Formado em 1999, o Evergreen Terrace, quinteto de Jacksonville/Florida, mostra que é possível misturar hardcore melódico com metal sem causar estranhamento.

Para comprovar, é só dar um play no vídeo abaixo, Sending Signals, presente em seu mais recente álbum Almost Home, que saiu em setembro pela Metal Blade Records e que traz 11 faixas e participação de Tim Lambesis (As I Lay Dying).

Vale dizer que em breve eles entram em turnê pela Europa ao lado de Ignite, Biohazard, Agnostic Front, Death By Stereo, Walls Of Jericho e No Turning Back; e que o guitarrista que divide os vocais do ET com Andrew Carey é Josh James, que também é vocalista da banda straight edge Casey Jones.

Quem quiser ouvir um pouco mais do Evergreen Terrace — que provavelmente tirou seu nome da vizinhança dos Simpsons — é só clicar aqui!

E aí, Simpsonscore ou Karate Kidcore?

The following sermon was preached by Rev. Calum I. Macleod at the Wednesday night prayer meeting 4th November 2009.

The text is Joshua 6:17,25…And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. …..25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive

You’re runnin’ around in the gamblin’ hall
Every night it’s the same
You’re lookin’ for something new to play
To win and have fun is your aim

[Chorus]
Gorgar will eat you, Gorgar – man you’ll never win – hey
Gorgar will eat you, Gorgar – but you keep on playin’ – hey

Although I’m not an expert I am qualified to teach introductory undergraduate courses on the Bible. I try to “check in” with the experts from time to time. My question is this: what’s presently the dominant theory on whether the Israelites conquered Canaan, peacefully settled Canaan, or were Canaanites?

The live performance of a song on Wacken has been uploaded to their youtube account! I haven’t seen this myself, just found it and want to share!

edit: Nappa’s english is cute :p

The four dudes of Thai Rockband Retrospect are breaking down the borders for the first time since their start. They’re on the bill of the next Wacken Open Air in Germany. Nothing special? Well, consider the fact it’s their first trip to the continent, the festival attracts about 70.000 guests and it has been sold out ever since november last year. Are they up for succes? A quick/small recap of their career so far, so even the people who don’t know them can easily get to know them.

Retrospect is a band residing in Bangkok, Thailand. Ever since their start in 2000, the boys – or guys – from Retrospect have been able to astonish people with their own Retrorian style. (Retrorian is also the name of their fanclub and the song Yes Sir! is kind of their fanclub chant :p) Their first EP called For Your Ears Only got released through ScreamLab Records in the summer of 2003. It immediately gave attention to the young band and an English Demo called For Your Ears Anytime was a fact. Not that much later they got signed by Genie Records, a GMM Grammy subsidiary and one of the leading Thai record Labels, and were able to put out their first full-length Unleashed in 2007. Their first DVD: The First Concert, showed the boys in their natural habitat and showed a lot of their talent by letting them do duets and featurings with other Genie stars as Da Endorphine and Tao from Sweet Mullet

More recently, in July 2008, came the follow up to their debut: Rise and in December of the same year they released their second DVD/VCD of the new tour called Rise Now! They easily end up in the Thai charts with their music-videos and singles and often stand out in-between the more Pop-orientated Thai culture. Retrospect took Thailand by storm and will not rest before the rest of the world has heard of them. Like I said before, they’re booked for the giant Rock-festival Wacken Open Air in Germany and so their popularity outside Thailand can only start to increase. (They’re playing on the 31st of July, second day of Wacken between Tristania and Mago de Oz on the Party Stage)

Thailand is multicultural. Pop, Rock and Rap easiy go together and are incorporated in the same song. Retrospect tries grabbing the best things out of every genre and put them together at their live shows. Either classical VieTrio, beatboxing Chin Chinawuth or pop rocking Da Endorphine are easily mixed into Retrospect’s harder music.In their latest DVD they even featured one of their youngest fans: Poom, screaming along with Singer Nap’s screams. That said, Nap’s screams are sure to give everyone goosebumps and the vocal parts are easy to sing along to. Now all we have to do left is study Thai and get to know what they’re actually singing about.

