Something There Is That Doesn’t Love a Wall
Yesterday I preached on the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho. Afterward, our dear friends Bill and Sherry Rankin led our time of communion. Here are the words Sherry wrote. I thought you’d enjoy them:
Robert Frost said: “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” He didn’t say what that something was, but whatever it was, it wasn’t human, because we humans love walls. There are some amazing walls in this world, most of them built to keep people out.
The longest man-made structure on earth is a wall: the Great Wall of China, begun in the 5th century before Christ to keep out the Mongol hordes. Then there’s the wall the Emperor Hadrian built in the 2nd century after Christ across Northern England, to keep the out the Scottish hordes. And there’s Offa’s dyke, built in the 8th century along the boundary of Mercia and Wales to keep out the Welsh hordes. And then there’s the 7-foot privacy fence we put up in our back yard this summer, to keep out the neighborhood hordes. And if I asked for a show of hands here today, I bet most of you would have to admit you have a fence in your yard, whether you need it or not. We just like our walls. We like our space. We like to control our own territory.
Jericho was a city famous for its walls. Every one of us learned the song as kids: “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down.” Now that I’m older, I don’t have the same easy view I did as a child of that story. I don’t know that I understand all of the complexities of the situation; I don’t know that I can explain the violence of what happened there. But something there was that didn’t love that wall around Jericho. God wanted to show his people entering that promised land that walls might keep out men, they might keep out an army—and the people living inside might feel safe, self-sufficient, in charge of their own fates. But walls crumble before the will of God, and the wall around Jericho didn’t stand a chance before him. Joshua’s army didn’t even have to touch the walls. They just obeyed God, marched around the city, blew their horns, and the walls came down.
God has this thing about knocking down walls. Walls bother him, for some reason. So hundreds of years after Joshua marched around the walls of Jericho, another Joshua, God himself in human flesh, visited Jericho and knocked down another kind of wall. Zaccheus, that wee little man from another childhood song, lived in Jericho, and he had built a great big wall in his life. Like most walls, it was about keeping some things out and some things in, about reassuring himself of his own power and control. His wall wasn’t made of brick and mortar, though. Zaccheus had walled up his heart. He had convinced himself that things were more important than people and that being rich was more valuable than being righteous. But maybe because he felt safe inside his wall or maybe because his wall was starting to crumble, he climbed up in that tree to see Jesus—Joshua, in Hebrew—when the Teacher came to town. Jesus saw the man hiding safe and self-satisfied behind his wall, and he knocked the wall right down. Zaccheus’ barriers collapsed: all the barriers he’d built between himself and others, and between himself and God. He invited Jesus inside his house, but more importantly, he let him inside his life. He went from being a guy who keeps people out to a guy who lets people in.
That’s what God does. Walls bother him. And they’re not part of his original plan: there were no walls in Eden—just God walking with his people who were caring for and cultivating his creation, plants, animals, the world itself. If you think about it, the first consequence of the fall was the building of a wall: they realized their nakedness, their vulnerability, and they sought to hide it, to separate themselves from God. The story of much of the rest of human history is a story of walls. But one moment changed all that—a moment whose season we’re preparing to celebrate. It was a moment of the tearing down of all walls, a moment when the barrier between spirit and flesh, Jew and Gentile, male and female, God and human—a moment when all of these walls collapsed before God. Paul admits as much when he says to the Ephesians, “For Christ himself is our peace, who has made us one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.”
We build walls, but God destroys them. We’re sitting here now, about to take communion, but most of us are still sitting behind walls. The word “communion” means to commune, to share, to communicate. You can’t truly do that from behind a wall. As we eat this bread and drink this wine, let’s remember the story of walls, let’s let Jesus inside, and let each other inside. Something there is that doesn’t love a wall. That “something” is God.
Wow! Thanks for sharing. Have a great day.
What an incredible way to start a Monday morning!
Great food for thought on this Monday morning. Breaking down walls at 52 is hard…..
