The Consequences of Sin
#9 in Series: "Learning from the Past, Preparing for the Future"
(A Study in the Book of Joshua)
Joshua 7:1-26
When you read the title of today's sermon, you immediately know that this message is about to address the most uncomfortable, undesirable, and unpopular subject in society today… The topic of sin is considered antiquated, judgemental, and oppressive by those who seek to even deny the reality of sin. The secular worldview hates the topic, and those who are committed to a secular worldview hate those who argue the reality of sin, and its consequences…
Sin is a three-letter word that accounts for the volumes that can be written about social disorders, dysfunction in families, and the personal heartache experienced by all! Sin is the cause and effect of rebellion against God, God's order, and God's will… Sin is the willful violation of God's law – the moral infraction against God's holy standards for human kind! Sin, generally falls into two categories; active and passive… Active is the commission of purposeful sin – whereas, passive is the omission of doing what one should, purposeful or not!... We can sin "on purpose" – and we can sin, even when we don't "intend" to… In short … Sin is not your friend!
As we continue in our study of the book of Joshua, we are learning lessons from the past that actually help us in our present, and will prepare us for the future… We don't have to repeat the errors committed in the past, to know that they are not good ideas for us to act upon!... If we are wise, we will seek to learn from those who have preceded us, and seek to become even better examples for those who come behind us…
Up to this point, we have been learning what … faithfulness looks like! Joshua has faithfully responded to God's call upon his life to become the new leader of Israel… The nation is experiencing the much-needed spiritual renewal, and they have been experiencing great victories that God is bringing to His people, as they are now beginning to claim the land God is giving them…
They have experienced the awe-inspiring miracle of crossing the Jordan River – a nation of millions, crossing over on dry ground during flood season!... They have also just experienced the miraculous victory over the well-fortified city of Jericho – which we studied about last time.
Today, we come to the first … stumble! We are going to learn about the terrible effects of the willful disobedience to God's clear instructions to His people!... Chapter 7 tells us about Israel's first defeat… And we will see that that defeat was due to the personal failure of one man…
Now, there is a lot in this chapter…
In fact, we could spend a great deal of time on almost every word… For example, look at the very first word in this chapter…
Joshua 7:1
But…
We know this to be a conjunction! It introduces a … change… In chapter six, we read about a tremendous, and miraculous victory God brought at Jericho… But, now things change! And they change, because of stubbornness in the heart man!...
Though we will peruse the chapter rather quickly, let's be careful to not miss the many personal applications the Holy Spirit brings to our lives, in this passage… We are going to consider 12 words that will help us map what is revealed in this chapter of God's Word, and again, we will not spend much time on many of these, so please stay with me as we seek to grasp what God has revealed… May the Lord give us "ears to hear" (Matthew 11:15)...
We begin with –
1. Determination
Even before we delve into the text, let me give you a heads up… There is something … lacking, or missing in what we read at the beginning of this chapter – something that is … essential for how God's people are to proceed through life, much less how we should proceed through challenging situations… What do you suppose is missing?... It is … prayer!... The record does not record that anyone even prayed about what was done in the beginning of this chapter! No, instead of seeking the Lord for what HE would have anyone do!
No, rather, what we see is the determination on the part of people to do … what they have determined to do – without even seeking the Lord!
This determination is what leads to … devastation!...
It begins with –
● A Selfish Decision
Joshua 7:1
But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.
You might be interested to know that the name Achan means; "Troubler", or "one who troubles"... And Achan is living up to his name…
Immediately, we are told that the willful, purposeful, disobedience of one man … affects many more than that one man!... That's how sin works. The temptation appeals to personal pleasure – but the yielding to that temptation not only negatively affects that person, but it has ramifications that often go far beyond that individual!... Your sin hurts you, hurts your witness, your influence, it hurts your family, your church, and brings reproach on the Name of Christ!...
Achan made a selfish decision that negatively affects far more than himself! The end of verse one says –
Joshua 7:1c
… therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.