Members:
Chanattha Saisila/Nappa (Vocals)
Nopawach Gajajiva/Bom (Bass)
Tanapol Srikanjana/Not (Guitar)
Suttipan Sangyut/Birth (Drums)

For fans: Underoath, Alesana, blessthefall, Sweet Mullet Recommended: Raeng kub kluen en Pror wa ruk Discography: For Your Ears only (2003) For Your Ears Anytime (2003), Unleashed (2007), Rise (2008)
LastFM
Myspace
Youtube
Buy: eThaiCD

Next are some snippets of earlier work, DVD’s and of course the little Retrorian kid. Enjoy and don’t forget to go and watch them if you’re going Wacken this year! (BTW, could it be possible they intended to go to Germany because some German fans showed up on a Thai concert?)

Retrospect has posted another video on their youtube account. For the people who hope to see some footage (Except for like a few seconds in the beginning), I have to disappoint you. It’s just a 7min interview (in thai) about Wacken I suppose. Can anyone translate? :p

It’s been nearly a month since Thai Rockers from Retrospect performed on the big Wacken Festival in Germany, and still we can’t really find any footage of the concert. I’m trying my best to show you things, but they’re not making it easy for me.

The guys of Retrospect, however, are releasing things little by little, and I hope that we won’t have to wait very long anymore before we’re able to seen footage of their European Debut!

A picture of some concert footage I haven’t been able to find

And another one of those Wacken pictures:

Bring Me The Horizon played after Retrospect but it seems like they did meet backstage. Care to go on tour together?

(And can I honestly say that Nappa and Birth are small? Cause I know for a fact that Oli Sykes isn’t tall either. Oh well. Asians.)

It’s only a big picture though, but it is something!

And This was their setlist!

01.แค่นิยาย/Tales
02.ความฝันของเรา/Kwam fun kong rao
03.ขอ/Kor
04.เปลือก/Pluek
05.ลุกขึ้นสู้/Look kuen soo
06.Yes Sir! (Wacken Version)
07.คนบนฟ้า/Khon bon fah
08.พรุ่งนี้ไม่สำคัญ/Tomorrow isn’t important
09.เพราะว่ารัก/Pror wa ruk
10.ไม่มีเธอ/Mai mee ter
——————
ENCORE
——————
total : 55 minutes

What could the wacken version possibly be? I hope that they played the Run in their Encore. At least those lucky bastards at Wacken got Pror Wa Ruk, Yes Sir! and Mai Mee Ter. I’m filled with envy.

After these whole two weeks of searching the net, finding absolutely no footage of their Wacken performance, I came across some comments and noticed the band has made quite some impact.

People calling Retrospect their highlight – knowing there were over 200 bands on the festival site – and saying they have to come to England – or any other place in the world – and tour. As well as comments on Last.fm Stating they should tour the world together with label-mates Sweet Mullet. Now all we are wondering about is: why won’t they?

I also couldn’t keep myself from posting this thingy. It looked like they had some fun, will it mean they’ll do anything to return?

Few online comments:

heu guys from the uk, bristol
i really love your music and all my friends do tooo
we really want you to tour the UK
I think the excitmentg of dir en grey touring with kerrang your get the same or even more respect will be amazing to seee you guys
cheeers
john xxxxx

——

Greetings from Berlin
Silke

——

Best gig I..ve seen on W:O:A ! Respect, Retrospect harhar!
Best Regards, Mark and Hatedotcom

——

W:O:A was great!
Jan

Thai Rockband Retrospect’s trip to Wacken is over and I’m here to tell you something.

Bummer. As far as I’m concerned the guys of Retrospect did great on this year’s Wacken festival. Though I have to admit I wasn’t even there, I haven’t found any clips on the internet and I’m just biased. For now I’ve only seemed to be able to find a little note. It’s just them talking in some not-understandable Thai and I believe greeting and thanking the European audience.

