Defeat in the Land of the Victory Joshua

Defeat in the Land of the Victory Joshua 7

• Promised Land as “a land of hills and valleys” – Topography vs Egypt – Geography of the life of faith • Peaks of victory • Valleys of discouragements • But: change from victory to defeat – Joshua: experienced & gifted leader yet human & liable to error • Disobedient Soldier (7: 1, 20 -21) – The sinner (v. 1) • Achan or Achar meaning the trouble

– – From the tribe of Judah (16) The man who troubled Israel (25) Because of him Israel was defeated 36 soldiers were killed » Abraham concerning his wife » David’s unauthorized census causing the death of 70, 000 (II Sam 24) » Jonah’s refusal & the ship (Jonah 1) – “Lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble” (Heb 12: 15) – I Cor 5 • Israel, not Achan, that sinned (7: 1, 11) – Israel, one people in the Lord – God’s people, one body in the Lord » Belonging, needing, affecting (I Cor 12: 12 ff) – The sin (20 -21)

• The order: all spoils to be devoted to the Lord (6: 17 -21, 24) • The first victory, firstfruits to the Lord (Prov 3: 9) • Achan’s disobedience – “I saw… I coveted, …(I) took (7: 2) – Eve (Gen 3: 5) • Achan’s mistakes – He looked at the spoils second time – He reclassified the treaures & called them spoils (7: 21) – He coveted » James 1: 14 – He thought he could get away with it » Be sure your sin will find you out (Num. 32: 23)

» All things are naked to & open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Heb 4: 13) » Matthew 6: 33 • Defeated Army (7: 2 -5) – Joshua surveyed • Assumed that God was pleased – Spiritual leaders must constantly seek His face & determine what His will for each new challenge – Self-confidence lead to presumption • Ai smaller than Jericho • Pride goes before destruction (Prov 16: 18) • God’s thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa 55: 8 -9)

– Ai, 15 miles from Jericho • In the hill country, 1700 feet above the sea level • 36 soldiers died • Discouraged Leader (7: 6 -15) – Remorse (7 -9) • Joshua said, “ Oh that we stayed where we were” • “Joshua reproaches God” George H. Morrison • Unbelief is content to settle for something less than God’s best • Sometimes God allows us to experience the humiliating defeats in order to test our faith & reveal to us what’s really going on in our heart (Jer 17: 9) – Repentance (8 -9)

• Israel’s defeated God’s glory • Not Joshua’s fame or reputation, but the glory of God of Israel – Rebuke (10 -15) • Israel had to deal with sin – Stolen what belonged to Him – Accursed – 6 times – Sin: to miss the mark (11) » Fall short of God’s standard – Transgression: to cross over » Stealing from God & lying about it (11) • Sanctify for morning assembly • A Discovered Sinner (7: 16 -26) – The investigation (16 – 18)

• “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doing (Jer 17: 10) • Nobody can hide from God (Jer 23: 24) – God’s approach was methodical » Judah > family of Zerahites > Household of Zabdi > Achan » Ephod or lot? – “My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me nor is their sin concealed from my eyes” (Jer 16: 17) – The confession (19 -23) • Achan sinned against people and God • “I have sinned” – Pharaoh, Balaam, King Saul, David, Shemei, Judas, the Prodigal Son • Evidence

– The judgment (24 -26) • Achan’s whole family was guilty – – – Deut 24: 16 Nadab & Abihu (Lev 10) Uzzah (II Sam 6: 1 -11) Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5: 1 -11) A warning not to take God’s Word lightly • Valley of Achor (Isa 65: 10 & Hosea 2: 15) – Door of hope • Heap of stones: memorial & reminder that God expects His people to obey His Word – Gilgal (Josh 4: 1 -8) • God is love (I John 4: 8, 16) to bless & God is light to judge His people’s sin

• Trying two days for Joshua & his leaders • No defeat is permanent • Even the valley of trouble (Achor) becomes a door of hope