The solemn silence of the procession presented an ideal opportunity for meditation and reflection on the part of the besiegers of the city, on whose hearts God was seeking to impress the great lesson of faith. Such lessons are not easily learned, and often much time is required. If God always answered our requests immediately, we would not have the opportunity of exercising or developing faith. Delay impresses upon us our dependence on God and teaches us to trust in Him. But such a result comes only if the period of waiting is devoted to quiet meditation and the exercise of full submission to the divine plan. How many blessings we miss by not keeping silence before the Lord, and waiting for Him to work in our behalf. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). Only slowly do we learn the lesson, “He that believeth shall not make haste” (Isa. 28:16).

For the besieging of a walled city nothing seemed quite so ridiculous as what the Israelites were doing. But God had His design in such a procedure, and the lessons of unconditional faith and patient trust in the power and assistance of God were deeply impressed upon the Israelites. They knew that the omnipotence of Jehovah alone gave this walled city into their hands.