You can expect more when I find it as I’m willing to spread some Retrospect-love!

classic album¡¡¡¡

link

http://rapidshare.com/files/155262109/1985_Walls_Of_Jericho.rar

Lange habe ich hier nichts mehr geschrieben. Darum nun mal zwei interessante Konzert-Ankündigungen:

[26.07.2009] WALLS OF JERICHO & THE RED CHORD

Support:
LAVATCH
SHAKE THE PAGODA TREE
BLACK THOUGHTS BLEEDING
im Musikbunker Aachen – http://www.musikbunker-aachen.de/
Einlass: 19.00 Uhr
Beginn: 19.30 Uhr
Tickets: VK 14,- (+ Geb.) / http://www.ticketmaster.de

http://www.musikbunker-aachen.de/musikbunker/de/pages/veranstaltungen/konzerte.php#260709
http://www.myspace.com/wallsofjericho (Metalcore)
http://www.myspace.com/theredchord (Deathcore)
http://www.myspace.com/lavatch (Hardcore)
http://www.myspace.com/shakethepagodatree (Deathcore)
http://www.myspace.com/blackthoughtsbleeding (Metalcore)

[12.08.2009] THE CREEPSHOW & NIM VIND

im Musikbunker Aachen – http://www.musikbunker-aachen.de/
http://www.myspace.com/nimvind (Horror-Punk)
www.myspace.com/thecreepshow (Psychobilly)

Vaikka tämän vuoden Ilosaarirockin ennakkomyynti on alkanut normaalia hitaammin, Tiketti jo varoittaa, että lippuja on saatavilla rajoitetusti. Eli alkaa olla viimeiset hetket käsillä, jos aikoo lippuja saada varsinaisen festarin puolelle. Klubeille varmasti saa vielä ihan hyvin. Samalla voisin ilmoittaa, että minulla on yksi ylimääräinen lippu, jonka myyn ostohintaan. Mieluiten möisin jyväskyläläiselle, jotta homman voi hoitaa kasvotusten, eikä tarvitsisi luottaa Postiin. Jos ostaja pystyy jotenkin osoittamaan, ettei aio myydä lippua kaksinkertaisella hinnalla eteenpäin, siitä on etua

Mutta sitten itse asiaan. Voisin käydä ennakkoon tämän vuoden Ilosaarirockin läpi samaan tapaan kuin Provinssin, eli antamalla ne tärpit, jotka itse aion tsekata. Aikataulu löytyy Ilosaarirockin sivuilta.

LAUANTAI 18.7.2009 portit auki klo 12.

13:00 Päälava
Lauantai alkaa heti tiukasti Asa ja Jätkäjätkät -poppoolla, josta kirjoitin jo Provinssiennakon yhteydessä. Provinssilauantai meni minulla niin hienosti, että täytyi lähteä “lepäilemään” jo aikaisessa vaiheessa iltaa, joten viimeisenä esiintynyt Asa Jätkäjätkineen jäi näkemättä. Nyt esitysaika on onneksi vanhuksillekin sopiva, joten tätä ei voi missata (ellei perjantai ole mennyt liian pitkäksi). Olen nähnyt Asan livenä ainoastaan viime kesän Flow’ssa, missä se esiintyi vielä juuri ja juuri kirkkaassa illassa, mutta luulen että tämä meininki sopii yhtä hyvin myös aurinkoisen aamupäivän herätyskelloksi. Letkeä musiikki pistää uniset raajat liikkeelle ja sanoitukset, mikäli niitä ehtii kuulla ja ymmärtää, saavat sosiaalisen omatunnonkin hieraisemaan rähmät silmistään. Sopivampaa aloitusta on Ilosaarirockille vaikea kuvitella.

14:00 Kolmoslava/Rentolava
Seuraavaksi joutuukin vähän valikoimaan. Tai sitten ei. Rentolava ja Kolmoslava ovat lähellä toisiaan, joten kahdelta voi sompailla Rubikin ja Hannibal & Joku Roti Mafian välillä… jos siis siltä tuntuu. Jostain syystä Rubik ei hirvittävästi sytyttänyt Provinssissa (vika taisi olla omassa liian innostuneessa olossa), ja toisaalta olen ajatellut viettää Rentolavan läheisyydessä tänä vuonna tavallista enemmän aikaa. Eli aina kun vain ehtii. Rubik on kasvanut köyhän miehen Mewistä ihan kunnon bändiksi, mutta onkohan siinä menetetty jotain sellaista, mikä sai ihmiset City and the Streetsin kautta yhtyeen kuuntelijoiksi ja jopa faneiksi… Pitäisi kuunnella sitä uutta levyä vähän ennen tuomiota.

