Before God gave the Israelites the victory at Jericho, He instructed Joshua on how to conduct themselves in Jericho. God proclaimed Jericho an accursed city and all that was in it – except for Rahab and everyone that was in her home because she’d hid the two Israelite spies. He instructed Joshua to tell the Israelites that when the walls of Jericho fell, they were not to take anything of the “accursed” city. They were to keep themselves from the accursed thing because if they did, they would make themselves and the camp of Israel accursed. They would cause trouble in Israel. The silver, gold, and vessels of brass and iron would be consecrated to God and added to the treasury.
But a man named Achan ran across rubble that used to be the Wall of Jericho with other exuberant Israeli victors. Captivated by a stunning Babylonish garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, he defied the orders by stealing the goods. No one caught him taking the objects nor saw him sneak the goods into his tent. No one missed him while he hurriedly buried the goods in the earth under his tent. No one knew a thing. I suspect he declared “mission accomplished” as he slipped away undetected.
Life seemed to move on as usual – so much for the curse God proclaimed. Israel geared up for battle against a small city called Ai. Joshua sent out spies to see what they were up against. The spies stated that since the city was so small, there was no need to send out the entire army; only a small contingency of two or three thousand men was needed to destroy Ai. So, Joshua heeded and sent out the suggested number of soldiers.
However, they were horrified when the army from Ai killed 36 Israelites, and the remaining soldiers were chased through the region! Fear struck the Israelites! Joshua and the elders tore their clothes, fell on the ground in front of the ark of the covenant, and threw dust on their heads until sunset. Joshua asked direct questions. Why did God let this happen? Why would He bring them through so much to get to this point so their enemies could destroy them? He added they should have stayed on the other side of Jordan, where they were safe.
God went straight to the point. He told Joshua, “There is an accursed thing among you and you can’t stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.” He wasn’t told who it was at the moment, but he understood the why behind the loss at Ai.
God told Joshua to tell the people to consecrate themselves in preparation to present themselves to God tribe by tribe in the morning. The following day, God selected the tribe of Judah. From there, God chose the family of Zarhites. Then, a man named Zabdi was selected from the family. Then, he brought his family forward, and Achan was selected. Joshua asked him to tell him what he’d done. He admitted he was the offender. He hadn’t gotten away as he supposed. He, his family, and all he owned were destroyed. He wasn’t given a second chance to correct his error.
This entire account could have been avoided if Achan had followed God’s directive. He walked through the spoils in the first place because God handed Israel a miraculous victory. If God could bring a wall down, He could also provide “blessed” spoils. But Achan chose to ignore the warning.
Lord, help us to follow through on the directives You give! Help us to keep walking in the victory You’ve given. Help us to be careful as we maneuver through the miraculous defeats of our enemy and accept when you say, “Leave it alone.” You have designated “blessed” spoils for us at the appropriate time. We don’t want contaminated goods.
12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. Joshua 6:12-19 (KJV)
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man.15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord.24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. Joshua 7:1-26 (KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)