1 00:00:14,119 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,379 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,940 --> 00:00:27,019 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:35,740 --> 00:00:37,960 Let's open with a word of prayer. 5 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:46,060 Heavenly Father, we just give this time over to you, Lord, and we pray that your 6 00:00:46,060 --> 00:00:53,960 spirit would be here amongst us, Lord, that you would open our minds and our 7 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,960 word to discern your word, God. 8 00:00:59,060 --> 00:01:07,579 We pray, God, that we would learn from amongst each other, Lord, and we pray, God, 9 00:01:07,620 --> 00:01:13,200 that you just guide the teaching, Lord, and the path that you would want it to go. 10 00:01:14,599 --> 00:01:17,599 We give you praise and honor, God, in your name, amen. 11 00:01:17,599 --> 00:01:30,959 All right, so we are up to Joshua 7, and just as a 30-second recap, so Chapter 1 12 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,859 basically covered the commissioning of Joshua. 13 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:40,060 He was taking over for Moses as the new leader. 14 00:01:40,879 --> 00:01:45,459 Chapter 2, they were scouting into Jericho. 15 00:01:46,460 --> 00:01:54,079 They were looking to make their move on Jericho, and Rahab, who was in Jericho, 16 00:01:55,120 --> 00:02:01,260 hid the spies and showed herself to be faithful, and she was spared from all that. 17 00:02:01,879 --> 00:02:03,019 That's a great story. 18 00:02:03,659 --> 00:02:10,639 Chapter 3, God parts the Jordan River, much like he did as they were coming out of 19 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,500 Israel, and they enter into the long-awaited Promised Land. 20 00:02:16,479 --> 00:02:23,740 Chapter 4 talked about memorial stones that they set for future generations to show 21 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,520 God's faithfulness, and I love that. 22 00:02:26,659 --> 00:02:32,400 That's something we should all put into practice at some point, some ways that we 23 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:37,060 can recognize and remember God's faithfulness in our lives. 24 00:02:37,060 --> 00:02:44,379 Chapter 5, Israel renews their covenant in preparation for battle into Jericho, 25 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:48,060 and last week, Chapter 6 was the victory. 26 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:56,300 Jericho is destroyed and devoted to the Lord, which we're going to talk a bit about tonight. 27 00:02:56,900 --> 00:03:06,259 So, Chapter 7 is a bit of a turn of event, so after the miraculous victory in Chapter 6, 28 00:03:07,060 --> 00:03:14,120 Chapter 7 shows, you know, unconfessed, hidden sin turns triumph into defeat, 29 00:03:14,259 --> 00:03:21,639 so they go into another, yet another slump, so to speak. 30 00:03:21,939 --> 00:03:25,240 So, let's start out, verse 1. 31 00:03:26,539 --> 00:03:31,580 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things. 32 00:03:32,300 --> 00:03:41,639 Achan, son of Carmi, the son of Zimrai, son of Zera, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. 33 00:03:42,319 --> 00:03:45,800 So, the Lord's anger burned against him. 34 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:53,039 So, there's a big contrast here from Chapter 6. 35 00:03:53,280 --> 00:04:00,759 Chapter 6, we had obedience, which led to victory, and here this chapter starts out 36 00:04:00,759 --> 00:04:04,860 right away in verse 1 with the sin. 37 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:11,560 The devoted things was something that immediately caught my attention. 38 00:04:11,819 --> 00:04:18,199 I mean, as you know, when something stands out and seems kind of devoted, that seems a little odd, 39 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:19,819 there's always something there. 40 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:29,199 So, devoted things, the Hebrew word hiram refers to the irrevocable giving over 41 00:04:30,079 --> 00:04:39,100 of something or a person to the Lord, and it can often mean the total destruction of those things. 42 00:04:39,319 --> 00:04:43,980 So, the devoted things, we're talking about some of the very specific things, 43 00:04:44,220 --> 00:04:50,319 we're going to talk more about them as this chapter evolves. 44 00:04:50,959 --> 00:04:56,699 But, referring back to Chapter 6 in verse 17, it says, 45 00:04:57,259 --> 00:05:05,060 the city shall be devoted, same word, same Hebrew word, hiram, to the Lord for destruction. 46 00:05:05,339 --> 00:05:09,600 So, the whole thing was to be given over to the Lord. 47 00:05:09,779 --> 00:05:14,860 So, everything in Jericho belonged to God. 48 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,740 But apparently, that wasn't clear to everyone. 49 00:05:20,319 --> 00:05:22,459 So, most of it was to be destroyed. 