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Reading from the book of Joshua lately, it struck me how often Joshua and the Israelites were given a command from the Lord without explanation, obeyed the command to the letter, and experienced great blessings as a result.
God told Joshua to circumcise the Israelite men, all of whom had been born during the 40 years of desert wandering. Joshua and the men did as instructed. God commanded Joshua to have the priests in charge of the Ark of the Covenant step into the Jordan River, holding the Ark there so the river would stop as a great wall of water. This allowed  the Israelites to cross on dry land. 
God commanded that the leaders of the tribes gather stones from the Jordan River to erect a monument in memory of the great feat, so they carried large stones on their shoulders and created the memorial. 
God told Joshua to instruct the army about marching around Jericho for seven days. They obeyed and were victorious, finally occupying the land God had promised in the days of Moses.
As I read, it struck me… These acts of obedience were difficult! The Israelites did not simply say, “I have faith that God will do His good work,” or, “I claim the victory through God,” in the way that some modern TV preachers claim to “speak it forth.” On the contrary, their faith was demonstrated in their obedience, and God, as always, kept His promises to them. It required faith AND action on the part of Joshua and his followers, and the actions were not easy!
I began to research the strength and fortitude it must have required to obey these commands. Here’s what I found.
The average time it takes to heal after an adult circumcision is four to six weeks (Kigozi et al., 2014; Rai et al., 2013). These Israelite men experienced the pain and healing while camping in the desert. They knew in advance what they would face, but they obeyed anyway.
The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant had to bear an estimated 70 pounds of weight per person for the duration of the army’s crossing (Schatz, 2007). Imagine the amount of time it took for 40,000 Israelites to cross, meaning the priests had to bear that weight for an extended period of time. I remember holding my 20-pound toddler for 5–10 minutes and the strain it put on my arms and back. I cannot imagine bearing 70 pounds for so long, not to mention the time they took carrying the Ark to the river and then to camp. But they did it, and the army crossed the river on dry ground because of their obedience in the face of difficulty.
The chosen members of the tribes carried not small pebbles from the river to the memorial spot, but large stones, hoisted on their shoulders. They did not have the luxury of hand trucks or wagons. They did not look for the smallest stones in the river. They bore the weight of the large stones, obedient in the face of hardship.
The city of Jericho is estimated by modern archaeologists to have been about 600 meters (over one-third of a mile) in circumference (One Page Bible Summary, n.d.). While this is not a great distance for an army (even on rough terrain), imagine the fortitude it took for the army to ceremonially and quietly walk that distance a total of 13 times in seven days without knowing the reason God commanded this act. But they obeyed.
Think about this: one of God’s first commands in the book of Joshua is, “Be strong and courageous.” In one instance, God even commands, “Be strong and VERY courageous” (emphasis mine). God gives Joshua some variation of this command at least three times in Joshua, chapter 1. God knew strength and courage would be necessary to obey His forthcoming commands, and He prepared Joshua in advance, promising never to leave nor forsake him.
How often does God give us instructions? Do we follow them? Do we ask “Why?” before being obedient? What does God want us to do today that requires strength and great courage? Do we trust that He has prepared us in advance for the work He wants us to do, and that He will be with us in the midst of the struggle?
When God instructs us, He does not promise it will be easy to obey. It might require pain and healing. It may require strength and fortitude beyond what we thought was possible. It could require exhausting work, carrying heavy burdens, feeling silly or uncomfortable, being silent, or being loud!
Regardless of what God requires of us, though, we can be sure obedience leads to blessing. I pray for great strength and courage as the Lord leads us in the way He would have us to go. Will you join me?

References

Kigozi, G., Gray, R. H., Wawer, M., Serwadda, D., Nalugoda, F., Makumbi, F., Kagaayi, J., Kiwanuka, N., Balasubramanian, R., & Quinn, T. C. (2014). Male circumcision wound healing in HIV-negative and HIV-positive men in Rakai, Uganda. BJU International, 113(1), 127–132. https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.12402

One Page Bible Summary. (n.d.). The battle of Jericho (Joshua 6). Retrieved September 2, 2025, from https://www.onepagebiblesummary.com/bat/tc_bat_11.php

Rai, B. P., Qureshi, A., Kadi, N., & Donat, R. (2013). How painful is adult circumcision? A prospective, observational cohort study. The Journal of Urology, 189(6), 2237–2242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2012.12.029

Schatz, J. (2007). The weight of the Ark of the Covenant. Jewish Bible Quarterly, 35(2), 113–116.