Joshua 7 -- One Man

One man out of millions decided to disobey God’s command.  As a result, the entire nation suffered defeat in battle and lives were lost.  We never know when we might be that one man and how important our obedience will be to God.

 

I love the way my commentary fleshed out the situation:  “Achan’s first mistake was to look at these spoils a second time … His second mistake was to reclassify those treasures and call them the spoils … Achan’s third mistake was to covet.  ‘But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed’ ... His fourth mistake was to think that he could get away with his sin by hiding the loot.”

 

My commentary made some important points that cut to the chase if we are ever finding ourselves in Achan’s shoes:  “If God says something is wrong, then it’s wrong and that’s the end of the debate … Achan’s sin became even more odious when you stop to realize all that God had done for him … Unbelief is always content to settle for something less than God’s best … we don’t know the condition of our own hearts … The tribes could never claim their inheritance as long as one man clung to his forbidden treasures.”

 

Regarding God Himself, it said, “My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from Me, nor is their sin concealed from My eyes.”  And this nugget:  “God is love and longs to bless His people, but God is also light and must judge His people’s sin.”

 

Father, examine my heart.  I don’t fully know the condition of it, but You do.  Show me what I fail to see or fail to admit to You.  Help me to be honest with You about what You reveal.  Remind me that unbelief settles for less than Your best for me.