50 00:05:23,019 --> 00:05:30,040 Certain items such as the silver, gold, bronze, iron would be placed in the Lord's treasury, 51 00:05:30,259 --> 00:05:33,560 as it said in Joshua 6 and 19. 52 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:40,819 So, at Jericho, everything was considered God's portion there, 53 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:44,019 more or less a first fruit that was given. 54 00:05:44,019 --> 00:05:50,939 So, Israel wasn't really allowed to take any of the plunder or anything for itself. 55 00:05:51,879 --> 00:05:55,899 So, Aitkin's sin that he did, and again, we're going to, 56 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,379 that's going to unfold a little bit more as the chapter unfolds, 57 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:04,480 wasn't just stealing, it wasn't just a, hey, this looks kind of cool, 58 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:06,100 I'm going to take this for myself. 59 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:11,959 He was taking something that very, very specifically belonged to God 60 00:06:11,959 --> 00:06:15,019 and he was treating it as his own. 61 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:21,800 So, it says that God's anger burned against that, his wrath, his righteousness, 62 00:06:22,139 --> 00:06:24,180 and God's anger, as we've learned. 63 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:27,339 We've talked a lot about this on Wednesday nights, 64 00:06:27,540 --> 00:06:29,819 that God's anger isn't like our anger. 65 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:37,139 It's not like an emotional anger or an anger where we're taking revenge on someone. 66 00:06:37,139 --> 00:06:43,779 It's his holiness responding to something that is sinful. 67 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:50,639 So, the phrase that they were unfaithful, when you read a phrase like unfaithful, 68 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:56,259 sometimes we don't understand the severity of that. 69 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,079 It doesn't sound as serious as what it is. 70 00:06:59,519 --> 00:07:05,860 But again, the word for that in here really implies there was a treachery to it. 71 00:07:05,860 --> 00:07:10,899 So, it wasn't just this flippant thing that Aiken did. 72 00:07:11,100 --> 00:07:15,439 There wasn't just a little mistake or a little error in judgment. 73 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:20,560 There was a level of treachery to it that should have come through, 74 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,139 should have a stronger word, could have been used. 75 00:07:23,860 --> 00:07:31,079 And we also have learned that these types of sins aren't just an individual thing, 76 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,920 that it really is a corporate thing. 77 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:41,959 It impacts the whole group, which we're going to, again, talk a little bit more about. 78 00:07:42,339 --> 00:07:45,759 And that's not just true of this situation. 79 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,939 That can be true with us. 80 00:07:48,139 --> 00:07:54,600 1 Corinthians 12, 26, if one member suffers, all suffer together. 81 00:07:54,920 --> 00:08:02,199 1 Corinthians 5, 6 reminds us that sin affects the entire body at certain levels. 82 00:08:02,199 --> 00:08:06,639 So, it's never just an individual thing, it's a corporate thing. 83 00:08:06,860 --> 00:08:09,399 But especially with what they were undertaking, 84 00:08:09,939 --> 00:08:14,680 we'll talk a little bit about that, how it really impacted the entire group. 85 00:08:15,259 --> 00:08:23,939 So, verses 2 through 5, now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, not A-I-A. 86 00:08:25,660 --> 00:08:26,500 Yeah, right. 87 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,720 That's pretty up the date, that's right. 88 00:08:30,780 --> 00:08:36,320 Which is near Beth-Avan to the east of Bethel and told them, 89 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,679 go up and spy out the region. 90 00:08:39,019 --> 00:08:41,980 So, the men went up and they spied out A. 91 00:08:42,899 --> 00:08:45,799 When they returned to Joshua, they said, 92 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:50,279 not all the army will have to go up against Ai. 93 00:08:51,299 --> 00:08:58,639 Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not worry the whole army. 94 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:04,480 For only a few people lived there, so about three thousand went up. 95 00:09:04,700 --> 00:09:13,139 But they were routed by the men of A, who killed about 36 of them. 96 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:19,539 They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries 97 00:09:19,539 --> 00:09:22,519 and struck them down on the slopes. 98 00:09:23,460 --> 00:09:31,000 At this, the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. 