Joshua 7
Dear RTB’ers,
Does today’s story surprise you? Everything has been going so well for the Israelites, and then: …about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them… (vv. 4-5a). One man violates the ban against taking anything of value, yesterday’s direct command from the Lord: 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. But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD. (Joshua 6:18-19) I’m sure that hundreds of stewardship sermons have been preached on this story, with Achan’s materialism set up against his personal responsibility, how one man’s greed, one man’s covetousness affected an entire nation. Makes me wonder how my sin can have impacts far beyond my own personal space…
I had a question from one of you yesterday about the Israelites utterly destroying all of Jericho, including the men, women and children. I had no answer, other than it’s God’s call, His judgment, His responsibility. Today we find a similar fate for the household of Achan: And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah … and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. … And all Israel … burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. (vv. 24-25) Why the sons and daughters and all that he had? Again, God’s call, His judgment, His responsibility.
Blessings!
See also: March 5 (2023) / Joshua 6-8