Hebrews 11:30  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31  By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Joshua spent 40 years in training with Moses as the nation of Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today, we want everything fast. Joshua needed to learn patience. He had opportunities to serve alongside Moses during those 40 years, but he did not become the leader until he was 80 years old. He had much opportunity to witness the blessings of walking by faith. Joshua was given instructions as to how to approach this city. The men of war were to march around the city once a day for six days. Seven priests were to go before the ark with seven trumpets of rams’ horns, blowing them continually as they marched around the wall.
God had already prepared things for the defeat of Jericho. Jericho was so fearful of the nation of Israel that they did not dare to even try to attack them. Because they did not know God, they had a dreaded fear of God. Rather than being liberated by the right fear of God, they were crippled by the wrong fear of God.
Their fear of God caused the people of Jericho to lock everything down. They did not know what was ahead. They watched the men of Israel march around that city once a day for six days. Then on the seventh day, the men of war marched around the city seven times. After the seventh time, the priests were to make a long blast with the ram’s horn and that was the signal for the people to shout with a great shout and the wall of the city fell down flat.
The Bible tells us that the people then entered the city over that fallen wall. They did not face any resistance. The Bible tells us that they entered the city and slew all the people with the edge of the sword. Only Rahab and her family were spared. Her house was on the wall, but God protected that house and all that were in that house.
Verse 31 tells us that Rahab placed her life in the faith that hath substance. She had learned some things from the two spies earlier. She was willing to listen and to receive the truth. She also had heard of how God had led the nation of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness.
Rahab knew enough to trust God rather than the pagan gods of her city. She trusted the spies’ words and she was spared because she put her faith in the true God.
We see in the remaining verses that God briefly listed some others who also walked by faith. None of those who put their faith in the true God were disappointed. Some of them missed out on personal blessings because they did not follow God as faithfully as those mentioned earlier.
Nevertheless God shows us the importance of trusting Him. We see that some of those who walked by faith suffered greatly. Some were sawn asunder and others were stoned. Some had their lives spared while others were tortured. God does not promise that all of His children will be spared the violence of wicked people.
However, we see from verse 38 that this world was not worthy of such godly people. God took them out of this world through different means. While they were here they were pilgrims. Some did not have the luxury of even having a home to go to. They lived as nomads, wandering where they could find a place to stay for a day or a night. They needed to be on the move due to the ungodly environment they lived in. However, they had their faith in the true God. That is what is important. All those who reject God perish. Thus it is far better to walk faithfully with the Lord and face trouble here for a short time, than to reject God and face an eternity in the lake of fire.
Jesus Christ is better. The wise person chooses to follow Him regardless of the challenges that will bring.
Pastor Bartel