99 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:42,799 So, they sent these spies out and it said, they recommended the small force. 100 00:09:43,059 --> 00:09:48,779 So, it doesn't say anything about, God said, take a small force. 101 00:09:48,779 --> 00:09:55,279 It doesn't say anything about the fact that they consulted with God on this. 102 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:58,480 So, there was this level of overconfidence. 103 00:09:58,779 --> 00:10:07,440 There was this level of relying on themselves and this led to the death of 36 men. 104 00:10:07,919 --> 00:10:14,340 So, this is very much in contrast to when they went into Jericho, 105 00:10:14,340 --> 00:10:18,919 where they were fully dependent and reliant on God. 106 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:28,259 And one of the key verses in here is, the hearts of the people melted and became like water. 107 00:10:28,940 --> 00:10:35,480 And again, this is the polar opposite of what happened when they went in 108 00:10:36,019 --> 00:10:37,419 and faced the Canaanites. 109 00:10:37,580 --> 00:10:42,440 And Joshua 2, 11, it said, the Canaanites hearts melted. 110 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:53,059 So, you have this flipping of the story here and now Israel is experiencing this fear. 111 00:10:54,259 --> 00:11:00,779 And we know from scripture, John 15 tells us apart from God, we can do nothing. 112 00:11:01,399 --> 00:11:08,139 And we know when this level of fear arises in us, it's not a fear. 113 00:11:08,519 --> 00:11:12,120 It's not something that manifests from God. 114 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:17,519 The fear of man is never from God. 115 00:11:18,399 --> 00:11:27,440 So, they were experiencing a fear that was not from God and not a healthy fear at all. 116 00:11:29,860 --> 00:11:38,240 So, moving on 6 through 12, then Joshua tore his clothes and fell face down to the ground 117 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,779 before the Ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. 118 00:11:43,759 --> 00:11:50,139 The elders of Israel did the same and sprinkled dust on their hairs, hands, heads. 119 00:11:50,700 --> 00:11:58,279 And Joshua said, alas, sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan 120 00:11:58,279 --> 00:12:03,340 to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? 121 00:12:03,980 --> 00:12:09,399 If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan, 122 00:12:10,179 --> 00:12:17,980 pardon your servant, Lord, what can I do now that Israel has been routed by its enemies, 123 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:23,500 the Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this 124 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:28,299 and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. 125 00:12:28,299 --> 00:12:34,539 What, then, will you do for your own great name? 126 00:12:35,179 --> 00:12:38,120 The Lord said to Joshua, stand up. 127 00:12:38,980 --> 00:12:41,059 What are you doing down on your face? 128 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:43,580 Israel has sinned. 129 00:12:43,899 --> 00:12:48,320 They have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. 130 00:12:49,159 --> 00:12:51,980 They have taken some of the devoted things. 131 00:12:53,039 --> 00:12:57,179 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. 132 00:12:58,299 --> 00:13:04,000 They turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. 133 00:13:04,879 --> 00:13:14,580 I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. 134 00:13:16,039 --> 00:13:19,460 So, wow, there's a lot in that section. 135 00:13:20,019 --> 00:13:23,419 So, Joshua is lamenting. 136 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:24,860 He's tearing his clothes. 137 00:13:24,860 --> 00:13:28,179 He's falling before the Ark. 138 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,639 He's questioning God. 139 00:13:31,419 --> 00:13:33,620 Why have you brought us here? 140 00:13:33,759 --> 00:13:34,980 Why did you bring us across? 141 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:42,179 Maybe he's blaming God in his heart, but he's clearly misdiagnosing the situation. 142 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:44,379 So, he's clearly misdiagnosed. 143 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:50,720 He assumes the problem is God's faithfulness in this situation, 144 00:13:50,940 --> 00:13:52,899 and God immediately responds. 145 00:13:52,899 --> 00:13:54,100 Says, get up. 146 00:13:55,539 --> 00:13:56,480 It's Israel. 147 00:13:56,740 --> 00:13:57,419 They've sinned. 148 00:13:57,419 --> 00:13:58,700 They've sinned against me. 149 00:13:59,379 --> 00:14:02,919 God reveals the disobedience, and God says, 150 00:14:03,860 --> 00:14:10,259 I will be with you no more unless this happens. 151 00:14:10,940 --> 00:14:16,460 So, he's not talking about a loss of covenant or anything like that, 152 00:14:16,659 --> 00:14:20,259 but he's talking about a loss of blessing, a loss of favor. 