The Lord has an issue with Israel, the nation – not just Achan, the man… Why? Why would the Lord have such an issue with others?... What we often fail to see is that there is a ripple effect to our sin… That is what happens next!... Let's read about –
● A Presumptuous Decision
Joshua 7:2-4
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 They returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few." 4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.
Why Ai?... Ai is almost 15 miles west, northwest of Jericho. Why would Joshua want to go there next?... (The name Ai means; "heap of ruins" – which may have caused Israel to think it would be easy pickings…)
We should note that Israel has some history with Ai, long before this humiliating defeat!
Ai was a place in central Canaan. It is first mentioned in Genesis 12:8 as a place where Abram camped during his journey toward the land God promised in Genesis 12:1… When Abram reached Ai, he built an altar and "called upon the name of the Lord" there… Because of that alone, Ai would be a desirable place to claim early in the campaign…
So, what's wrong with this desire? – Nothing!... What's wrong with this decision – this decision to go now? – Everything!
Again, this comes on the heels of Achan's sin… Not only is Achan messing up – but Joshua and the leaders mess up by not even seeking the Lord about what should come next!... The text records the narrative of mounting the next attack – the attack on Ai – as a matter determined by the leadership, without any evidence that they even … prayed about it!
The result of this was –
2. Devastation
This was truly a deadly consequence. Let's pick up with verse :5 –
Joshua 7:5
The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
The battle against Ai was a disaster for Israel! Not only did they fail to capture the city – they suffered casualties all along the route in their retreat!
Israel was pursued by the men of Ai for about a mile, and were being humiliated the whole way!
What comes next in the text, is the impact this defeat has on the whole nation!... Let's read about the –
3. Degradation
Joshua 7:6
Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
The immediate effect of this news is brokenness – which is an appropriate response… It may seem strange to us that these men would tear their clothes – but that was a part of how those cultures then would express the "highest degree of sorrow and grief"...
These men became deeply affected by the news of the defeat – because they were immediately convinced that God must no longer be with them!... IF He were – there would have been no issue in the conquering of Ai…
Joshua, and the elders don't merely go to their knees … they go to the ground … on their face – prostrate before the ark of the Lord!
And what do they do, when they fall on their faces before the Lord? They cry out in –
4. Desperation
Pick up with verse :7 –
Joshua 7:7-9
7 Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord God, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies? 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?"
Their cry is one of desperation! Don Anderson writes that –
Don Anderson – "Joshua must be falling swiftly into the pit of depression because he can only see the worst as a result of what has taken place. The Canaanites will gain fresh courage and wipe them out after what has happened at Ai."
Joshua doesn't raise the question; "What have we done to cause this defeat" – rather he says; "Lord, what are You doing, to allow this to happen?"
Joshua is being honest with God… Listen, Joshua is like you and me – in that … we have very limited perspective! Joshua prayed according to how he was seeing things. He was NOT seeing things as they really were, only what he thought they were!...
Joshua is appealing to the Lord, out of concern that somehow God is … letting them down! That God is allowing His people to be defeated, and His name to be defamed!...
That's how it appeared… But, what was the reality of the situation?... Listen, the reality of the situation, any situation is not necessarily how you or I see it – but it IS how God sees it!
God sees it all! He has perfect vision! He sees every action. He knows every heart!... And He will deal with people … accordingly…
That leads us to the next major move in this scene, and it is the –
5. Evaluation
Again … not man's evaluation, but Gods!... This is where God Himself speaks into this situation…
Joshua 7:10
So the Lord said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?
First, the Lord raises a question for Joshua to consider, and it is simply this – "Why is it that you have fallen on your face?"... Just why are you down there, Joshua… The question is rhetorical… The Lord does not expect Joshua to speak up, to give an answer… He poses the question to get Joshua … to think! The evaluate… But then the Lord immediately gives HIS evaluation of the situation –
Joshua 7:11-12
11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. 12 Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst.
The Lord gives the … true evaluation and discloses the true reason as to why all of this has happened! Nothing in Joshua's prayer even comes remotely close to the Lord's assessment of the situation!... Joshua's prayer … missed the mark!