15:00 Rekkalava
Jos ei Asaa parempaa aloitusta voi Ilosaarelle keksiä, niin kyllä seuraava artisti pääsee aika lähelle. Viime vuonna Tohtori Orff ja Herra Dalcroze esiintyivät Kolmoslavalla, mikä ei ainakaan minusta ollut ihan paras ratkaisut. Tänä vuonna he pääsevät herättelemään yleisöä takaisin Rekkalavalle, mikä heille onkin aivan täydellinen paikka. En erityisemmin pidä lastenmusiikista (todellako?!), mutta annoin ennakkoluulojen kerran väistyä ja suosittelen samaa muillekin tämän kokoonpanon kohdalla. Aivan mahtavaa meininkiä luvassa.

16:00 Kolmoslava
Lepäämään ei pääse vieläkään, vaan päinvastoin seuraavaksi aloittaa Kolmoslavalla yksi koko festivaalin kiinnostavimmista artisteista, venäläinen Everything Is Made in China. Venäläiset muusikot ovat hävettävän harvinaista herkkua Suomessa, viimeisimmässä Jyrockissa heitä sentään oli. Ilosaarirock on, yllätys yllätys, napannut varmastikin yhden itänaapurimme parhaista yhtyeistä. Pikaisen tutustumisen perusteella kyseessä on indievaikutteinen post-rock -yhtye, joka Jyrockin esiintyjistä muistuttaa enemmän ruotsalaista Twiggy Frostbitea kuin venäläisiä veljiään.

(Tunnin tauko, koska Stam1na on paskaa(Rekkalavan jazz-orkesteri Black Motoria voi harkita))

18:00 Kolmoslava/Rekkalava
Seuraava valinta menee akselilla naislaulajalla varustettu metallibändi (Walls of Jericho) vai ska (The Capital Beat). Taas on onni, että Kolmonen ja Rekkis ovat niin lähellä toisiaan, että voi halutessaan tsekkailla kahta yhtä aikaa esiintyvää yhtyettä. Onko ristiriita skan ja metallin välillä liian suuri, se selviää kolmen viikon kuluttua.

19:00 Päälava
Se on siinä ja siinä miten paljon Don Johnson Big Band jaksaa kiinnostaa kun sen on muutamasti jo nähnyt, mutta mikäli edellisessä slotissa kallistui Capital Beatin puoleen, saattoi menojalka jäädä vipattamaan sen verran, että tuo omituinen höpöttäjä yhtyeineen saattaisi olla sittenkin parempi valinta kuin kaljateltta tai leirissä käväisy.

20:00 YleX-lava
Dillinger Escape Plan on varmasti tämän vuoden odotetuimpia esiintyjiä, etenkin metallipiireissä, mutta maistuu tämä muillekin. Dillingerit edustavat sitä kekseliäämpää metalliosastoa.

(Tunnin tauko, koska Children of Bodom on paskaa)

22:00 YleX-lava
YleX-lava jatkaa usalaisen, kiinnostavan metallin linjoilla, kun kymmeneltä lavalle nousee ISIS. ISIS on kuitenkin vähän toisella tavalla kiinnostava. Siinä missä Dillinger Escape Plan operoi vähän samalla suunnalla kuin vaikkapa Ruotsin Meshuggah, ISIS ottaa vaikutteita metalliinsa vähän laajemmalta skaalalta. Mikäli post-metal sanoo mitään, tai edes kiinnostaa epämääräisyydellään, Kymppärit saavat jäädä väliin, koska samaan aikaan YleXillä tapahtuu jotain kiinnostavaa.

