One Person’s Affect
Joshua 6:18 KJV
And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Joshua gave the army of Israel strict instructions as they prepared to conquer Jericho. Prior to them taking the city, the men of war had obediently followed Joshua’s instructions to march around the walls in silence until he told them to shout. Their perfect obedience ended, however, once inside the city.
Joshua 7:1 KJV
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
Because of Achan’s hidden sin, 36 troops were killed in the next battle when a couple thousand Israelite troops attempted to take the city of Ai. God would not let his people have victory due to sin in the camp. Therefore, due to one man’s sin, the entire country was negatively affected.
Our choices obviously affect us, but they also affect our spouse, our kids, our neighbors, and possibly even our entire country, as it was in the case of Achan.
God is not ignorant concerning our sin. He knows the end from the beginning, but that doesn’t keep us from trying to hide it. When we know we’ve done wrong, we try to bury it to conceal our faults. Achan did that too.
Joshua 7:21 KJV
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
The hardest part of this account, for me, comes in verses 24-25. We learn Achan will die for his sin, but not only he will die, his children will as well. God tells us in Deuteronomy 24:16:
“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”
Why then were Achan’s children put to death? The only answer I can give is they were complicit. These children must have been old enough to have understood their father’s wrong-doing and hid the thing from the rest of the camp.
This means God requires loyalty to Him and His word above our family. He is to be first in our lives. To not keep him there can have dire consequences:
Joshua 7:25 KJV
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
The last thing I want as a parent is my choices to lead my children to death and destruction. We must be careful in the choices we make to lead our children on the path of righteousness. More is caught than taught. What you show your children is far more important than what you tell them.
If you show your children love, they will believe they are loved far more than if you only tell them. If you show your children you love God by spending time in His word and faithfully attending church, then they will believe it far more than if you simply verbally attest your loyalty to Him. Your kids are watching your every move.
Don’t be like Achan and let your sin bring them to destruction. Keep your eyes upon Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help you lead a life that is a righteous example for your children, your neighbors, and your country.
One person’s life can have a big effect. Make your’s a positive one, not negative like Achan.
And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Joshua gave the army of Israel strict instructions as they prepared to conquer Jericho. Prior to them taking the city, the men of war had obediently followed Joshua’s instructions to march around the walls in silence until he told them to shout. Their perfect obedience ended, however, once inside the city.
Joshua 7:1 KJV
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
Because of Achan’s hidden sin, 36 troops were killed in the next battle when a couple thousand Israelite troops attempted to take the city of Ai. God would not let his people have victory due to sin in the camp. Therefore, due to one man’s sin, the entire country was negatively affected.
Our choices obviously affect us, but they also affect our spouse, our kids, our neighbors, and possibly even our entire country, as it was in the case of Achan.
God is not ignorant concerning our sin. He knows the end from the beginning, but that doesn’t keep us from trying to hide it. When we know we’ve done wrong, we try to bury it to conceal our faults. Achan did that too.
Joshua 7:21 KJV
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
The hardest part of this account, for me, comes in verses 24-25. We learn Achan will die for his sin, but not only he will die, his children will as well. God tells us in Deuteronomy 24:16:
“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”
Why then were Achan’s children put to death? The only answer I can give is they were complicit. These children must have been old enough to have understood their father’s wrong-doing and hid the thing from the rest of the camp.
This means God requires loyalty to Him and His word above our family. He is to be first in our lives. To not keep him there can have dire consequences:
Joshua 7:25 KJV
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
The last thing I want as a parent is my choices to lead my children to death and destruction. We must be careful in the choices we make to lead our children on the path of righteousness. More is caught than taught. What you show your children is far more important than what you tell them.
If you show your children love, they will believe they are loved far more than if you only tell them. If you show your children you love God by spending time in His word and faithfully attending church, then they will believe it far more than if you simply verbally attest your loyalty to Him. Your kids are watching your every move.
Don’t be like Achan and let your sin bring them to destruction. Keep your eyes upon Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help you lead a life that is a righteous example for your children, your neighbors, and your country.
One person’s life can have a big effect. Make your’s a positive one, not negative like Achan.
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