Henry Morris draws an interesting, and helpful thought from this observation –
Henry Morris – "God is not pleased or placated by prayer--no matter how piously offered--when those praying have not first faced the possibility of sin and corrected it. Unanswered prayer may not usually be caused by sin. Yet this possibility should always be first considered, especially before complaining to God about it, as Joshua was doing."
Let's pick up with verse :11 –
6. Consecration
Joshua 7:13
Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the Lord, the God of Israel, has said, "There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst."
I find it interesting that the Lord calls His people to … prepare themselves – to prepare themselves spiritually… We have the benefit of hindsight, we know what is about to happen because we've already read the report – but Joshua and the Israelites did not yet know…
The Lord could have accomplished what is about to happen without the involvement of the people – but that is not His mode of operation – His modis operendi… Though God could have done what is about to happen, without involving others – He purposefully uses the involvement of the people to do … what needs to be done!... And, get this … those whom God uses, are to be people who are – repentant of their own sin – surrendered – sanctified – and Spirit-filled!...
That is what it means to be consecrated! To be consecrated, is to be right with the Lord – to be honest, repentant, surrendered, and obedient!... The nation is called to search their own hearts, and … come clean with any known, unrepented of sin!
The Lord's evaluation is – there is sin in the camp… The call to be consecrated – is a call to deal with that sin, with a … sin-free heart!...
God's people never outgrow their need to be consecrated!...
What follows is best described with the word –
7. Adjudication
This is courtroom language… The Lord tells Joshua how to exactly adjudicate this case, and it will involve a process … of elimination!
Joshua 7:14-18
14 In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the Lord takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the Lord takes shall come near by households, and the household which the Lord takes shall come near man by man. 15 It shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.'" 16 So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 He brought the family of Judah near, and he took the family of the Zerahites; and he brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 He brought his household near man by man; and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was taken.
Here in the book of Joshua, when sin was in the camp, God had His Prophet deal with it!... In the book of Acts, when blatant sin was in the church, God had the Apostles deal with it (Acts 5)... Sometimes there are very unpleasant responsibilities assigned to God's leaders!... And get this – the way this case is adjudicated, demonstrates the Sovereign Authority of God!... Only God could make "the lot" fall on the … right tribe – the right family within that tribe – the right household within that family – and the right man within that household!... The right man, was the man … who had done the wrong!
Write this reference down – Achan should have known Numbers 32:23 –
Numbers 32:23b
… behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.
Upon the instructions to Joshua, about how to go about adjudicating this case, we come to see him do the hard thing he must do … and that is seen under the heading of –
8. Confrontation
The time has come for Joshua to confront the guilty party –
Joshua 7:19-26
Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I implore you, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me."
Listen, there is a whole sermon in this one verse… Confrontation is not easy, but there are indeed times when it is necessary!... And the right kind of confrontation is focusing on the reality of the issue – AND a call to get vertical – "give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell" … the truth!
This indeed led to Achan giving … an honest –
9. Confession
Joshua 7:20-21
20 So Achan answered Joshua and said, "Truly, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it."
This is a tough passage!... Achan confesses – he confesses to the truth of his actions, the truth of his motives, the truth of his … sin! But here, he was not given grace – he is about to receive … justice.
It's not in your notes, but let me share one commentator's very insightful words here –
Alan Carr – "God's way is for His people to throw the covers off their sins and tell God the truth that He already knows. He can bless a person who handles sin the Biblical way. However, the person who tries to hide his sins will never prosper, but will face God in judgment. You see, you will confess your sins one way or another. You can confess them where the confession will make a difference, or you will do it when you face the Lord in Judgment. Either way, you will confess your sins — (Phil. 2:11)."
Achan's confession came … in his judgement…
Next is –
10. Revelation
… the revelation of the evidence…
Joshua 7:22-24
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it. 23 They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
Achan confessed, but the evidence was brought forth so that there would be no doubt!
Then came the –
11. Execution
Joshua 7:25-26a
25 Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day." And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. 26 They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day,...
Here is another passage that we could, and perhaps should spend a whole day considering… But, let me hasten to simply, and directly say – there is execution awaiting every unrepentant soul!...
