June 16, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
ACHAN’S SIN CAUSED DEFEAT OF ISRAEL’S ARMY IN CANAAN. (See Judges 7: 1-26 first).
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things….for Achan took of the accursed things, so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.” Verse 1.
Achan means “trouble.” He is also called Achar. After their miraculous victory of taking down the massively-fortified city of Jericho, Joshua led the army to attack a small town called Ai. “The hearts of the people melted and became as water.” Joshua “rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eve tide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.”
“Alas, Lord God, why hast Thou brought this people over the Jordan at all-to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies? For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the [promised] land will hear of it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will Thou do for Thy great name?” verses 6-9.
“The answer from Jehovah was, ‘Get thee up….Israel has transgressed My covenant which I commanded them.’ It was time for prompt and decided action, and NOT for despair and lamentation. There was SECRET SIN IN THE CAMP, AND IT MUST BE SEARCHED OUT AND PUT AWAY, BEFORE THE PRESENCE AND BLESSINGS OF THE LORD could be with His people! ‘Neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed thing from among you.”
Lest any Christian deceive himself and others that God will overlook or ignore the sin which He numbered as the tenth, the base or foundation as it were of the nine before it, we need to take to heart how God “took care” of the sin of one man that has caused the defeat of a whole army!
Remember “God changeth not.” He is “the same yesterday, today and forever.” Till tomorrow, God bless and keep all. NMF