For part 1 of this series, click here.
Now, let’s see just how rotten one apple can make the whole bunch.
The Israelites were thoroughly enjoying their brief stint as number 1 in the promised land when all of the sudden (or so it must have seemed) God went cold on them. They seemed to fall out of favor in a matter of days! But just how does one go from numero uno to persona non grata so fast? One day they’re conquering the most feared warriors in the territory with a marching band and a back up choir and the next day they can’t take a small band of below average yellow belts with their actual military! It makes no sense whatsoever, unless…
Unless it was God all along. And it was. Therefore, battle minus God equals loss and battle plus God equals win. Man! Could it be any easier?! Pretty easy recipe to say—tough to stick to—especially when you can’t approach God mechanically like that. You have to come to God from the heart and that’s where we humans get tripped up. There’s usually not much room left in our hearts once we’ve moved ourselves in and taken up permanent residence. And add to this the truth that God is a God who will not share the throne of our hearts with anyone or anything.
Makes for a delema, doesn’t it?
So Achin had to go.
And everything connected with him had to go as well—for the good of the people. Check it out,
Joshua 7:10–13, “ 10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it.”
and 19–26
“ 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, [d] the God of Israel, and give him the praise. [e] Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, [f] two hundred shekels [g] of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, [h] I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD.
24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today.”
Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor [i] ever since.”
Call it a purging, call it justice, call it the vengeance of the Lord—call it what ever you want, it had to happen.
And the Lord doesn’t change. He still wants to use clean vessels.
After this purging Israel returned to dominance and success everywhere they went.
Are you a clean vessel? Ask God to reveal things to you that offend Him—better to do a little self cleaning than wait for God to do a turbo wash on you.
Just saying.