June 14 2024

Friday June 14

Failure After Success

Joshua 7:1-6

1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel.

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, "Go up and spy out the country." So the men went up and spied out Ai.

3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few."

4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.

5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

The is nothing that breeds failure like success! That’s the story line in Joshua 7! In Joshua 1, we meet God’s man for the hour, Joshua. He is a prepared man to take the place of Moses to lead the people of Israel into the Promise Land! He is a servant, a soldier, and a man of faith. In these first chapters of the book, leads the people miraculously across the Jordan River and conquers a tremendous fortress, the City of Jericho. In Joshua 2, we met Rahab the harlot! She is a pagan Canaanite, who put her faith in the God of Israel, hides the spies, and saves herself and her family from the destruction of Jericho.

Now in Joshua 7, we meet another man by the name of Achan. No doubt he is one of the soldiers of the army of Israel. He grew up in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses and experienced God’s provisions every day; manna from heaven, water miraculously come out of rocks, great victories over power kings like Sihon and Og, and more recently the transfer of leadership from Moses to Joshua. He must have heard and maybe even participated in proclaiming with the men of Israel in Joshua 1:16-18, “So they answered Joshua, saying, "All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage."

Achan watched the Jordan River miraculously part and dry up as they entered the Promise land just a few weeks earlier. He marched around the walls of Jericho and saw them fall flat and the city destroyed. And he also must have heard the instructions that Joshua gave all the people in Joshua 6:18-19, “And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD." 

Achan was indeed a very blessed man! He was of the seed of Abraham, an Israelite, God’s chosen people. He was from the tribe of Judah, which would produce the Messiah. He had a wife and precious children. He had a nice tent to live in. But! That is how chapter 7 of Joshua begins. Did you notice how Joshua 6 ended? After the great victory over Jericho we read, “So, the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country” (Joshua 6:27). Great success! Joshua is on the front page of all the newspapers in Canaan. He leads the evening news broadcast! And most of all, he has the testimony that the LORD was with him.

Great victory, but there was sin in the camp of Israel that changed everything. One translation of verse 1 reads,

“But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the LORD. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites….”.  Remember the instructions in Joshua 6:18-19. Achan is known in Bible history as the man who troubled Israel (Josh. 7:25). Because of Achan's disobedience, Israel was defeated at Ai, and the enemy killed thirty-six Jewish soldiers. It was Israel's first and only military defeat in Canaan, a defeat that is forever associated with Achan's name.

We should never underestimate the amount of damage one person can do outside the will of God. Over the next few days, we might need to ask the Lord what are we hiding in our secret closets that is causing defeat in our families and church!

God bless!