Tarry At Jericho

“When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.” (2Sa 10:5 AV)

Jericho was an interesting place.  One of the first city to fall to the Hebrews when they entered Canaan, it was cursed by the words of Joshua because of the inhabitants that dwelled therein.  It was cursed in the sense there was nothing redeemable within its walls accept Rahab and her family.  All other persons and material wealth were seen as cursed and nothing to be taken as a spoil.  Joshua further curse the site by stating if it was to be rebuilt, the man responsible would lose his firstborn and youngest in the process.  This did not forebear the building of the city.  Just in doing so it would cause heartache in the process.

The city of Jericho was actually a beautiful place.  The name means ‘place of fragrance’.  It was a fenced city in the midst of a vast grove of palm trees.  Five miles from the river Jordan, it was the primary city of the eastern border of Palestine.  A miracle occurred there that sums up the purpose of this city.  There was a school of the prophets there and the water which they needed was bitter and undrinkable.  Elisha was able to restore the water by miraculously casting a certain herb into the well.  Jericho was a cursed city restored to usefulness at the cost of something dear.  It was the place those who were cast out either by actions of their own, or by the prejudice of others, to be restored to usefulness among God’s people.  It is this city in which those sent by David were shamed by Hanun, king of the Ammonites went until their beards were grown.

Sometimes, the saint is temporary hindered in his usefulness to God’s people.  Sometimes, it is not of his own making.  Maybe his or her spouse was unfaithful, resulting in a dissolved marriage.  Perhaps a saint suffers financial catastrophe due to an unpredictable circumstance.  Or, maybe it was a result of poor judgement.  Perhaps it as a false accusation that put a saint’s usefulness on hold.  The cause does not matter.  Time for healing does.  There is no shame is seeking a Jericho.  A place and time when one can allow the grace of God to restore circumstances of service.  However, there are things that must be done in Jericho.  The school of the prophets still functioned.  There was still training and preparation.  There were till avenues of service to the LORD.  They were merely different.  Everyone will need a Jericho from time to time.  Tarry there.  Listen.  Learn. Grow.