Achan (3-7-11)

The first city that the people of Israel conquered after they entered the promised land was the city of Jericho, you know the story. But I just want to focus briefly on the command that the Lord gave concerning this first victory.

Joshua 6:17-19 - "The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord."

Joshua 6:24 - "They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord."

God told the people that all the spoil from Jericho was His, and most of the people obeyed. However, there was one man named Achan who, we're told in chapter 7 verse 1 - "took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel."
So at the beginning of chapter seven, 3000 men of the children of Israel set out to fight against the city of Ai. But instead of winning the battle, they fled before the men of Ai. When this happened Joshua and the elders of the camp immediately knew that something wasn't right, and God reveled to them the problem.

Joshua 7:19-26 - "Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I implore you, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me." So Achan answered Joshua and said, "Truly, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it." So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it. They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before the Lord. Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor. Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day." And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day."

It's sad. Achans greed cost him his life. If he had only obeyed he would not have died. But that's not all. We never sin in isolation. Our sin affects those around us. Achans family was killed as a result of Achans covetousness. And it's really sad because if he had just waited he would have had all that and more. Chapter 8 begins by saying in verses 1-2 - "Now the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall take only its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.""

God only wanted that first city. He allowed the people to have the spoil from Ai. But Achan wasn't among those who plundered the city. He got too caught up in what he could see and touch right now. He didn't want to wait for the promise of something better, because it wasn't real to him. He was convinced that there was nothing better than what he was looking at, and it cost him his life.
Gods way is always the best way. At times we may think that God doesn't want us to have anything "good." He doesn't want us to have fun, or possessions, or relationships, or a good job, but sometimes God just wants us to wait on His timing. He knows what’s best for us. And going against Gods will always has consequences. Sure, we may not be stoned to death for doing things our own way. We may not even see the consequences of our disobedience, or impatience, in this life. But acting according to the will of God always has tremendous blessings.

Joshua 8:27 - "Israel took only the cattle and the spoil of that city as plunder for themselves, according to the word of the Lord which He had commanded Joshua."