Occupy Wall Street: The Seeds of Empowerment Have been Planted in the People!

Joshua 6

¹ Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

² Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. ³ March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. ⁵ When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

⁶ So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the LORD and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” ⁷ And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the LORD.”

⁸ When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the LORD went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the LORD’s covenant followed them. ⁹ The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. ¹⁰ But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” ¹¹ So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

¹² Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. ¹³ The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the LORD and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets kept sounding. ¹⁴ So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. ¹⁵ On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. ¹⁶ The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! ¹⁷ The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD.

²⁰ When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.

When the people get together on one accord to stand up for an equal share, their place at the table, to fight for opportunity they will not be defeated. Indeed the people will be heard!

Over the last month I have been excited to see people organizing and standing up the marginalized and left out. The Occupy Wall Street movement is now a nationwide initiative reminding the country that the minority can no longer oppress the majority, classicism must end, the growing gap between the wealthy and the poor must end. We are all made in the IMAGE OF GOD, we all have a right work, support our families, and have places to live. God has promised good to us, just like God promised Joshua, Moses and the Hebrew people. God has promised to keep us and to be with us always!

Just like the Hebrew people in the text of Joshua God has made promises to our Generation also. However like the Hebrew people we must march around the city, we must lift up bullhorns, we must let our voices be heard, and we must not give up! In today's text we are reminded to be patient and wait for God to bring the walls down. We must not give up, and we must not be discouraged thinking that our voices are not heard because they are. Every day the Hebrew people marched and sounded horns. Then on the last day they marched around seven times and they were given their increase. Friends our society must change it's greedy ways, and if you and I continue to march, protest, and speak out against injustice we too can bring down the walls of unfair Capitalism, Classicism, and unfair labor selection process! Let's prove that God's promises don't fall void!

Dear God today give us the courage and strength to fight against injustice, let our faith be strong enough to keep the fight until change and blessings come. In our personal lives as well as our communal lives. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen.