Achin’ Because of Achan

Joshua 7 and 8

After the Israelites marched around Jericho a total of thirteen times, the walls came tumbling down with complete victory and no loss of life. But jubilation quickly turned to disaster. The next stop on the road to conquering the Promised Land was just a little hole in the road compared to the mighty walls of Jericho. But then they were totally routed and this time Israelites lives were lost. What happened?

Under the leadership of Joshua who was full of faith and courage, 3000 soldiers attacked Ai (7:2). The total population of Ai was about twelve thousand (8:25). They would not have been able to match the size of Israel’s army. But their defenders rushed out of the gates and pushed the Israelites back towards Shebarim or “the stone quarries”.

Verse one tells us of the “trespass” of one man, Achan. He took from the plunder of Jericho after God specifically forbade the taking of spoil. As a result, thirty-six men died and the hearts of the people “melted like water”.

Wisely Joshua brings this terrible event before the Lord. When one has nowhere else to go, it is wise to drop to your knees and fight. He argued that the reputation of God’s names and the survival of his people were at stake. This reminds us of the argument of Moses (Ex. 32:12; Num. 14:13-16; Dt. 9:28; 32:26,27).

God answered Joshua that the covenant was broken by those who took accursed things. This defeat had nothing to do with military strategy or the size of the army. God was not with them. He could not be so long as there was sin in the camp. Until the guilty party was punished, there would be no victory. The Lord would direct them to the sinner via the casting of lots. First, God would point out the tribe, the family, the household, and then finally the individual man who was guilty.

Joshua did as God instructed and the final lot fell upon a man named Achan. Joshua encouraged Achan to give glory to God by making a full confession. He said, “when I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it” (7:21).

What were they to do with Achan’s confession? There was no hope of pardon. God demanded the death penalty. All of Achan’s household was destroyed. His family may have been accomplices in regard to the stolen spoils. No mercy was shown. Their stoning was followed by incineration. Their grave site was marked for all to remember not to cause trouble for Israel by coveting. The place was named Achar meaning “trouble” (7:25). Because Achan’s sin had brought much trouble to the whole nation.

God now will direct the battle with a detailed plan. First, the whole army goes up this time. They were to set an ambush (8:1,2). Joshua gives God’s instructions to the people (8:3-9). They are apt to obey these after seeing what happened to Achan.

God rewarded them with victory. The battle plan of God worked. Thirty thousand Israelites soldiers were behind the city. Joshua took the rest and approached. When the King of Ai came out, Israel pretended to flee. Ai took the bait and all of them gave chase leaving their city gates wide open and undefended. “Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.’ And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand toward the city” (8:18). The ambush worked perfectly. The city was taken and burned. The enemy was surrounded and annihilated. The King of Ai captured. Afterward the city was looted of spoil. The King was hung till evening and then buried under a pile of rubble at the city gate.

Joshua builds an alter to God and the Law of Moses is read to the people (8:30-35).

Defeated by Sin

• Sin Incurs God’s Wrath, 7:1, 26

Israel was not defeated by the might of men or stopped in their tracks by the fortifications of a city. Sin would defeat them, because sin brings down upon them the wrath of God.

• Sin Robs God, 7:11

Achan did not just steal the spoil. He robbed God. And yes, man can rob God (Mal. 3:8). Today we can rob God of His glory and also fail to give to God our free will contributions.

• Sin Separates Us from God, 7:13

God was not with them because of sin in the camp. Sin separated us from God (Is. 59:1,2). Our prayers are not heard. Our battles our not won. We are left alone to face the world without God.

• Sin Cannot Be Hidden from God.

Achan tried to hide his stolen spoils in the tent. But God pointed him out with the use of the lot. Moses warned the children of Israel: “be sure your sin will find you out. (Num. 32:23).

• Sin’s Terrible Consequences

Achan may have convinced himself that his sin was not going to hurt anyone. However, thirty-six of his brethren paid with their lives for his greed. God’s wrath came upon all of Israel over one man’s sin. As a result, he brought destruction upon his whole family. Sin will always end up costing you more than you imagine. It will also cause a great deal of agony for others to not fall for the myth of the little harmless sin. Adam and Eve’s sin brought death upon mankind. No sinner lives in a vacuum. “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself” (Rom. 14:7). Our actions bring negative reactions whether it be divorce, forsaking the assembling of the saints, or just failing to pray.

Victory Over Sin

 Make Full Confession

Achan was encouraged to give a full confession. Although he was not spared, the people were spared further defeat and the wrath of God. And God was glorified by him coming clean. Christians need to be willing confess thier sins to be forgiven. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 Jn. 1:8-10).

 Remove Sin from the Camp

The sin of Achan was removed by literally removing Achan from the camp to be stoned and burned. What a waste over cheap trinkets. His public execution was for a lasting public example.

When Christians refuse to repent of their sins, God has commanded church discipline to remove the leavening effects of sin for the church and to encourage the sinner to confess and repent. “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. …But those who are outside God judges. Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person.” (1 Cor. 5:6,7,13). Today the church is in danger due to a lack of church discipline in removing sin.

 Victory in Apparent Defeat

God gave victory through a plan that involved the appearance of defeat. Satan may have thought the crucifixion of Christ brought defeat. But victory of sin and death and Satan came with the Resurrection of Jesus. “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:55-58).

 Glory to God, 7:19; 8:30

When sin is exposed and dealt with, God gets the glory. Whether it be confession of sin like Achan did or punishment of the sin. God’s grace seems to be absent from the story. But the “valley of Achar” became a road to victory the Israel did not earn or deserve.

 Rededication to the Law, 30-35.

After the victory at Ai came the worship of God and the reading and adherence to His Law. Achan died to remind the living to take God’s words seriously.

Achan paid the ultimate price for his sin. Others paid for his sin. Remember Jesus died so that we can be redeemed from our sins. On the cross he paid the price so that we might live.

– Daniel R. Vess