On Sunday, Chris taught us a heartbreaking lesson from Joshua 7. We heard the tragic story of one man’s sin and how it affected an entire nation. In the very first verse we are told that Achan took some of the things devoted to the Lord from a defeated Jericho. For anyone who has ever wondered about God’s response to sin in His people, one needs only to look at the next verse:
So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. (Joshua 7:1)
Fresh on the heels of an astounding victory at Jericho, the young Israelite nation, under Joshua’s leadership, focused on the next objective in their campaign to capture Canaan – the land promised by Jehovah. Ai, a small town, was next on the list. Upon their return, the men sent to spy out Ai advised Joshua to send only two or three thousand men against Ai “for the people of Ai are few” (Josh. 7:3). The men of Ai turned the battle into a rout, chasing the Israelites back to where they came from, striking down thirty-six men in the process, almost completely demoralizing Joshua and Israel.
Joshua could not understand why God would bring them over the Jordan only to be destroyed by the Amorites. He poured out his heart to the Lord about the matter. Then the Lord revealed the reason for this defeat. Achan had taken spoils from Jericho, which were forbidden of the Lord, and had hidden them among his stuff. This sin had to be corrected before God would permit Israel to continue her conquest of the Promised Land. Achan, his family, and his livestock were stoned and burned along with the rest his goods. What a heavy price to pay for one sin.
After the matter was corrected, Israel, with the guidance and help of God, defeated Ai. (Read Joshua 7 and 8.)
Achan’s situation illustrates the power of sin. His sin caused a whole nation to suffer. “But, that was back then,” you may say, “what about now?” The Hebrew writer compares sin back then and now: “For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so a great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard him” (Heb. 2:2-3).
The case of Achan serves to refute three of our popular myths about sin.
Myth #1: One sin won’t matter
How often have you heard it said that it won’t hurt to do it just this one time – “it,” meaning whatever sin is under consideration at the time. Achan’s one sin hurt him, his family, his nation and the cause of his God greatly.
One sin does hurt. “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (Jas. 2:10). Eve’s one sin brought death to the whole world. Moses’ one sin caused him to miss Canaan (Num. 20:7-13). Nadab and Abihu’s one sin cost them their lives (Lev. 10), as did Uzzah’s (2 Sam. 6:1-8) and Ananias and Sapphira’s (Acts 5). Simon the Sorcerer was said to be “poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity” after committing one sin (Acts 8:23).
Anyone who thinks that one sin will not hurt needs to be aware that one sin may very well be a launching pad for many other sins.
Joseph’s brethren became envious of him. This fostered hatred to the point they could not even speak peaceably to him. This was followed by conspiracy and bodily harm. They sold him into slavery; and, to cover up their crime, they lied to their father (Gen. 37).
Apostasy from the Lord is taken one step at a time. Paul urges Timothy to preach so as to prevent apostasy, then explains why the urgency by showing how apostasy progresses. First, “they will not endure sound doctrine.” Such people begin their downward slide into apostasy by becoming annoyed at sound preaching – preaching that truly reproves, rebukes and exhorts. Secondly, “they will heap up for themselves teachers” to scratch their itching ears. They will seek and find teachers to teach it their way – more pleasing to the ear and less negative toward sin. Thirdly, they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. Going, going, gone! They have completed the plunge into apostasy. But, where did it start? When they took the first step of not enduring sound doctrine.
Myth #2: One’s sin is nobody’s business but his.
Achan’s sin affected the entire nation. It hindered their progress in capturing Canaan. His sin caused all the children of Israel to be rebuked: “But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things” (Josh. 7:1); “Israel has sinned, and they have transgressed My covenant which I commanded them” (Josh. 7:11). This sin caused the whole nation to suffer defeat: “Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies” (Josh. 7:12). Achan’s household was gravely affected by his sin (Josh. 7:24).
The fornicator of 1 Corinthians 5 affected the whole church. Paul asked, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” While it may be true that some sins, because of their personal nature, only hurt the individual and his relationship to God, all too often an individual sin has a way of hindering the gospel of Christ and hurting other members of one’s family and/or congregation.
Myth #3: One can keep sin hidden.
Moses warned the children of Israel: “be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23). One can never sin and rightly feel secure in the belief that no one will ever know. There are too many ways for even secret sins to become known for one to depend on the protection of secrecy. The story is told of two preachers, traveling far away from home, stopping at a tavern and deciding to have a little drink. After all, they were so far away from anyone who knew them that their secret sin would never be known. Since no one knew them or that they were preachers no harm would be done. As they were about to leave they got into a mild argument about who would pay the bill. While they were discussing the matter, the bartender leans over and says, “That’s all right fellows, we don’t charge preachers in here.” No, my friend, do not count on your sins remaining hidden.
More often than we may realize our sin is not hidden from others. When Moses killed the Egyptian, “He looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. ” Still the thing was known (v. 14). We may be more transparent than we think. We may be seen when we are not aware of it. But, if no one on earth ever knows – God knows and will judge us according to the works done in the body, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10).
One sin, not repented of, can make a big difference. We must have no illusions about it. Just one sin does hurt. Just one sin may very well hurt someone else. Just one sin may very well be found out by others. It is already known by the Lord, for sure. Let us be careful. Strive to avoid even one sin. When we do sin, we need to correct it immediately, to minimize the damage it can do to ourselves and others.
So where is Jesus in this? Is this not a story, which illustrates the great need the people of God had for a redeemer who could suffer all God’s wrath for all their sin. Jesus is our Achan, bearing our sin, suffering the wrath of God and being cast into complete death so that our sin would be thrust out of the camp and the people of God could return to victory? Is not Jesus the one who cleanses his people so that justice is served and sin is punished? Is not Jesus our redeemer, seeing the sin in us and all its repugnant effects, calling it out and then crucifying it to the cross, never again to raise its ugly head and pollute his holy nation? Jesus is all of these things and so much more.
Tom Renew
Deeper In God’s Word
Resources:
Scott Roberts – Sin must be judged – Hopeinchristchurch.com
Grayson Pope – Your Sin Will Find You Out – Aparchedsoul.com
Terry Virgo – Session 9 The Sin Of Achan – patheos.com
Cindy Hess Kasper – Hidden Sin = ourdailybread.com