May 20, 2022
Today’s reading: Joshua 7:10-12
The sin of Achan
We read in Joshua 7:10-12:
10 So the LORD said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it 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 have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
The most interesting aspect of this story in Joshua 7 is that even though the sin was committed by Achan, Yahweh ascribed the sin to Israel.
While this is not clearly mentioned in the Bible, I suspect that more people in Israel knew about Achan’s sin. That’s why during the investigation, they were able to pinpoint the problem to Achan.
The problem here was that Israel tolerated Achan’s sin. They might have known about it but they didn’t do anything.
That could be the reason that God said that “Israel has sinned” even if it was only Achan who did the wrongdoing.
Here’s an important lesson we must remember especially as we approach the Days of Unleavened Bread:
6 “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6).
God exactly knew how sin progresses. It can start small, but it’s a slippery road that people take. A small sin eventually leads to a bigger sin.
That’s why God wanted Israel to deal with Achan’s sin right there and then, and unless they do something about it, they will face defeat after defeat.
Thus, this should tell us, that when a group of people tolerates sin, they will eventually face its consequences. Moreover, if an individual tolerates small sins, that individual will eventually commit greater sin.
For this reason, we must all be careful.
We need to deal with sin as quickly as possible.
To learn more about waiting and patience, please read, “5 Fatal Mistakes You Should NEVER Do While Waiting for God.”
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