153 00:14:20,259 --> 00:14:23,519 He's saying, my presence won't go with you, 154 00:14:24,419 --> 00:14:31,039 and they had just experienced the power of his presence in battle, 155 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:36,320 and now they just experienced the lack of his presence in battle. 156 00:14:37,759 --> 00:14:40,440 Isaiah 59, 1 through 2 says, 157 00:14:41,220 --> 00:14:45,019 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, 158 00:14:45,759 --> 00:14:49,120 nor his ear too dull to hear, 159 00:14:49,679 --> 00:14:54,419 but your iniquities have separated you from God. 160 00:14:54,840 --> 00:15:01,200 Your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. 161 00:15:02,159 --> 00:15:09,840 And the message here is loud and clear that sin hinders fellowship with God. 162 00:15:10,340 --> 00:15:14,120 Sin hinders the favor of God. 163 00:15:14,419 --> 00:15:17,820 Has nothing to do with what we would consider today, 164 00:15:17,820 --> 00:15:22,879 you know, salvation, but it hinders that fellowship, 165 00:15:23,039 --> 00:15:25,799 and for them it hindered that favor. 166 00:15:26,460 --> 00:15:33,320 It inhibits us from fulfilling the kingdom work, 167 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,259 the work that he has called us to do. 168 00:15:36,759 --> 00:15:39,240 It hinders, sin hinders that. 169 00:15:41,940 --> 00:15:44,500 And it took me many, many, many, many years 170 00:15:45,059 --> 00:15:53,179 to learn, you know, when, you know, when I feel distant from God 171 00:15:53,179 --> 00:15:59,159 because of sin in my life, it's not God being absent, 172 00:15:59,460 --> 00:16:05,259 it's me choosing to live the way, the way that I'm living. 173 00:16:06,159 --> 00:16:11,279 So it's not, he, you know, in this situation, you know, 174 00:16:11,279 --> 00:16:16,580 God can't be in the same camp as sin. 175 00:16:17,100 --> 00:16:17,960 He can't. 176 00:16:18,740 --> 00:16:19,559 He's holy. 177 00:16:19,879 --> 00:16:20,519 He's pure. 178 00:16:21,379 --> 00:16:23,299 And it's the same, the same with us. 179 00:16:23,559 --> 00:16:27,379 Thankfully, you know, he sees us through the blood of Jesus, 180 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,179 but sin still hinders us. 181 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:34,139 Verses 13 through 18. 182 00:16:35,820 --> 00:16:38,320 God is saying, go, consecrate the people. 183 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:43,779 Tell them, consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow. 184 00:16:44,679 --> 00:16:48,720 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. 185 00:16:49,980 --> 00:16:53,440 There are devoted things among you, Israel. 186 00:16:54,259 --> 00:16:58,519 You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them. 187 00:16:59,460 --> 00:17:03,840 In the morning, present yourselves, tribe by tribe. 188 00:17:04,559 --> 00:17:09,220 The tribe the Lord chooses shall come forward, clan by clan. 189 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:14,980 The clan the Lord chooses shall come forward, family by family. 190 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:20,720 The family the Lord chooses shall come forward, man by man. 191 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:24,500 Whoever is caught with the devoted things 192 00:17:24,500 --> 00:17:30,380 shall be destroyed by fire along with all that belongs to him. 193 00:17:31,100 --> 00:17:34,059 He has violated the covenant of the Lord 194 00:17:34,700 --> 00:17:38,460 and has done an outrageous thing in Israel. 195 00:17:39,019 --> 00:17:43,500 Early in the morning, Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes 196 00:17:44,540 --> 00:17:46,480 and Judah was chosen. 197 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:53,440 The clan of Judah came forward and the Zarenites were chosen. 198 00:17:54,420 --> 00:17:58,180 He had the clan of Zarenites come forward by the families. 199 00:17:58,180 --> 00:18:00,359 Zimrai was chosen. 200 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:04,380 Joshua had his family come forward man by man 201 00:18:04,380 --> 00:18:07,960 and Achan son of Karmic, son of Zimrai, 202 00:18:08,140 --> 00:18:12,039 the son of Zera of the tribe of Judah was chosen. 203 00:18:14,420 --> 00:18:17,460 So there was a call for consecration. 204 00:18:18,079 --> 00:18:20,000 Remember, setting apart. 205 00:18:20,759 --> 00:18:23,380 There was an exposure of the sin. 206 00:18:23,380 --> 00:18:28,940 This is the same thing was echoed earlier in Joshua 3 207 00:18:28,940 --> 00:18:33,200 where God had them prepare and consecrate themselves. 208 00:18:34,079 --> 00:18:39,200 But God systematically reveals the guilty party. 209 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,160 Tribe, clan, household, individual. 210 00:18:44,460 --> 00:18:47,940 So God exposes the sin thoroughly. 