Apocalyptic symbolism found in the destruction of Jericho

Michie · Jun 16, 2024

Various spiritual writers have seen apocalyptic symbolism in the destruction of Jericho, looking at it from a Christian perspective.

In the book of Joshua, God commands Joshua to march around the walls of Jericho, promising to deliver to him the city:

Now Jericho was shut up from within and from without because of the people of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given into your hand Jericho, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; and on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets."
Joshua 6:1-4

Apocalyptic symbolism

As with any part of the Bible, the story can be viewed from a variety of angles, including a spiritual reading that looks to the end of the world.

The Christian writer Origen detailed his thoughts in a homily that was included in the Church's official Office of Readings:

In the Scriptures Jericho is often represented as an image of the world. There can be no doubt that the man whom the Gospel describes as going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and falling into the hands of brigands is an image of Adam being driven out of paradise into the exile of this world. Likewise the blind men in Jericho, to whom Jesus came to give sight, signified the people in this world who were blinded by ignorance, to whom the Son of God came.

Origen then sees in this story of the fall of Jericho, the fall of this world:

Continued below.