Hate the children Joshua killed as well. The destruction of the wall was more important to than the toddlers playings inside it. What a great wall felling God who couldn’t figure something else out. It was man who destroyed those people (wall) not God.
Remember what “Red” (Morgan Freeman) said about walls in “Shawshank Redemption”? A classic!
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Thanks! (And wow.)
This was a very powerful and thoughtful talk. Thank you for sharing.
http://www.matthewsblog.waynesborochurchofchrist.org
Prophetic and true. I will eat these words today.
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve built many walls out of fear that I will lose my way of life if others – certain people or even Jesus Christ – can get in. Sherry’s description of a God who hates walls caused me to reflect on some statements Presidential candidates are saying about securing our nation’s border. It’s a complex issue I know. But how do you think “our God who hates walls” would respond to the massive walls (literal and otherwise) against illegal immigrants that former preacher Mike Huckabee wants to construct as his “top priority” if elected President? Is he pleased with a top priority agenda to build walls and instill yet more fear of “them”?
“God has this thing about knocking down walls.”
Maybe so, maybe not so. What about the ultimate wall, the one between the chosen/saved and the lost? Heaven is for the “in crowd” while hell is for all others. Until Christians accept a doctrine of universal salvation for all no matter what, then there will always be a wall, an us vs. them.
Mike – I am so glad you shared this! I loved it yesterday when Sherry was sharing it and I love it today. As a person who lived behind walls for so many years and who finally allowed God to tear them down I really do get it. At the WTGC I taught a class on forgiveness to the high school girls and shared with them the fact that unforgiveness builds walls and forgiveness tears them down. I’ve found this to be true in my own life. Today I try to practice forgiveness on a constant basis. It has made a huge difference in my life.
Martin,
That ultimate wall has already been removed. It was a wall that no person could do anything about, so God removed it by His grace, in sending Jesus Christ. The wall is gone regardless of what doctrine is proclaimed, or by whom.
No one on this blog has stated any concern for the people inside of the wall. Very Christian indeed.
Leland,
I’m concerned. Email me at jquile@gmail.com if you are concerned and we can chat. I’m looking forward to it.
Joel
Joel I will once I get time. Thanks man.
I think that Mrs. Rankin got it exactly backwards with regard to the garden of Eden. It is because a wall was breached (that God put in place) that caused the fall of man. Not the other way around.
My suspicion tells me that all of this talk about walls, by Mrs. Rankin, was said in order to drive home the point that there should be no distinction between the roles of men and women in the church. That is not what Gal.3:28 says.
My complaint is that when a church pursues an agenda, based on such a divisive issue, then unity is the ultimate casualty.
Mrs? Not Sister?
Mike thanks for sharing this communion talk.
It is very powerful and truthful.
I pray that God will tear down every wall that man and woman puts up in their lives.
I prayer that God will tear down especailly the wall that seperatates the Church. God may we be ONE as you are ONE.
May we answer the prayer of Jesus in John 17. May we be ONE.
May we be brought to complete unity. Amen!
Does this include the proposed wall on our southern border? I hope it does. . .we don’t need such a wall against our Mexican neighbors.
Larry,
I agree and I also think we should not destroy everything behind it. Probably like we are doing.
I appreciate Sherry giving me permission to publish this beautiful piece. I thought it would bless everyone. I should remember that there is NOTHING I could put here that would please everyone.
There are too many people in the church today who have as their industry the building, maintenance, and defense of walls. Giving up this vocation is just as difficult for them as anybody else who has to change their profession.
I certainly have never read the story of Joshua at Jericho and taken it that away. I agree with the sentiment in general, but I just don’t think that story is about knocking down walls. I believe it’s more about obeying God and witnessing the power he can use on our behalf when we let him lead us. But I certainly do agree that we wall ourselves in.
I can’t remember what book it was, but I read an opinion once that talked about how central air conditioning and garage door openers have really hurt community life in American neighborhoods. I agree with that.