211 00:18:48,740 --> 00:18:53,440 But we'll see that he also provides a way forward 212 00:18:54,019 --> 00:18:58,000 from judgment to sin will not remain hidden. 213 00:18:58,319 --> 00:19:01,599 He's providing mercy and an opportunity to repent. 214 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:04,440 Numbers 32, 23 says, 215 00:19:04,980 --> 00:19:10,299 but if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord 216 00:19:10,900 --> 00:19:14,940 and you may be sure that your sin will be found out. 217 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:23,700 Luke 8, 17 says, nothing is hidden that will not make manifest. 218 00:19:24,859 --> 00:19:33,259 So God brings the hidden things to light, not for the sake of exposing, 219 00:19:33,599 --> 00:19:38,700 not for the sake of this aha moment of pointing the finger, 220 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,619 but he brings them the light for the sake of restoration. 221 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:46,759 Sin is darkness. 222 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:48,460 God is light. 223 00:19:50,339 --> 00:19:54,039 And there is a natural process there. 224 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,539 John 3, 19 through 21. 225 00:19:59,220 --> 00:20:00,099 This is the verdict. 226 00:20:01,039 --> 00:20:02,680 Light has come into the world, 227 00:20:03,259 --> 00:20:06,259 but people love the darkness instead of light 228 00:20:06,259 --> 00:20:08,440 because their deeds were evil. 229 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,980 Everyone who does evil hates the light 230 00:20:11,980 --> 00:20:17,160 and will not come into the light for fear of their deeds will be exposed. 231 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:23,680 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light 232 00:20:24,299 --> 00:20:28,539 so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done 233 00:20:28,539 --> 00:20:31,240 has been done in the sight of the Lord. 234 00:20:33,079 --> 00:20:38,259 God is light and he sheds light on these things. 235 00:20:38,259 --> 00:20:44,380 And one of the things that I love about light is 236 00:20:45,859 --> 00:20:51,200 when light comes, darkness doesn't struggle to leave. 237 00:20:51,900 --> 00:20:53,119 It just leaves. 238 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:54,940 When you turn a light on, 239 00:20:55,180 --> 00:20:59,119 there's no struggle between the light and the dark. 240 00:20:59,380 --> 00:21:01,259 The dark is just gone. 241 00:21:02,019 --> 00:21:03,839 It just is, right? 242 00:21:04,220 --> 00:21:05,440 And that's how God is. 243 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:09,660 God will not be in the presence of sin. 244 00:21:09,839 --> 00:21:10,359 He's light. 245 00:21:11,940 --> 00:21:15,519 And when he comes, when his light is there, 246 00:21:16,439 --> 00:21:19,200 the darkness is just gone. 247 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:24,400 We can choose to hide from the light if we want to, 248 00:21:24,900 --> 00:21:27,779 but his light just shines on us 249 00:21:27,779 --> 00:21:30,900 and that's where he wants us to be. 250 00:21:30,980 --> 00:21:33,299 And that's what he was doing here. 251 00:21:34,939 --> 00:21:36,940 19 through 21. 252 00:21:38,779 --> 00:21:40,759 Then Joshua said to Achan, 253 00:21:41,519 --> 00:21:45,980 my son, give glory to the Lord for the God of Israel 254 00:21:45,980 --> 00:21:47,200 and honor him. 255 00:21:48,319 --> 00:21:50,079 Tell me what you have done. 256 00:21:50,559 --> 00:21:52,700 Do not hide it from me. 257 00:21:53,500 --> 00:21:55,339 Achan replied, it is true. 258 00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:00,259 I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. 259 00:22:00,700 --> 00:22:02,140 This is what I have done. 260 00:22:02,860 --> 00:22:06,799 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe 261 00:22:07,580 --> 00:22:11,259 from Babylonia, 200 shekels of silver 262 00:22:11,259 --> 00:22:14,640 and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, 263 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,660 I coveted them and took them. 264 00:22:18,759 --> 00:22:21,619 They are hidden in the ground inside my tent 265 00:22:22,380 --> 00:22:23,940 with the silver underneath. 266 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:30,799 This is a very, very familiar progression, right? 267 00:22:31,759 --> 00:22:35,880 He saw, he desired it or coveted it. 268 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:40,220 He took it and he hid it. 269 00:22:41,819 --> 00:22:45,759 How many times have we seen this play out in scripture? 270 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:51,279 It's the very thing that happened in the fall 271 00:22:51,279 --> 00:22:52,759 at the garden. 272 00:22:53,779 --> 00:22:57,059 How many times has that been true in our lives 273 00:22:57,059 --> 00:23:00,079 when we coveted something or wanted something? 