What comes next is important to understand… It is –
12. Propitiation
Joshua 7:26b
… and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day.
Propitiation is the Biblical term to represent the justice, and righteous wrath of God being satisfied!... Achan received what he deserved… People want to argue that his family didn't deserve this judgment – but who is anyone to judge God?!... God is just. He does what is right – always!... How do you know that Achan's family wasn't in on it?...
Before you get riled… The question that should be addressed is… what should God do to you, because of your sin?
A.W. Pink – "While we measure ourselves by our fellows, we shall, most likely, think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think (Rom. 12:3); but when we measure ourselves by the holy requirements of God's nature, we cry 'I am dust and ashes' (Gen. 18:27). True repentance changes a man's opinion of himself."
Let's think about what happened there that day!
- Divine justice was exercised, and the wrath of God was satisfied…
- The name of the site, where Achan and his family were executed, became known as "the valley of Achor"... Where the name Achan means; "troubler" – Achor means "trouble"... The "troubler", who brought trouble to Israel by means of his willful sin – met his "trouble", when God brought justice against him that day!...
- This act of divine judgment, ended the period marked by unfaithfulness and restored the nation to receiving God's blessing in the claiming of the Promised Land.
- This verse highlights that divine wrath ceases – when sin is dealt with and faithfulness is restored.
- This Valley, ultimately becomes a symbol of redemption… While the valley represents judgment, later scripture reveals that it is transformed into a "door of hope" –
Hosea 2:15
"Then I will give her her vineyards from there,
And the valley of Achor as a door of hope.
And she will sing there as in the days of her youth,
As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.
…symbolizing God's ability to turn places of ruin into places of restoration.
In your notes, you see a reference – (Romans 3:21-26, 1 John 2:1-2, 4:9-11) – to a few passages that speak to this issue of propitiation…
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
1 John 2:1-2
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
1 John 4:9-11
9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Bonus: Adrian Rogers' Outline – The Key to Unbroken Victory
I. Great Victories Are Often Followed by Great Defeats
A. Israel's Sin: Carelessness
- Pride
- Presumption
- Prayerlessness
B. Achan's Sin: Covetousness
- He Saw
- He Coveted
- He Took
- He Covered It Up
II. Private Sin Is Never Really Private
- Sin Brings Dishonor to God
- Sin Brings Defeat to Your Brother
- Sin Brings Disgrace to Your Family
- Sin Brings Destruction to Your Loved Ones
III. Every Sin That You Cover, God Will Uncover
IV. Every Sin That You Uncover, God Will Cover
Questions to Consider in Community Group
- Before talking about Achan's sin, what "short coming" do we see about Joshua's actions in this chapter?
- Achan's sin led to the defeat of the entire army at Ai. What does this teach about how individual, hidden sin impacts the community (corporative nature of sin)?
- Achan said he saw, coveted, and took the forbidden items (:21). How does this parallel our experience with temptations, and how can we guard our hearts against similar desires?
- Achan hid the spoils, thinking it was a secret. How does this story highlight the misconception that our sin has no, or only personal, consequences?
- Why was it necessary for the sin to be exposed, and how does Achan's confession highlight the need for personal accountability?
- The punishment of Achan and his family is severe (:24-26). How does this reflect God's holiness, and how does it compare to the New Testament understanding of grace?
- What are your thoughts about any of the quotes from others, shared in the message?
Don Anderson – "Joshua must be falling swiftly into the pit of depression because he can only see the worst as a result of what has taken place. The Canaanites will gain fresh courage and wipe them out after what has happened at Ai."
Henry Morris – "God is not pleased or placated by prayer--no matter how piously offered--when those praying have not first faced the possibility of sin and corrected it. Unanswered prayer may not usually be caused by sin. Yet this possibility should always be first considered, especially before complaining to God about it, as Joshua was doing."
A.W. Pink – "While we measure ourselves by our fellows, we shall, most likely, think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think (Rom. 12:3); but when we measure ourselves by the holy requirements of God's nature, we cry 'I am dust and ashes' (Gen. 18:27). True repentance changes a man's opinion of himself."