23:15 Päälava
Lauantain päättää sopivasti yksi Ilosaarirockin ja nykyään myös kotimaisen musiikkimedian lemmikeistä, aina loistava PMMP. Bändi ei minun esittelyjäni tarvitse, mutta sen verran lienee syytä todeta, että on tosi kiinnostavaa kuulla mitä PMMP on valinnut keikkalistalleen. Uusi levy, Veden varaan, on täynnään toinen toistaan parempia biisejä, kuten olivat kaksi edellistäkin aikuisten levyä. Välissä julkaistu Puuhevonen oli sekin ihan kiinnostava lätty ja muutama biisi sieltäkin sopisi hyvin Ilosaarirockin tunnelmaan. Nähtäväksi jää.

SUNNUNTAI 19.7. 2009 portit auki klo 12.

13:00 YleX-lava/Kolmoslava/Rentolava
Sunnuntaiaamupäivän vaikea valinta on tehtävä metallin (Maj Karma), indien (Damn Seagulls) ja reggae/soul -meiningin (Reino and the Rhinos) välillä. No, Maj Karmasta on Ylpön soolon jälkeen tullut lähinnä geneerinen suomirokkibändi, joten se ei ehkä ihan ykkösprioriteetiksi nouse. Yhtäältä olisi kiinnostavaa nähdä heidän tämänhetkinen keikkakunto, mutta toisaalta lienee turha riskeerata, koska Damn Seagulls vetää varmasti hyvän keikan ja Reino virtahepoineen on varmasti ihan leppoisa sekin. Paras aloitus sunnuntaille lienee kuitenkin vauhdikas Damn Seagulls, joka valitettavasti esiintyy Kolmoslavalla, mikä ei sille sovi. Rekkalava tai YleX-teltta olisi osunut paremmin. Ja niin, pääseehän siitä Reinojen keikallekin helposti, jos niin tahtoo.

14:00 Päälava
Maria Lund on niitä artisteja joita voi klisheisesti vain rakastaa tai vihata. Aikaisemmin vihasin, mutta aivan mahtava Ajan Sävel -coverlevy sai rakastamaan. Lundin komeat 60-luvulle kumartavat versiot vähän pyllistävät sanoittajille ja paljastavat raa’asti tekstien onttouden. Näin kävi erityisesti Surupuku -biisille, joka on siis coverina aivan mahtava, vaikka/koska näyttää miten paska alkuperäinen oikeastaan olikaan.

15:00 YleX-lava/Rentolava
YleX-lava jatkaa tiukalla metallimeiningillä ruotsalaisen The Hauntedin muodossa. Pohjoismaiden Slayer pistää hiukset, tärykalvot ja käsien ihokarvat takuuvarmasti vapisemaan. Keikka on varmasti melkoista rynkytystä alusta loppuun. En muista miten monta kertaa olen Hauntedin nähnyt (en kovin monesti kylläkään), mutta koskaan se ei ole pettänyt. Hyvä kontrasti edelliseen tärppiin. Valitettavasti samaan aikaan aloittaa Rentolavalla Nopsajalka & Sound Explosion Band. Ehkä näitä tulee katsottua 50/50, sillä näiden kahden lavan välillä seilaaminen ei ole kovin käytännöllistä.

(Tunnin tauko tai Egotrippi Päälavalla)

17:00 YleX-lava/Kolmoslava/Rekkalava
Seuraava vaikea valinta tulee, kun viideltä yhtä aikaa soittavat Maxïmo Park, Tragedy ja Maria Gasolina. Yksikään näistä ei ole minulle erityisen tuttu, joten varsinaista pakkonähtävää näissä ei ole. Ehkä sitä voisi sitten katsoa ensin YleX-lavan kieroa rokkia, sitten Kolmoslavan punkkia ja lopuksi vielä Rentolavalla rentoa Maria Gasolinaa. Tai sitten haahuilla edestakaisin alueella tunnin verran, mikä sekään ei kuulosta pahalta.

18:00 Päälava
Onko Suomessa vielä ihmisiä, jotka eivät ole nähneet Disco Ensemblea? No meidän taloudesta löytyy yksi (en minä), eli kuudelta täytynee suunnistaa päälavalle. Ensemble on mainio livenä, mutta en ehkä jaksaisi tällaista musiikki itsekseni kuunnella, sillä erityisen kekseliääksi heidän ruotslaisvaikutteista meteli-indietä ei voi moittia. Mutta kuten sanottua, livenä toimii kuin parhaat metallibändit.

