Don't Touch That!

“Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on all Israel. Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.” Joshua 6:18-19 NLT

Very clear instructions, indeed! The Israelites were on their final phase of attack against the city of Jericho and these words, spoken through Joshua, were God’s reminder of His rules of engagement. The attack went well: the walls of Jericho fell and the Israelites destroyed everything as God commanded. Or, so it seemed. However, the Bible reveals a secret that only God knew: “But Israel was unfaithful concerning the things set apart for the Lord. A man named Achan had stolen some of these things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites” (7:1). In the meantime, Joshua sent a small army of three thousand soldiers to conquer the next town, called Ai, but they were soundly defeated. Dismayed and confused at the loss, Joshua begged God to explain what had gone wrong. The Lord answered that, “Israel has sinned and broken my covenant. They have stolen the things that I commanded to be set apart for me . . . and lied about it and hidden the things” (7:11).

The next morning, Joshua called out the whole nation of Israel and, through a process of elimination, Achan was identified as the guilty one. He quickly confessed telling them exactly what he took and where he hid the items. Joshua’s men retrieved the stolen goods and lay them out before him. Joshua declared the punishment: “The Lord will now bring trouble on you”: Achan and his family were immediately stoned by all the Israelites. One decision by one ordinary man brought significant consequences upon his whole family. That day, his family line ended. God showed that He would not tolerate disobedience. What a sad mistake it was not to take God’s commands seriously.

Whoa! Time to take a solemn pause. This one ill-conceived decision resulted in many dire consequences;
- The Lord became angry;
- The whole nation of Israel was deemed unfaithful by association;
- Thirty-six soldiers were killed in the defeat at Ai leaving their families without the breadwinner;
- Achan’s own family members suffered the ultimate penalty;
- There was no second chance for Achan; and
- All the Israelites were involved in the stoning. That was over one million people! Each one had a turn at retribution.
Why did Achan’s family also have to suffer for his sin? The Bible does not answer that one specifically but, in ancient times, it was common for a family to prosper or suffer as did their leader. They were guilty by association and the extent of the sin needed to be purged. Sinning is serious business. Not only do we separate ourselves from God, but also we potentially ‘infect’ others around us.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23, 24). Lord, forgive me for rationalizing that some of my sins are trivial and without consequences. Help me to realize that no matter what rating I place on my sins, they still create a chasm between you and me. Thank you, Father God, for the sacrifice of your son, Jesus, on the cross that allows forgiveness of sins, freedom from their penalties and reconciliation with you. All my praise goes to you, Lord! (Ephesians 1:6, 7) Amen.