274 00:23:00,079 --> 00:23:04,579 We saw it, we desired it, we took it and we hid it. 275 00:23:04,839 --> 00:23:07,380 James 1, 14 through 15 says, 276 00:23:07,559 --> 00:23:11,740 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away 277 00:23:11,740 --> 00:23:14,519 by their own evil desire and enticed. 278 00:23:15,420 --> 00:23:19,500 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin 279 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:22,859 and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death. 280 00:23:24,519 --> 00:23:29,000 So this idea of desiring sin and death. 281 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,900 It's a familiar, familiar, familiar story for all of us. 282 00:23:34,859 --> 00:23:38,500 Aiken confesses only after being exposed 283 00:23:38,500 --> 00:23:40,920 and not from this level of conviction. 284 00:23:41,579 --> 00:23:45,819 In other words, he wasn't listening to the Spirit of God 285 00:23:46,519 --> 00:23:49,599 saying, hey, convicting his heart. 286 00:23:49,740 --> 00:23:55,420 He was exposed and oftentimes that magnifies 287 00:23:55,420 --> 00:23:58,519 the consequences of things. 288 00:24:00,940 --> 00:24:04,759 For 22 through 26, so Joshua sent messengers 289 00:24:04,759 --> 00:24:08,119 and they ran to the tent, and there it was, 290 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,700 hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 291 00:24:12,039 --> 00:24:13,839 They took the things from the tent, 292 00:24:14,279 --> 00:24:17,539 brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites 293 00:24:17,539 --> 00:24:19,279 and spread them out before the Lord. 294 00:24:19,559 --> 00:24:21,759 Then Joshua, together with all of Israel, 295 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:25,319 took Aiken, the son of Zera, the silver, the robe, 296 00:24:25,579 --> 00:24:28,500 the gold bar, sons and daughters, his cattle, 297 00:24:29,140 --> 00:24:35,000 donkeys, sheep, his tent, and all he had to the Valley of Acore. 298 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:43,380 Joshua said, why have you brought this trouble on us? 299 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,759 The Lord will bring trouble on you today. 300 00:24:49,220 --> 00:24:52,500 Then all of Israel stoned him, 301 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,640 and after they had stoned the rest, 302 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:57,900 they burned them. 303 00:24:58,599 --> 00:25:02,819 Over Aiken, they had heaped up a large pile of rocks 304 00:25:02,819 --> 00:25:04,599 which remains to this day. 305 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,920 Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. 306 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:13,039 Therefore, that place has been called the Valley of Acore 307 00:25:13,039 --> 00:25:14,240 ever since. 308 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,420 So the stolen items were found. 309 00:25:19,660 --> 00:25:21,619 Aiken and all that were connected 310 00:25:21,619 --> 00:25:24,799 were judged and stoned to death. 311 00:25:25,599 --> 00:25:31,980 And this is a challenging passage for us to read 312 00:25:31,980 --> 00:25:37,220 and to understand and to say, boy, it seems very severe. 313 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,779 The judgment seems very, very severe. 314 00:25:42,779 --> 00:25:45,000 And did it really need to come to that? 315 00:25:45,180 --> 00:25:47,779 Couldn't he have just said, hey, I'm sorry. 316 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:50,140 And I don't know. 317 00:25:51,779 --> 00:25:54,500 Stood outside the camp for, I don't know, seven days. 318 00:25:54,500 --> 00:25:55,119 I don't know. 319 00:25:55,779 --> 00:25:58,160 Just seems severe to me. 320 00:25:58,660 --> 00:26:01,559 But when you really examine it deeper, 321 00:26:01,799 --> 00:26:04,480 this idea of these devoted things, 322 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:10,099 the severity behind that and the treachery behind it, 323 00:26:12,339 --> 00:26:16,480 it was a sin that involved much more than just this. 324 00:26:16,759 --> 00:26:19,859 The severity of judgment really matched 325 00:26:19,859 --> 00:26:27,960 the severity of the crime given the description in Scripture. 326 00:26:28,779 --> 00:26:30,099 The verses that we read. 327 00:26:30,319 --> 00:26:32,339 So as you read the stories, it outlines it. 328 00:26:33,019 --> 00:26:36,259 When you read it in context and really understand it, 329 00:26:36,259 --> 00:26:40,920 it was a severe judgment, but it was a very severe, 330 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,460 severe crime that happened. 331 00:26:43,980 --> 00:26:48,940 And we've seen severe things like that in Scripture before. 332 00:26:48,940 --> 00:26:53,519 Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts. 333 00:26:55,299 --> 00:27:00,900 The other aspect of this is when you think back earlier 334 00:27:01,740 --> 00:27:07,059 when those 36 died and this all fits together, 335 00:27:07,319 --> 00:27:11,380 this happened at a very critical time for Israel. 