Should I be giving children a memory verse from Hebrews when the story is in Joshua 1-6? Also, please explain why that memory verse is in Hebrews.
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
It is highly recommended to use the memory verse from the New Testament (Hebrews 11:30) even though the story takes place in the book of Joshua. In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, we always read the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament.
Why is this verse in Hebrews?
The verse appears in Hebrews 11, which is famously known as the "Hall of Faith." The Apostle Paul (or the author of Hebrews) wrote this chapter to encourage the early Christians who were facing heavy persecution. He provided a list of their ancestors—like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Joshua—to show that God has always worked miracles through those who had Faith.
The verse is in Hebrews 11 for three main reasons:
- To Define Faith: The author uses Jericho to show that faith is not just a feeling; it is action. Logically, walking around a wall does not make it fall. However, because Joshua had faith in God, he obeyed a command that seemed impossible.
- To Connect the Old and New Testaments: By placing this in the New Testament, the Church shows us that the God who knocked down the walls for Joshua is the same Jesus Christ who knocks down the walls of death and sin for us today.
- Encouragement: The early Christians were facing "walls" of Roman persecution. The author reminds them of Jericho to say, "If God did it then, He can do it now."
Using it for Grade 3-4
For your class, using the Hebrews verse is actually a better pedagogical choice for two reasons:
- It Summarizes the Lesson: Instead of a long passage from Joshua describing the dimensions of the city, Hebrews 11:30 gives the children the "moral of the story" in one sentence: Faith + Obedience = God’s Victory.
- Biblical Literacy: It teaches the children that the Bible is one continuous story. You can tell them, "We are reading the story in the Old Testament, but the New Testament tells us why it happened: because of Faith!"
Memory Verse Tip:
When you teach them the verse, you can have them do a motion:
"By faith..." (Point to head/heart)
"...the walls of Jericho fell down" (Hands falling down)
"...after they were encircled for seven days." (Spin finger in a circle).
Hebrews 11:30
This helps them realize that the power was not in the trumpets or the shouting, but in their faith/belief in God's word.