I have lived in 6 or 7 different parts of the country and noticed that only in Texas did the vast majority of homes have a fence around them. That being said, none of those places had friendlier neighbors than I’ve had in Texas. To me that tends to indicate, it’s not so much the walls as much as how we use them.
I remember as a child feeling that I had free reign to run through the backyards of my neighbors (anyone within about 4 blocks in any direction of my house). Each time I crawled over a fence I entered a new and different world that revealed alot to me about it’s inhabitants. I loved those fences.
Great post. I appreciate you sharing!
Thanks for posting this, Mike. It will allow me to appreciate even more what Sherry shared with us yesterday. Her insight shows us yet again that there are so many facets to any given scripture or story in God’s word, no one has all the insights. We learn and learn and keep learning as the Holy Spirit gives us insight. Sherry did a great job, imho. Some of the responses here show there are walls that God might well wish to see torn down.
I often wonder if God giggles at our feeble attempts to put words in God’s mouth, to tell Him what He should have or should not have done. I truly hope He has a sense of humor or we’re in big trouble.
All I hear from some of the comments… Helen Lovejoy: “Won’t somebody PLEASE think of the children!?!?”
Thanks for sharing this, Mike! It’s a unique way to think of that story.
Leland, thanks for bringing up the ugliness of this story. I was at Highland yesterday and couldn’t get past the people killed inside the walls of Jericho. I don’t understand it and it is more than upsetting to me. I do get why you question that…because I do also.
But…with all that aside…I loved what Sherry said about walls. I love all the connections that can be made from it and I do believe that God hates walls….walls too tall to let others in, walls too thick to hear through, walls to keep only those like us close by, and those who are different out. Sherry’s delivery of those words was gentle and loving.
andymac,
I know your trying to defend Mike and his blog piece especially since he wrote he can’t post NOTHING which will all will agree but what the hell is your point?
Mike,
This piece has blessed everyone. Unfortunately, some are too blind to see it.
Just as some people see a wall that no longer exists. Yes, there is a Heaven and a Hell. There is eternal salvation and eternal damnation. That is not a wall. That is a reality. Anyone and everyone is welcome to walk into the way of eternal salvation; there is no wall of separation.
I pray that unity is closer than we have ever thought. God let teear down the walls that devide us on Sunday’s. Let us tear down the walls of creeds, of doctrines, of other things walls opinions that may fall in order for unity to occur and so that your church may be ONE as you are ONE. John 17. Amen & Amen.
Paul,
“Unfortunately, some are too blind to see it.” Who? because if it’s me answer my question about the genocide of Jericho and then I will be blessed. Call me out, I don’t mind. Chicken shit reference me, I do.
So Paul,
There isn’t a wall of ignorance, through no fault of their own, people all around the world will never hear about Jesus. And they are destined to hell according to your theology.
That doesn’t sound like a loving or just God.
But, maybe if we stopped using our ideas of justice and looked at the justice preached in the OT, we might see things differently.
What exactly is your question about the “genocide of Jericho”?
andymac,
All were killed because of their ethnicity. That is genocide. 1994 Rwanda, ring a bell. What if the Tutsi’s built a wall? Would the Hutu destruction be justified to tear it down? That’s what I mean.
Mike,
Thanks so much for sharing! The thing this illustration really makes me think about is evangelism. I know so many people that have been turned away from church because they don’t feel love or acceptance. I don’t know anyone who has been brought to Christ by rules and “walls,” but I know many who have been able to see Him through the openness and love demonstrated by other people. Hopefully, the can also see a freedom God has given us from such boundaries. My prayer for us is that we can let down our defenses, not only to let God work in us, but to allow Him to work through us to change others.
This is misguided, at best. I don’t see anywhere in the sacred scriptures that “God hates walls”. God hates SIN, not walls.