19:00 YleX-lava
Yksi yllättävimpiä ja kiinnostavimpia nimiä tämän vuoden Ilosaaressa on ehdottomasti yksi monista jenkkiyhtyeistä, Bad Brains. Ilosaaren sivuilla bändiä kutsutaan “legendaariseksi hämmentäjäksi”, eikä se ole ollenkaan huono titteli. TJEU.

20:00 Päälava
Toinen legendaarinen hämmentäjä esiintyykin heti Bad Brainsin jälkeen päälavalla. Killing Joke ei ole, pakko myöntää, erityisen tuttu bändi minulle muutoin kuin maineeltaan, mutta jos on tilaisuus nähdä suosikkifestareillaan post-punkin legendoja, niin typeräähän olisi jättää tilaisuus käyttämättä. Ilosaarirock ei ymmärtääkseni oikein pidä termeistä kuten “pääesiintyjä”, mutta jos tälle vuodelle headlineria etsitään, niin kyllähän se löytyisi joko tästä tai seuraavasta artistista.

21:00 YleX-lava
Toinen pääesiintyjäkandidaatti voisi siis olla norjalainen Röyksopp. Jos Killing Joke on postpunksynkistelyä, ei Röyksoppin electro ole erityisen duurivoittoista sekään. Tai ainakaan ei ollut aikaisemmin, uusin levy ilmeisesti on vähän iloisempaa. Varmasti suurin osa maailman electrosta on ihan geneeristä huttua, mutta nämä norjalaiset ovat aina osanneet erottua edukseen. Esimerkiksi The Knife -yhtyeen Karin Drejerin tähdittämä What Else Is There?, Röyksoppin ehkä suurin hitti, on lajissaan yhtä aikaa luova, kekseliäs ja jotenkin silti niin tuttu. Paitsi biiseistään, duo muistetaan myös muutamista upeista musiikkivideoistaan.

Ilosaari näyttää tänäkin vuonna Ilosaarelta, vaikka esiintyjistöstä on tainnut tulla kritiikkiä enemmän kuin muutamaan vuoteen ja loppuunmyyntikin on myöhästynyt viikolla. Kattaus näyttää kirjavalta, mutta tasapainoiselta. Hurjia yllätyksiä mahtuu joukkoon, kuten Killing Joke ja Bad Brains, sekä toisaalta aikaisemmin tuntemattomia mahtavia bändejä kuten Everything Is Made in China. Hyvältä näyttää, hyvältä näyttää.

UPDATE! YES SIR! LIVE AT WACKEN (Click it)

Whole Retrospect section moved to new post!

Or, Victory By Sumbission

Joshua 6

Joshua was a great military strategist, but his first victory in taking the Promised Land came as a result, not of a clever plan on his part, but on simply obeying God.

If the first five chapters of the book of Joshua chronicle Israel’s preparations to inherit the Promised Land, then chapter 6 is all about possessing the Promised Land.  Israel had to learn some valuable lessons as they stood on the verge of taking Canaan:  Submission to God guarantees victory and sin always brings defeat.  When Israel submitted to God’s plan, they had success (chapter 6); but when sin was allowed to enter, they faced defeat (chapter 7).  Submitting to God’s plan means bringing ourselves into the will of God and acknowledging His lordship over us in both word and deed.  Christians are unstoppable and unconquerable when they walk in obedience to God and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

1.  A doomed city

Israel had entered into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, and now he had to turn his attention to the main task of military conquest.  Israel had been given the Land as their inheritance, but they had a part to play in acquiring this blessing from the Lord.  Their task lay not in fighting battles, though battles would need to be fought.  Their part to play was in simply obeying God’s instructions for battle; victory was theirs if they followed His instructions.  Some people assume Israel had to win the battles in order to receive the blessing; this is not so.  According to God, they had already won the battles they were about to fight.  Victory for the Israelites was not in overcoming the armies of the enemy, but in simply trusting God.

