We are in chapter twenty-two of Exodus with our word for today. חָרַם put under a ban, devote, dedicate, exterminate. It is used 50 times in the Old Testament. We find our word used in the sense to annihilate that is kill in large numbers. Numbers 21:1-3 When the Canaanite king of Arad … attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּ֖יwe will totally destroy their cities.” The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. וַיַּחֲרֵ֥םThey completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named חָרְמָֽהHormah [the name of the city was literally destruction]. Isaiah 34:2 The Lord is angry with all nations; his wrath is on all their armies. He will הֶחֱרִימָ֖ם totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter. Most of the uses of our word are in the sense to be given exclusively to God with the implication that what is given must be completely destroyed to avoid human use. Leviticus 27:29 No person יָחֳרַ֛ם devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death. If we remember back when we have looked at our word for ransom several times. We remember that it has to do with paying the ransom price to set someone free from the penalty of sin or what was due. Here in this and other verses show that once God has said this thing or person is set apart for destruction there is nothing that can be done to stop it. This is the sense of how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 22:20 Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction. So one of the ways a person is devoted for destruction is by sacrificing to other gods beside the true reality YHWH true God. A good example of this very thing happening was when Achan failed to follow God’s clear instruction regarding the devoted things and the consequences of his sin. Our word is used as part of God’s warning before the people went into battle with Jericho. Joshua 6:18 But keep away from הַחֵ֔רֶםthe devoted things, so that you will not bring about תַּחֲרִ֖ימוּyour own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable לְחֵ֔רֶםto destruction and bring trouble on it. Then we see how Achan disregarded God’s word. Joshua 7:1 But the Israelites were unfaithful בַּחֵ֑רֶם in regard to the devoted things]; Achan … took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. God allowed the army to face defeat in the battle as a result of Achan’s sin. Joshua 7:11-12 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of הַחֵ֔רֶםthe devoted things ... That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable לְחֵ֑רֶםto destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is הַחֵ֖רֶם devoted to destruction. Did you notice that God is not going to let them be successful in battle until they destroy what he has already devoted to destruction? Then Joshua and the people took action to destroy what God required them to destroy all along (Joshua 7:24-26). So the original warning God gave before they went into Jericho came about with Achan he brought his own destruction on himself. These items that the nations had were used to lead them away from God into evil. So God wants them destroyed so the same thing will not happen to his people. God knows what is bad for us and it is always in our bests interest to listen to him especially when we don’t understand why. I’ll close with these reminders. Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