As far as Jericho is concerned, you will kindly notice that God had not taken EITHER side, as far as the PEOPLE were concerned. God had taken the side of RIGHTEOUSNESS, not the side of the Israelites. He wasn’t AGAINST the people of Jericho, but was AGAINST SIN. The commander of the Lord’s army tells us as much prior to the events at Jericho.
If God hated walls so much, then please tell me why he was so insistent on Nehemiah building one… Nehemiah used that wall to great effect to stop the desecration of the Sabbath day, by LOCKING FOLKS OUT. Let’s ask the people of Noah’s time, banging on the THICK WALLS of the ark, probably wanting in once they saw the flood waters rising… No doubt someone will retort that these are OT examples…but wasn’t that “wall God hated” around Jericho back in those times, too?
Or, to switch over to NT times: If God is all for the destruction of walls by His people, then we must ignore the destruction of Jerusalem. Those mighty walls were destroyed because of the magnitude of the sin of the people of Jerusalem, not for some glorious, fuzzy, “everybody’s saved” feeling…
Would you also say that the “great gulf” between Abraham/Lazarus and the rich man is a wall/separation? If that is a wall/separation, and God “hates” walls/separation, then the gospel isn’t true.
As far as the walls that separate us from each other, I am all for the destruction of the unscriptural and pointless ones. What I am not for is this notion that we can’t have any separation at all between any of us…that all of us must share everything with everyone at all times. Again and again, this leads to hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and even worse. Call me whatever you wish, but we have become TOO WARM AND FUZZY FOR OUR OWN GOOD. I’m speaking from a strictly observational viewpoint, because I don’t think scripture specifies exactly how we should all deal with our personal boundaries. There is, apparently, a sense among Christians that anyone who chooses to be more of a private person has something wrong with them. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with those of us who live that way…perhaps we have no life shattering events to gush over every time we meet. Perhaps we choose to not tell everyone our every thought and secret. And, perhaps, THAT IS JUST FINE. FOR US, AND FOR YOU. You know I’m not talking about extremes here, so don’t go down that road. I just reject this notion that people who choose to remain quiet and reserved are sinning by not constantly running their mouths. What does everyone have against someone who just doesn’t see the need for spilling the beans every time you see them? Not to be too coarse, but some of us just wish for a return to a time when everybody minded their own stinking business, to a point.
As far as the violence: God said to Abraham way back in Genesis that the sin of the Amorites had not reached its “full measure”. Apparently by the time of Joshua, it had. End of subject. No questions. Either the Bible tells me so, or it doesn’t. We might as well say that God isn’t loving because anyone suffers today, also. Trying to explain God’s reasoning and plan through our human emotions is just pointless, and you will just stay confused forever.
On a lighter note, since there are so many on this blog who can’t stand the idea of a border wall, YOU MUST ALL BE GREAT ADMIRERS OF REAGAN, RIGHT??? I mean, after all, he did exhort someone to “Tear down this wall!” Oh, wait, I forgot, walls are only evil when they keep people from invading another country, not when they are imprisoning people in a communist state that denies the existence of God…Those walls are ok, right?
Flame on…
I can’t believe you still blog, Mike.
Matt – I’ve accepted that some people don’t get the idea of imagination and metaphor. Everything is a heresy to be dissected. Let them knock themselves out.
Meanwhile, I feel this great freedom: something there is that doesn’t love a wall. Or so says the apostle Paul.
Leland – I have no easy answers for you, my friend. The passages bother me, too. The whole idea of “herem” (Hebrew word for “a devoted thing” to be destroyed completely – Num. 21:2-3; Dt. 7:2; Josh 6:21; 8:26; 10:28; 11:11, etc.) is mind-boggling. It has always thrown me for a loop as a believer. If I was writing a book to upend faith this is where I’d start (as, e.g., Sam Harris has).
I understand the Marcionites well! They couldn’t reconcile the God who is revealed by Jesus Christ (“turn the other cheek” . . . “love your enemy”) with the vicious God of the OT, so they insisted these were two different Gods.
