7 But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.
This trespass is a violation; an act of unfaithfulness. These accursed things are items which were used in demonic worship of the Canaanite gods. Because Achan helped himself to some of these items God's anger burned against all of Israel. This might seem like a harsh response to us. But God had warned them about this very thing in Joshua 6:
18 And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
God knew these things would be a temptation to them. He offered a fair warning and he expected His children to heed that warning. The battles in the land would be won by the hand of the Lord. Israel was God's instrument of righteous judgment against these people whom God chose to judge. The destiny of the people was tied directly to their trust, faith and obedience, not to how much loot they could carry away. The failure of one led to the judgment of many.
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, "Go up and spy out the country." So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few." 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
In spite of the warnings, in spite of the previous lessons, Joshua quickly forgets to consult with the Lord. This is fascinating considering that Joshua stood before Jesus who spoke of Himself as commander of the Lord's army. He wasn't on any side but his own; we need to be on His side. Joshua worshiped Him. Now, when Joshua comes to AI, he skips the meeting with the commander and develops a plan in response to the report of the spies. We often forget that our fear causes us overestimate our enemy as pride causes us to underestimate them. Whether he was taking the Lord for granted or had confidence in his own abilities to formulate a God approved plan we don't know. In the end it didn't matter because of the sin of Achan. How can a people be an instrument of God and conquer a land, when part of that instrument (Achan) isn't them selves conquered by God?
The outcome of 36 men doesn't seem like a devastating defeat when we read it, but it was devastating to Israel that was in this foreign land by faith. They were unbeatable if they were in God's care and provision; if God was leading and guiding them.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, "Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all-to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies? 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?"
Joshua is a great leader. He makes no excuses nor does he begin to blame others. He recognizes that their standing with God has been harmed. A humble approach and pleading before the Lord is the right response. Tearing of the cloths and putting dust on their heads was an act of mourning, humility, unworthiness. Face down in the dust is where a sinful man belongs when before the Living God.
Joshua seems broken. He seems to have lost his confidence; feeling as though maybe they should have not come in the land. Was this too hard? Could they not maintain a relationship with God? Could they not hold up their end of the deal?
We can relate to this in our own sinful failures. The battles is as good as won. Regardless of what we see, regardless of how it appears with our fleshly eyes, regardless if it makes sense to us (It probably made a lot of sense to Achan to take the loot, why leave it lay when he could prosper and even give some to the Lord?), the Lord isn't looking for our perfection but trust. If Joshua had sought the will of the Lord regarding AI, the lives of 36 men would have been spared, the humiliation and birth of fear would have been avoided. The sin could have been dealt with by once again meeting the commander of the Lord's army before going to war. The troops could have been prepared properly.
10 So the Lord said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?
God wasn't interesting in the begging aspect. The sin must be recognized for what it is and dealt with.
11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.
It wasn't just Achan, but 'Israel sinned'. And one sin leads to another. A little leaven leavens the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6). They took the accursed things, stolen and then deceived. Then to top it all off, and maybe the worse of all, they put these accursed things among their own stuff. They made a home and a place for this sin and these symbols of unrighteousness.
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
The strength of the people, their vitality and their success in this life was based on their relationship with God. Since they had went their way, disregarded his commands, they could not stand. They were forced to turn their back on the enemy. They had no strength, courage or confidence to face their enemy. They were doomed to destruction because of chasing after something shiny and valuable in this world.
13 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: "There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you." 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought according to your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the Lord takes shall come according to families; and the family which the Lord takes shall come by households; and the household which the Lord takes shall come man by man. 15 Then it shall be that he who is taken with the accursed thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.' "
God was completely capable and would have been just to judge the people right then and there. Yet, our response tends to be, "God, wasn't this a little harsh." This is because we are so incapable of seeing how holy and big God really is. We tend to create a god of our own understanding, one that always gives us second chances when we get caught.
It is a loving and merciful God that is patient with His people and corrects them. God determined this exercise to show that the children of Israel were made up of individuals. Being sanctified for God didn't start as a group or the leader, it started with each person.
16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 He brought the clan of Judah, and he took the family of the Zarhites; and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 Then he brought his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19 Now Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me."
20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it."
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. 23 And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day." So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
26 Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.
Isn't it amazing what covetousness will bring us to? Achan took this, had to have it; he probably saw great value, saw himself wearing this nice garment, being treated like royalty and spending the money of the silver and gold. But when he had it, he knew it was a sinful, he knew it was wrong; that's why he hid it.
Was it worth it? Obviously not! Achan traded his life and the life of his family and trouble for all the children of Israel for a few worldly items. The great heap of stones under which Achan and his family died and were buried stand as a monument to the sin for which they traded their life.
What sin is it that we are drawn to? What does the enemy parade before your eyes just out of reach? What sin are you trading for your life and relationship with the Lord? When the sin was eliminated:
- They received encouragement from God.
- They would have God's presence in battle.
- God would guide them and promise victory.
- They got to keep the plunder (8:2)
We are engaged daily in spiritual warfare. We should seek the Lord first, follow his direction in faith, even when it seems nuts (marching around Jericho or not bending over and picking up gold and silver).
We should be cautious of our success for fear of pride setting in and thinking we have accomplished something great. If sin get's in the way, confess, repent and get it over with. You can't hide it from Him.
©2015 Doug Ford
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