Transcendence 4

One: Thief Among Them

The Israelites had finally arrived in the promised land. Their new leader, Joshua proved to be a great choice already with both his leadership and his faith. Their forty year journey was up and  they were finally there, in the place sure to be a very fertile land promised to their forefathers many generations before. Finally home, living in the land, and living on the blessings of God who lived among them. Although there were many battles ahead, they knew God would protect them and lead them into victory as they took over the land bit by bit.

The first battle had just been won. They had just taken over Jericho with God's help. They killed every living thing except Rahab's family. Rahab had helped them when she hid Israelite spies from Jericho's army men. In return the Israelite soldiers spared her life when the battle was fought. Once the battle was won and all of the devoted things were given to the treasury of the Lord's house they burned the entire city.

Joshua felt confident that everything went as planned. He was proud of the way everything had turned out, that the battle had been won and that God was leading them and guiding them along a path of victory as they pressed on and continued to take over Canaan. 

 But the all seeing all knowing God knew better. There was a thief among them. God was angry at how quickly His commandments had been forgotten, and how soon greed slipped in. He knew that Achan, son of Carmi who was of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things for himself. Only one thief among them, but his actions would bring about wrath upon the entire nation. This act of unfaithfulness caused the Lord's anger to burn.

Now Joshua was pressing on and was preparing to take over more of the promised land so he sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them to go up and spy out the region.

When the men returned they told Joshua not all of the army would be needed to go up against Ai. Maybe two or three thousand would be sufficient to take it because there were not many strong soldiers there to fight against. So about three thousand went up, but they were routed by Ai in a surprise attack and thirty-six Israelite men were killed. From there the men of Ai chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. (Military defeat came so quickly after a great victory at Jericho which caused great confusion and even Joshua was trembling. Without God's protection they couldn't win a battle even up against a small army. The Israelites were trapped without possibility of escape, since the flooding Jordan river was behind them. They were confused and scared. Their hearts were broken.)

Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the Ark of the Lord. The elders of Israel did the same. Joshua remained there until evening. Then he said, "Oh sovereign Lord, why did you bring us across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, now that we have been routed by its enemies, what can we do? The Canaanites and the other people of this country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe us out. What then will you do for your own great name?"

The Lord said to Joshua, "Stand up! Israel has sinned. They have violated my covenant. They have taken some of the devoted things , they have stolen, they have lied. They have put them with their own possessions. This is why they can not stand. They turn their back and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction! Go consecrate the people. Tell them that they can not stand until that which was devoted is removed from among you."

God told Joshua to line the people up, tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family, man by man. Check them all. He who is found to be with the devoted things is to be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He had violated the covenant of the Lord and has done a disgraceful things in Israel!

Early the next morning Joshua had them come in tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family, and man by man. When Achan stepped forward Joshua said, "My son, give glory to the Lord and give him praise. Tell me what you have done, do not hide it from me. "

Achan replied, "It is true. I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent with the silver underneath."

Joshua sent messengers straight away to check Achan's tent. And there they found everything hidden in his tent just as he claimed. The took the things back to Joshua and spread them out before the Israelites, and before the Lord.

Joshua, together will all of Israel, took Achan, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys, and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. Joshua asked, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today."

They all stoned Achan, including his family and animals. After that they burned them. Over the ashes they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remain to this day. (The place is called the Valley of Achor - which means trouble.)

The Lord then turned from his fierce anger. 

(Life Question: We try hard to protect ourselves by saving money, putting up treasures for a 'rainy day' and planning ahead. What God tells us is to trust that He will provide! Are you trusting God for your everyday needs or do you worry about tomorrow?  God will protect you and provide for you. )