We live in a day and in a culture that appears to think,
“Good God, good devil, good everybody”. Everyone is a victim and deserves a
pass. There is no accountability or consequences for our selfish and criminal
behavior. We have forgotten that God is not only a God of mercy and grace, but
that He is also a Holy God of justice and must execute punishment on sin. These
last few verses of Joshua 7 are a good reminder that one day it will be too
late!
Achan had violated God’s instructions concerning all the
treasure of Jericho that was to be given to the Lord, and he secretly had taken
some for himself. After the humiliating defeat at Ai, where 36 soldiers were
killed and God revealed to Joshua that a sin had been committed that needed to
be dealt with, Achan had ample time to run to his tent, take the goods and
bring them to Joshua and repent and confess his sin. But he didn’t! And when he
finally confessed, it was too late. He was one day too late.
Joshua 7:22-26 reveals God’s judgment on Achan’s sin. Since
a law in Israel prohibited innocent family members from being punished for the
sins of their relatives (Deut. 24:16), Achan's family must have been guilty of
assisting him in his sin. His household was judged the same way Israel would
deal with a Jewish city that had turned to idols (Josh. 13:12-18). Achan and
his family had turned from the true and living God and had given their hearts
to that which God had said was accursed—silver, gold, and an expensive garment.
It wasn't worth it!
At the beginning of a new period in Bible history, God
sometimes revealed His wrath against sin in some dramatic way. After the
tabernacle had been set up, Nadab and Abihu invaded its holy precincts contrary
to God's law; and God killed them. This was a warning to the priests not to
treat God's sanctuary carelessly (Lev. 10). When David sought to restore the
Ark to its place of honor, and Uzzah touched the Ark to steady it, God killed
Uzzah (2 Sam. 6:1-11); another warning from God not to treat sacred things
carelessly. At the beginning of the Church Age, when Ananias and Sapphira lied
to God and God's people, the Lord killed them (Acts 5:1-11).
The death of Achan and his family was certainly a dramatic
warning to the nation not to take the Word of God lightly. The people and the
animals were stoned, and their bodies burned along with all that the family
possessed. The troubler of Israel was completely removed from the scene, the
people were sanctified, and now God could march with His people and give them
victory. The name Achor means "trouble." The Valley of Achor is
mentioned in Isaiah 65:10 and Hosea 2:15 as a place where the Jews will one day
have a new beginning and no longer be associated with shame and defeat. The
Valley of Achor will become for them "a door of hope" when they
return to their land and share in the blessings of the messianic kingdom. How
wonderful the Lord is to take Achor, a place of sorrow and defeat, and make it
into a place of hope and joy.
The heap of stones in the valley would be a reminder that
God expects His people to obey His Word, and if they don't, He must judge them.
The heap of stones at Gilgal (Josh. 4:1-8) reminded them that God keeps His
Word and leads His obedient people to the place of blessing. Both memorials are
needed in the walk of faith. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16) and longs to bless
His people; but God is also light (1 John 1:5) and must judge His people's
sins.
It had been a trying two days for Joshua and his leaders,
but the situation was about to change. God would take charge of the army and
lead His people to victory. When you surrender to the Lord, no defeat is permanent,
and no mistake is beyond remedy. Even the "Valley of Trouble" can
become a "door of hope."
Don’t wait till it is too late to repent! One day it will
be too late! (Revelation 20:11-15)
God bless!
