You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. (Joshua 6:4 ESV)
Worship and War
When Joshua received his marching orders from God, I wonder if he saw the same numbers that I see this morning.
March for six days, and then the seventh day is something special.
That sounds a lot like God’s commandment to work six days, and the seventh is the Lord’s Day.
Work and Worship were originally similar words, both rooted in the idea of service.
During Joshua’s army’s march, they blew trumpets and praised God… a form of worship.
During the seventh day, they marched around seven more times, still blowing the horns, doing the hard work of worship… and then the walls came tumbling down.
Yes, we worship on the Lord’s Day. But all week long we serve God as we work, and focus on Him in an ongoing low boil worship.
On the Lord’s Day, our worship is not casual and lazy. But energetic, with focus. With loud and quiet praises. It is a form of work, in a special way.
And these concepts are tied together even more closely. We are at war. Our daily work, wherever we labor, is bringing God’s Kingdom into more obvious fruition. And our worship is the same thing. We join heaven and earth in a time of Jesus’ presence. Each day of work and worship is a victory! Sometimes a small victory. Sometimes a big victory.