And it wearies me that people have a way of reading Jesus through the OT stories like these — rather than let Jesus be the center of scripture through whom we understand redemption history.
I plead ignorance. At the end of the day, I am a follower of Jesus who puts my trust in him and his ways — including his confidence in the story of Israel.
These stories are not the high points of the Old Testament, for sure.
But what if . . . God had been pleading with the people of Jericho to yield to him, to turn from their ways of violence and oppression (as in Sodom)?
What if we read this story like the flood — God’s attempt to create a fresh start? He has chosen a people to held restore the world. He, in his sovereignty, offers them a land that has been promised. And through that beachhead, he intends to bless all people — ever country, every group, every family.
I know. I know. It doesn’t solve everything for me, either.
You ask good questions, amigo.
Thank you Mike for blogging and for being graceful.
Mike, that last comment of yours was a great example of breaking down walls. “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” Thanks for being a great spiritual role model to me through the years.
Mike- Your last comment was the perfect example of how to please everyone; “speak the truth in love.” Truth without love is repulsive and love without truth is nausiating. As you can see, I’m still learning myself.
Troy – I think you’re wrong. It wasn’t a good example of how to please everyone. Apparently, it didn’t please you.
Mike- I was making a reference to your last comment, not the rest.
What doesn’t please me is when a point is forced and built on a false premise, with the intention of advancing an agenda that is divisive and damaging to the body of Christ.
Mike – Thanks for your response to Leland. Ignore the sniping of a few others. (Every time I read something by one of the commentors on your or another blog, I just think, “Hey. I don’t have to be married to him. I don’t have to be one of his kids. And he isn’t one of my elders, at least I don’t think.”) What you said to Leland helps me more than you could know. I have a hard time living with passages like this. It helps to know that you do, too. But that you still believe.
AlGuy- Sniping is what you just did to me, not what I’ve done to Mike.
I have yet to hear anyone defend what Mrs. Rankin said (including Mrs. Rankin herself), other than to offer some touchy, feely expression of awestruck admiration for both her and Mike.
How good it must be to be in a congregation that encourages walls to come down. Too often we hear of walls of division; we hear too many beat the drumbeat of labeling, categorizing and demonizing those with whom they disagree. So, I say thank you Mike, and thank you Sherry, and thank you Highland. You are a city on a hill for many of us who are longing to see a church that is patterned after Jesus.
Kathy, thanks for that perspective. After going to Highland for the last 11 years, I’ve become so spoiled to being in an atmosphere of loving acceptance that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to worry about what you say being picked apart, although reading the comments on Mike’s blog is reminding me, fast! It is indeed a blessing to attend a church peopled largely with kindly souls who are willing to sift through the grain of other Christians’ feeble verbal offerings, take what is nourishing, and with the breath of kindness blow the chaff away.
So if you don’t agree with the opinion expressed by the kind lady and her preacher, then you don’t have “imagination”, or get the “idea of metaphor”. If Jericho were a metaphor, then I would be with you. You can’t use one example, and not the other. You use Jericho and say you are being imaginative and metaphorical. I use Nehemiah, and I’m unimaginative and a dullard.
Troy is right. You agree with this gibberish and get praised, or you express a reasoned difference of opinion and get made fun of. Just how far up in the air does your nose have to be to act this way? As long as you agree with these folks, you can say anything you want, curse words included, and everyone gushes. Express a different side of the argument, and “it’s on!”.
So is anyone going to tell me why God wanted a wall (and thus, separation) around His city, or does it not fit your warm, fuzzy construct in a way you can explain?
The last comment is very telling: you can only be a “kindly soul” (and, by presumption, a “Christian”) if you agree with these folks. If you disagree with them, you have “feeble verbal offerings”, and your opinion is “chaff” to be “blown away”. If you don’t want disagreement, then don’t have a blog, and especially don’t have a blog with comments…