Welcome back to the Jesse Tree on the Catholic Sprouts podcast. Today is Tuesday of the second week of Advent.

The Israelites had been freed from slavery in Egypt, but their troubles were not over. For 40 years, the people wandered through the desert as punishment for their obstinence and disobedience.

God continued to care for them during this time. He healed their illnesses, fed them with miraculous

manna from heaven, and provided water to quench their thirst. At long last, God brought his people to the land that he

had promised. Unfortunately, other people already dwelt in that land, and Israel would need to

enter it as a warrior nation.

Through Joshua, God led the Israelites into this land and won the victory for them.

Listen now to the story of Joshua and the Israelites in the city of Jericho.

Then Joshua rose early in the morning and the priest took up the ark of the Lord, the seven

priests carrying the seven trumpets of Ramshorns before the Ark of the Lord passed on, blowing the

trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rear guard came after the Ark of

the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. On the second day, they marched around the

city once and then returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they rose

early at dawn, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day

that they marched around the city seven times. And at the seventh time, when the priest had blown the

trumpets, Joshua said to the people, shout, for the Lord has given you the city. The city and all that is in it

shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. So the people shouted and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the

people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout and the wall fell

down flat, so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.

Finally, after all those years and all those trials, God once again let his people to the land

he had promised. But people were still living there.

Perhaps most intimidating of all was the fortified city of Jericho.

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