DAY 24
BIBLE READING: Joshua 7:1-11
Did you notice the first word in this chapter? 'But' - that one word almost tells the whole story. So far the Children of Israel had been wonderfully victorious. They had crossed the flooded Jordan River. They had stopped at Gilgal and observed the Passover over again. They had conquered Jericho. BUT - now they were running for their lives from the gates of one of the smallest towns they ever faced. More than that, Joshua and the elders were down on their faces before God not knowing what had gone wrong.
What had happened? First of all they were full of self-confidence. 'We only need a few men to defeat this little place', they said. They were wrong if they thought that they had defeated Jericho by their own numbers and not by the power of God.
Secondly. There does not seem to have been any prayer for guidance. If they had prayed, God may have revealed the sin that was already in the camp. Then they would never have been defeated.
Thirdly, and worst of all, there was sin in the camp. You will find the whole story in the rest of the chapter. The actions of one man brought the whole camp to defeat. God said in verse 11, 'Israel has sinned'. No just one man - all were involved as far as God was concerned. One man's sin can easily affect others.
What was Achan's sin or perhaps it ought to be 'sins'? Look at verse 21. He coveted something that he saw. He took what he had seen, although God had said no-one was to take anything out of Jericho. Then he hid what he had taken.
Too late Achan repented of what he had done. The sin of disobedience had to be punished. Hidden sin brought defeated to all Israel and 36 men died. No-one lives to himself. What we do affects the lives of others.
Sin concealed brought defeated. Sin revealed brought conviction. Sin confessed and put away brought victory. It is still the same today. We are dealing with the same God. But his promise to us is wonderful. 'If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive.'
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