Jericho, the great walled city of Canaan, had to be dealt with for it would forever pose a threat to the Israelites and it was a Canaanite stronghold.  It was not a huge city, but it was a highly fortified one, built on a mound and surrounded by walls so high and so thick that battering the wall by any means would have been totally ineffective as would have been trying to burn them.  Once the city gates were closed and locked, nobody could get in or get of Jericho.  But, Jericho was a doomed city.

It was under a curse of God, 6:17

And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein.  (KJV)

This was not a new plan of God, by the way.  In fact, Jericho’s death sentence had been passed over 40 years earlier in Exodus 23.  Back then, Jericho was strong and arrogant in their strength, ignorant of what lay ahead for them at the hands of God’s people.  Their fate was sealed even while they thought their magnificent city was inviolable.

The Bible declares unequivocally that the fate of unrepentant people will be the same as the fate of Jericho.  The death sentence has already been passed on all those who refuse to repent and live for God.  Romans 5:12—

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.

It was locked up tight, 6:1

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

The people of Jericho were scared to death, not of the Israelites, but of the God of the Israelites.  They were literally paralyzed with fear.  They shut themselves up against God.  They tried to cover themselves up as Adam and Eve tried in vain to first hide from God then cover their sins.  This is so characteristic of unrepentant human beings, who know their sinful state before a holy God, yet cling desperately to sins all the while trying to hide them by covering them up with a false righteousness.  As if anybody could hide anything from God or shut Him out!

It fell quickly, 6:20

…the wall collapsed…

The thing the Canaanites trusted in and depended on for their security failed in the face of something as seemingly insignificant as a trumpet blast!  What good was their safety and security if it was based on something that could not stand a trumpet blast?   This awesome wall, a masterpiece of human engineering and achievement, built with their own hands, designed to stave off the onslaught of even the mightiest, most numerous armies of man, was no match for God’s band.  What does God think of such marvels in which man places his confidence?

I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.  (Isaiah 28:17)

Can any man, or nation for that matter, or leader of a nation, stop what God wants for His people?  Can any parliament or congress frustrate the plans of God?  Of course not.

2.  A weird assault:  faith’s victory

If we read Hebrews 11:30, we can understand exactly what happened at Jericho:

By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

It was not the vibration of millions of pairs of Israelite feet marching in unison that caused the walls of Jericho to fall.  It was faith, plain and simple.  The visible means of victory—marching around the wall—looked foolish to the Canaanite onlookers, as do the ways of God to the unsaved.  But it was their unwavering faith in God that brought victory of the Israelites, not their marching.   Here is what they were told do in manifesting their faith—

March around the city, verse 3

March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.

Encompassing the city was the measure of their faith, and these men must have had great faith as they marched around the city for six days.  Similarly, our faith must encompass the thing we desire or lack if we would possess it.  There is a curious story told in Matthew about two blind men who received their sight from Jesus.  Consider how strange the story begins—

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.   (Matthew 9:27—28)

How did these blind men follow Jesus when they couldn’t see Him to begin with?  The answer is, “with great difficulty!”  It must have surely looked strange as these two determined blind men stumbled along the desert roads, desperately trying to keep up with the One they knew could heal their pitiful condition.

Now notice what Jesus said to them—

Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”;  and their sight was restored.  (Matthew 9:29—30a)

He did not honor their difficult, almost impossible trek; but Jesus honored their faith in doing what they could to follow Jesus, no matter how it might have looked to anybody else.

It is in the march—the encompassing the walls—that faith is tried and tested.  When all you can see is a wall, it takes eyes of faith to see more.  When all you feel is human inability, you have no choice but to trust in the supernatural ability of God.

Blow the trumpets, 6:4

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.

This represents the means of faith.  The way faith works is far removed from how the natural mind thinks it should work!  Faith uses the simple.  Faith uses the seemingly weak things of God.  But in God’s hands, the foolish, weak, and simple become invincible weapons against the strongholds of the Devil.   The sling and stones of David would have been of no use to Saul because Saul had no faith.  David did and those insignificant stones brought down a giant.  The trumpet of the Word of God must be blown in faith if the victory over sin is to be won.  It was the priests who were to sound the trumpets.  It is the preachers of the Word of God who must still sound the clarion call of God’s Word moved and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Such preaching will cause the wall of sin around the human heart to crumble.

