and God’s purposes are revealed. The seventh day will come.
The number seven in the Bible symbolizes completion and divine perfection. When God’s instructions challenge our understanding and go against our preferences, let us stay faithful and obedient and follow through to the seventh time—until God’s purpose is accomplished. Just as the Israelites obeyed God’s instructions at Jericho, another story of obedience comes from the life of Naaman.
Naaman, a great and mighty captain of the Syrians, was afflicted with leprosy. Upon his request for healing, the prophet Elisha sent instructions for him to dip in the Jordan River seven times. 2 Kings 5:10-14 relates how Naaman was very angry because to dip in a muddy river was such a mundane act. He was looking for a more spectacular outpouring of power to receive such a miracle. Urged by his servants, Naaman humbled himself and did as he was instructed. After dipping in the Jordan seven times, his skin was restored, and he was made clean.
God’s ways often defy human expectations. Obedience is crucial even when it feels unnecessary or when we just do not want to obey. When Naaman humbled himself, he found healing from God—not from the water itself but from his willingness to trust and act according to God’s word.
Another instance with Elijah illustrates this lesson. After a long drought, Elijah prayed in faith for rain to come. He sent his servant to look toward the sea for a sign of rain. Each time, the servant returned saying, “There is nothing” (1 Kings 18:43-44). Elijah persisted in prayer and after checking six times, the servant’s report was unchanged—clear skies.
Elijah, with unwavering faith, continued praying. He sent the servant to look toward the sea a seventh time and the report came back: “There is a little cloud the size of a man’s hand.” Elijah sent a message to King Ahab telling him to prepare for the rain that would soon come. The sky became “black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain” (1 Kings 18:45). What if Elijah had stopped praying after six times? God does not work on our timetable, but He wants us to keep praying.
The fall of Jericho, Naaman’s healing, and the rain all came after seven times. While the number itself is symbolic, it also represents God’s perfect time. God’s power was revealed when obedience and faith were exercised. Even in times of exhaustion, discouragement, or doubt, we must trust God’s purposes and obey Him fully, beyond what we can feel or see. As we face challenges in our own lives, may we persist in faith, trusting God’s promises. Let us not stop at ‘six times’—whether in prayer, trust, or obedience—but press on, knowing that God’s seventh time is always right. No matter how long the wait or how difficult the journey, trust that God’s plan is perfect. His purpose will be fulfilled when we remain faithful and obedient. ■
