Joshua 7
Pastor Mark Hudson
Joshua 7 is an easy chapter to understand but also easy to disregard or overlook. This is one of the times in the Bible that the reader is given information the characters do not possess. This chapter reminds us of the seriousness of sin and how God utterly hates sin. We are told in verse 1 how Achan violated the command in 6:18, “But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it.”
Joshua again wants information so he sends out spies to Ai, a strategic city, who tell Joshua that Joshua can send 2 or 3,000 soldiers. So that is what Joshua does. But Israel loses 36 men and run from the men of Ai. Before the people of Jericho’s hearts melted (2:11) now the author says, “the hearts of the people melted and became as water” in verse 5. The tables have turned and Joshua is perplexed.
His first instinct is sound. They pray and ask God for insight and plead with God for His name’s sake to act. God’s response must have shocked Joshua and the elders. God basically tells them to quit praying and asks them why they started to pray. Then God tells them what they needed to know: sin was the issue and prayer was not going to solve the problem.
“They have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them . . . Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies . . . I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Get up!” The language is clearly understood, direct and specific. Notice the extreme words or phrases: the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel (v. 1), Israel has sinned . . . transgressed my covenant . . . stolen and lied . . . (v. 11), they have become devoted to destruction (v. 11), “and he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire . . . because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel (v. 15), and the Lord turned from His burning anger (v. 26).
Think of Achan and his family. They either left Egypt or certainly heard stories about the parting of the Red Sea, the exodus and most certainly lived during the wilderness wanderings. They knew about manna. They walked on dry ground through the Jordan river. They saw Jericho collapse from a few shouts and trumpet blasts. And yet with all they knew and experienced, they thought no one would find out. This family intentionally hid goods they were not to touch. But it may be that Achan’s family thought they had their retirement funds all set.
But Achan and his wife were not going to confess. Even as Joshua’s search got closer and closer, they kept silent. But finally it came down to Achan. Who was looking on? Maybe widows, orphans, brothers and sister, fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles who just lost someone. So now they knew why 36 people died and why they felt this loss so deeply.
Achan admits what everyone now realizes. They take him, his family and all his belongings and Joshua proclaims the trouble they inflicted on the nation, the Lord will bring trouble on them. All of them face the prospect of innocent people dying in warfare, the removal of God’s presence, and the inability to take the Promised Land, or they could take care of the matter by stoning this family. This was a very serious moment for the nation. They could ignore God as Achan and his family had done. Or the nation of Israel could avert more loss of life. They chose wisely. At the end of this process, “Then the Lord turned from his burning anger.”
We start this chapter with a description of what Achan does followed by, “the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.” Then we just read from the last verse. We read not just of anger but burning anger. And this is directed not merely at Achan but the people of Israel. This sin changed the nation as a deeply loved nation by God to a nation “devoted for destruction in v. 12.
Achan was thinking, not about what was good for others in Israel, not about how to please God, but in the midst of all these miracles and gracious displays of God’s grace, Achan was thinking about Achan. That type of stinking thinking always hurts more people. I seriously doubt Achan wanted to hurt others. But he did want some beautiful things. In choosing to disobey a holy God, the consequences followed. He left a massive scar on his community. People died because of his family.
What about you? Are you afraid of the holiness of God? Do you shudder to think you might dishonor Him? Are you concerned you could commit a sin that would be exposed and hurt many people? Do you really think God does not see what you are doing? Run to Christ. Believe the gospel where you are weak. There is no sin that God cannot forgive. Yes, you and I should know better. But fight sin with the means of grace and by believing in the gospel. Christ died for our sins so go to Him.
Beware of minimizing your sin. Don’t pretend you have to sin or that it won’t hurt anyone. Sin always hurts people. God hates sin. Our sin is why Christ died on the cross. His grace is sufficient. Come to His light. Do not retreat to the darkness. Live in the freedom He offers.
Dear Lord, we are sinners as you know. Forgive our many sins. We welcome Your Holy Spirit and others who point out our sin. We admit that our sins damages relationships, hurts us and others. When we refuse to trust and obey You, we find ourselves in bondage to sin. Oh, Lord, deliver us to Your bondage which is so much better. Help us to fear You and find true delight, satisfaction, and unending joy. Remind us that what we really want is holiness. In Christ’s perfect and glorious name. Amen.