Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

inheritors of the true religion, they were to spread its principles
throughout the world. The Canaanites had abandoned themselves to
degrading heathenism, and it was necessary that the country be
cleared of anything that would certainly prevent God's gracious
purposes from being fulfilled.
The people in Canaan had been given plenty of opportunity to
repent. Forty years earlier, the judgments on Egypt had revealed the
power of the God of Israel. The defeat of Midian, of Gilead and
Bashan, had further shown that He was above all gods. His hatred of
impurity had been demonstrated in the judgments on Israel for
taking part in the horrible rites of Baal Peor. The people of Jericho
knew about all of these events. Though they refused to obey it,
many shared Rahab's conviction that the God of Israel "is God in
heaven above and on earth beneath." Like the people before the
Flood, the Canaanites only lived to blaspheme Heaven and defile the
earth. Both love and justice demanded that these rebels against God
and enemies of humanity be destroyed.
"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down" (Hebrews 11:30). The
Commander of the Lord's host communicated only with Joshua, not
to all the congregation. It was left with them to believe or doubt the
words of Joshua. They could not see the army of angels who
attended them under the leadership of the Son of God. They might
have reasoned: "How ridiculous, marching daily around the walls of
the city, blowing trumpets of rams' horns--this cannot do anything to
those towering fortifications." But God wanted to impress on their
minds that their strength was not in human wisdom or might, but
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