A Man Who Stole From God

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Opening Prayer

Lord, I present myself before You. What I seek, only You can give; what I ask, only You can provide.

Read Joshua 7:1-9

^[1] But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel. ^[2] Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. ^[3] When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” ^[4] So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, ^[5] who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. ^[6] Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. ^[7] And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! ^[8] Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? ^[9] The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

Meditate

“For the Christian, the defeat at Ai describes the dangerous and destructive effect of sin. It challenges false assumptions about easy victories in struggles against sin and temptation. Victories over sin require discipline and reliance upon God’s grace” (Richard S. Hess). Wise words.

Think Further

The defeat at Ai after the glorious victory at Jericho is so unexpected, but the truth is that we are most vulnerable during and after our mountaintop experiences. Even the Lord Jesus faced Satan’s sinister temptations after his baptism. He heard the Father’s voice from heaven saying, “You are my Son,” and, later, Satan’s seductive voice, “If

You are the Son of God…” (Luke 3:22; 4:3). In Jericho, amid the jubilation of victory, Achan took some of the devoted things (1) in direct disobedience of God’s command (Josh. 6:18,19). Jericho was the first city to be conquered in Canaan; everything in it belonged to the Lord. Tempted by greed, Achan foolishly thought he could hide his sin.

Sin does have consequences. Achan’s sin resulted in the disgraceful defeat of the Israelites at Ai, a much smaller town than Jericho. Also, God viewed one man’s sin as a collective sin (‘the Israelites were unfaithful,” “the Lord’s anger burned against Israel,” 1). Individual sin often has communal consequences. No one sins in a vacuum; every sin, no matter how small or private, affects others.

The text highlights other problems. Joshua failed to consult the Lord before attacking Ai. His spies gave an overly optimistic report. Their success in Jericho must have lulled them from realizing that it was due to God’s presence and power. They sent a reduced army to Ai, only to be soundly defeated with the death of 36 men (3–5). Joshua was devastated (6) but asked the wrong questions (7–9). He laid the blame in God’s court and claimed that it would have been better if they had stayed on the other side of the Jordan! Whether it was Achan’s disobedience or Joshua’s lack of faith and insight, we are warned of complacency and corruption, even during mountaintop experiences.

Apply

This passage is rich with lessons for the Christian. What speaks to you today?

Closing prayer

Lord, guard my heart, especially when things are going well. May I fear and trust You and not foolishly fall after You have raised me.

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