Carry the Ark, 6:6

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.”

Finally, we observe the object of faith.  The Ark was a symbol of God’s presence.   The Ark that had just dried up the Jordan River was in their midst again as they marched around the wall, blowing the trumpets.  Imagine the unbeatable confidence these Israelites must have had at this very moment.  Through the things that had been accomplished in faith, faith had been increased in the hearts of all the people.  Now, as they marched around the walled city, doing exactly what they were told to do, not one person was grumbling, complaining, or doubting.  The opposite was the case:  they were obeying, trusting, and expecting.   But note this:  Their faith was not in their blowing or marching or shouting.  But they had to do these things so the Ark would follow them.  Our faith, likewise, must be active, and we must continually look up to Him who promised He would be with us always.

Shouting of the people, 6:20

When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.

The shouting was not the work of the priests, but of the people.  The priests did their part according to the instructions of God, now the people had to do their part.

If we have ever wondered why the Church of Jesus Christ in the 21^st century experiences so few spiritual victories, it is because so few members expect them.  It is time for all members of the Body of Christ to join in the shout!  The preachers may be blowing the trumpets today, but so few members are shouting.  God will move in our midst and do great things in our congregations if the people “shout” to God; if they would do their part in faith even as their pastors do their parts in faith.

3.  One family spared:  a miracle of salvation

The account of this miracle in Joshua’s time went like this—

But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.   (verse 25)

But if we turn over the Hebrews in the New Testament, we read a different account of this event in the full light of the Holy Spirit’s revelation—

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.  (Hebrews 11:31)

Notice three points:

She believed, Joshua 2:9—11.

Rahab demonstrated faith in the God of the Hebrews by hiding both the message and the messengers.  Her old beliefs and prejudices were cast aside when she heard and believed.  She, like the Israelites, did something that seemed foolish, and in her case, dangerous, in order to show her faith in God.

She obeyed, 2:21.

Her faith in God was justified in the sight of man by her works.  She hid the messengers and exposed the scarlet cord.  James 2:25 says this of Rahab’s faith—

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

By the scarlet cord, she would be justified or condemned.  There is the scarlet cord of redemption that comes between us and the judgment of God.  The crimson blood of Jesus either justifies those who claim it or condemns those to reject it.

She testified, 6:23.

So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Rahab had convinced her family and they were saved.  She did not keep her faith to herself only.  She demonstrated here faith by persuading her family to her way of thinking.

Conclusion

This is all about faith; faith in the face of the world.  Jericho represents the world to the believer.  Like the walled city, the world poses a threat the believer; its influence is strong and it is a formidable foe.  Believers are easily caught up in worldly things, and our victory over the forces of the world depends totally on faith—

[F]or everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  (1 John 5:4)

We used to sing “Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,” but he really did not.  The Israelites did not fight at all.  All they did was obey God instructions.  God did the fighting.

Too many Christians today want to “fit the battle of Jericho” rather than simply obey God and trust God for victory.

(c)  2009 WitzEnd

This is the second time I’ve posted about a local punk and hardcore show that was captured by Degross Punk Photography, and there’s something about the vividness of Degross’s photographs that I don’t think I’ll ever get over.

Head over to his blog to view his entire set from the recent Earth Crisis headlined gig with Walls of Jericho, Reign Supreme, Unholy, and Blood Stands Still at Station 4 in St. Paul.

A tavalyi fesztivál folytatása újabb zenekarokkal bővült, örömmel jelentjük be, hogy teljes az est felállása. Két régi ismerős amerikai zenekart köszönthetünk a fesztiválon, egyikőjük sem szorul bemutatásra. Fogadjátok szeretettel a detroiti Walls Of Jericho-t és a bostoni The Red Chord-ot. A hírt megünneplendő, a speciális, 4000 forintos jegy még egy hétig, május 26-ig kapható a Casual Street Wear boltban, illetve a Ticketportal.hu hálózatában!