336 00:27:12,140 --> 00:27:16,680 So it really threatened this one act 337 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,180 had infected the whole camp and it threatened 338 00:27:20,180 --> 00:27:26,839 the entire mission that they were on and what God was doing. 339 00:27:27,099 --> 00:27:29,799 So I mean, think about the impact of this. 340 00:27:30,059 --> 00:27:34,819 When you read back as to how the Israelites felt 341 00:27:34,819 --> 00:27:37,099 when they were in battle, 342 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,700 they were relying more so on themselves. 343 00:27:41,259 --> 00:27:45,819 They became consumed with fear through this. 344 00:27:45,819 --> 00:27:51,619 And think about how this can impact them as they go forward. 345 00:27:51,740 --> 00:27:54,680 So it wasn't this simple, isolated incident. 346 00:27:54,799 --> 00:27:57,319 It was a big, big thing. 347 00:27:57,619 --> 00:28:01,380 And that's why God acted the way that he did. 348 00:28:01,779 --> 00:28:08,539 But we're thankful that our God is a God of restoration, right? 349 00:28:09,740 --> 00:28:13,400 You know, the Valley of Acor was named 350 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:18,779 after the trouble caused by sin as a reminder to those around. 351 00:28:19,019 --> 00:28:25,920 But God later transforms even that place into a symbol of hope. 352 00:28:26,319 --> 00:28:31,880 So what began as judgment and a reminder of this sin 353 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,940 turns into future restoration. 354 00:28:34,940 --> 00:28:38,039 Hosea 215 says, 355 00:28:39,019 --> 00:28:42,079 there I will give her, meaning Israel, 356 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:48,440 back her vineyards and will make the Valley of Acor a door of hope. 357 00:28:50,519 --> 00:28:55,500 There she will respond as in the days of her youth, 358 00:28:55,980 --> 00:29:00,299 as in the day she came out, up out of Egypt. 359 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:09,880 Isaiah 65.10 says Sharon will become a pastor of flocks 360 00:29:10,460 --> 00:29:14,940 and the Valley of Acor a resting place for herds, 361 00:29:15,279 --> 00:29:17,200 for people who seek me. 362 00:29:18,099 --> 00:29:22,460 So this is God's message of restoration 363 00:29:22,460 --> 00:29:26,460 where he is providing hope for it. 364 00:29:26,460 --> 00:29:30,519 So when we feel hopeless, 365 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:36,160 restoration is always a part of the equation for God. 366 00:29:36,900 --> 00:29:42,500 Even though we don't see it, God sees that plan of restoration. 367 00:29:43,319 --> 00:29:47,099 He is the restorer of those things that are lost. 368 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:52,960 God can restore time and years that have been lost. 369 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:58,920 God can restore blessing in our lives and favor in our lives. 370 00:29:59,660 --> 00:30:03,000 God can restore health from sickness. 371 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:06,660 He can restore joy from mourning. 372 00:30:07,500 --> 00:30:10,980 He can restore brokenness into fullness. 373 00:30:12,299 --> 00:30:17,400 Jesus did all of this and more on the cross. 374 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:22,920 So Achan was judged harshly for his sin, 375 00:30:23,539 --> 00:30:28,359 but Jesus bared the judgment that we deserve. 376 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:31,259 He bore it for us. 377 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:38,400 So in looking at this chapter in entirety, 378 00:30:39,220 --> 00:30:40,440 you've got hidden sin. 379 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,359 You've got unexpected defeat. 380 00:30:43,359 --> 00:30:49,160 You have a misunderstanding or a misdiagnosis of the problem. 381 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:52,740 And then God reveals the issue. 382 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:58,960 Sin is exposed and there's confession and consequences for it. 383 00:30:59,500 --> 00:31:02,099 It's kind of this great story arc, isn't it? 384 00:31:05,359 --> 00:31:09,039 Sin matters and it should matter to us. 385 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:11,680 Not for condemnation. 386 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:14,880 We shouldn't look at our, we shouldn't look at, 387 00:31:15,579 --> 00:31:18,220 center our lives and feel condemnation over Romans. 388 00:31:18,460 --> 00:31:21,339 Romans clearly says there is no condemnations, 389 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:26,019 but understanding that there is a pathway forward for us, 390 00:31:26,279 --> 00:31:29,240 restoration, restoring fellowship, 391 00:31:29,539 --> 00:31:31,619 restoring spiritual health, 392 00:31:32,740 --> 00:31:36,660 a call to walk in the light and not in the darkness. 