The Hebrews crossed the Jordan River and quickly claimed Jericho is their first military victory. God said that nothing was to be saved from Jericho, but Achan took some precious garments and metals to hide in his tent. (Joshua 7) When it came time to claim the unimpressive little town of Ai, only a small company of Hebrew soldiers was sent. Instead of an easy second victory, a surprising defeat followed.
God replied to Joshua who asked the reason for the defeat. It was Achan and the hidden accursed treasure that was to blame. Could the spirit of Achan and that of compromise and selfishness still be around? Could there still be the attitude that God isn’t always relevant, and his instructions are not all that important?
If so, this could turn God’s intended victory in our lives into a defeat for us as persons and as a nation. To search our own lives and that of our nation we need to ask some important questions about sin.
How willing are we to accept and follow God’s instructions in our lives?
What secret, hidden motives do we have that would cause us to disobey God?
Where in our hearts, minds do we hide our secrets supposedly away from God?
How much do we take into consideration a responsibility to answer to God for our behavior?
Do we take seriously the potential for God’s judgment as a result from our disobedience?
Is it really worth it to compromise our principles and God’s Word for selfish gain?
Even though this story is of a different culture and of many, many years ago, it would be wise of us to take seriously what happened to this man who thought it was nothing to be disobedient to God. Any spiritual growth that we would propose to obtain could easily be hampered by our own compromises. Let us search out our own tents where we have hidden a spirit of secret rebellion and selfishness. What may seem like a little sin to us is a major problem to God.
Christian Writer 