393 00:31:36,660 --> 00:31:46,039 This was a great chapter for teaching the power of God in victory, 394 00:31:46,859 --> 00:31:51,940 but it's his holiness and his presence that governs that. 395 00:31:52,180 --> 00:31:53,359 And when there's hidden sin, 396 00:31:55,140 --> 00:31:57,660 our fellowship with God is hindered. 397 00:31:57,940 --> 00:32:02,359 And when it's brought to light, restoration can begin. 398 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:10,680 You know, God's presence and his blessings are part of his holiness, 399 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:16,619 but they're tied to obedience that we have seen time and time again 400 00:32:16,619 --> 00:32:18,380 as we've gone through the Old Testament. 401 00:32:18,599 --> 00:32:20,920 And that obedience applies to us today. 402 00:32:22,019 --> 00:32:27,380 So after the victory at Jericho, Israel's defeated and it reveals this 403 00:32:27,380 --> 00:32:31,299 and it shows how they go hand in hand. 404 00:32:31,299 --> 00:32:36,119 And I think for us today as believers, 405 00:32:36,539 --> 00:32:44,480 Joshua 7 reminds us that we're not judged as Achan was judged 406 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:51,359 because Christ already bore our sins and he bore our judgment on our behalf. 407 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:55,980 But instead, when sin is revealed in our lives, 408 00:32:56,039 --> 00:32:59,940 we're called to respond with repentance and confession 409 00:32:59,940 --> 00:33:03,619 and trusting in God's mercy. 410 00:33:05,619 --> 00:33:11,759 And, you know, the lesson becomes not fear of punishment 411 00:33:11,759 --> 00:33:17,900 or fear of the consequences of the sin, 412 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,940 but a call to walk with God in his light. 413 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:29,539 And again, that light, it's not a struggle for that darkness to leave. 414 00:33:29,539 --> 00:33:35,099 It's only a struggle when we choose to continue to hide that. 415 00:33:35,660 --> 00:33:39,079 And that light can come on and we can choose to hide, you know, 416 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:43,599 in a corner of a room where we can choose to just allow God 417 00:33:43,599 --> 00:33:48,799 to consume all of that and restore us. 418 00:33:50,660 --> 00:33:51,920 So the key takeaways. 419 00:33:52,519 --> 00:33:54,380 You guys know I'm a key takeaway person. 420 00:33:55,980 --> 00:33:58,000 God's holiness is non-negotiable. 421 00:33:58,960 --> 00:33:59,380 Right? 422 00:34:00,339 --> 00:34:02,039 We like to negotiate things. 423 00:34:03,460 --> 00:34:05,500 His holiness is non-negotiable. 424 00:34:06,119 --> 00:34:11,619 His presence requires purity among us, among his people. 425 00:34:13,460 --> 00:34:16,559 Sin is deceptive and it's progressive. 426 00:34:18,699 --> 00:34:22,139 So we might think a little isolated thing means nothing, 427 00:34:22,380 --> 00:34:26,940 but it begins small, begins with a thought, 428 00:34:26,940 --> 00:34:31,460 just like it did with Aiken and it manifests into something bigger. 429 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:32,179 Always. 430 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:33,340 It always does. 431 00:34:34,539 --> 00:34:35,579 Community matters. 432 00:34:36,559 --> 00:34:40,659 So as a family, as a people, you know, 433 00:34:41,139 --> 00:34:43,519 faith is personal, but it's not private. 434 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:47,840 Here at Lansdale Life, we're a family 435 00:34:48,460 --> 00:34:52,659 and what we do impacts our family, not just us. 436 00:34:53,779 --> 00:34:59,159 God exposes things to restore, okay? 437 00:34:59,219 --> 00:35:00,760 It's not just punishment. 438 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:04,880 It's his grace that he wants for us. 439 00:35:05,079 --> 00:35:07,960 He wants us to walk fully in that grace. 440 00:35:08,699 --> 00:35:13,019 And victory requires alignment with God. 441 00:35:16,659 --> 00:35:21,900 We have to be aligned if we're going to fulfill his kingdom work with him. 442 00:35:21,900 --> 00:35:25,199 We have to be fully aligned with him. 443 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:27,960 God's power brings victory, 444 00:35:28,739 --> 00:35:32,199 but unaddressed sin breaks fellowship with him 445 00:35:33,099 --> 00:35:36,840 and what is hidden will eventually affect everything. 446 00:35:42,279 --> 00:35:44,940 Lot to talk about, right? 447 00:35:46,380 --> 00:35:47,059 Good chapter. 448 00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:58,659 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss his word. 449 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:04,800 Don't forget to join us for Worship Lives Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube. 450 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:07,900 Be blessed and have a great day!