Bible Study - Joshua (4) - Move beyond Failure - Joshua 7:13-15,16-18, 27-27; 8:1 - June 28, 2015

Bible Study – Joshua (4) – Move beyond Failure – June 28, 2015

This is lesson four (4) in our series entitled “Be Strong and Courageous: Leadership Role.”

Our focus scripture is Joshua 7:13-15, 16-18, 26-27; 8:1.

Leaders confront failure, deal with it, and move forward.

Sin must be dealt with in the Christian’s life and in the church. We are fast approaching the day when we are reluctant to call sin, sin. We may try to ignore it but GOD will bring it to our attention. Joshua had to deal with a 

serious sin issue. Let’s explore!

Let’s read Joshua 7:1: (Background)

1 The Israelites, however, were unfaithful regarding the things •set apart for destruction. Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart, and the Lord’s anger burned against the Israelites.

Joshua was unaware of Achan’s disobedience as he prepared to capture the next city, Ai (Ay-ee or A-eye) but GOD was well aware of it. Failure highlights a problem. When we seriously explore all the possibilities for the failure, often we discover truth, when we do we must take action to correct the flaw. Sin can affect more than those involved.

Let’s read Joshua 7:2-12: (Background - Sin can mean defeat.)

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and scout the land.” So the men went up and scouted Ai. 3 After returning to Joshua they reported to him, “Don’t send all the people, but send about 2, 000 or 3, 000 men to attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, don’t wear out all our people there.” 4 So about 3, 000 men went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai struck down about 36 of them and chased them from outside the gate to the quarries, striking them down on the descent. As a result, the people’s hearts melted and became like water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell before the Ark of the Lord with his face to the ground until evening, as did the elders of Israel; they all put dust on their heads. 7 “Oh, Lord God ,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan! 8 What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? 9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do about Your great name?”

Defeat impacted both the Israelites and Joshua and sent a message to the surrounding kingdoms. The Israelites represented GOD and their defeat tarnished GOD. The Israelites and Joshua lost heart because 36 of their warriors lost their lives. Where was GOD? Why didn’t HE give them victory? Did we do something wrong? When we have had an obvious victory at the hand of GOD, we expect more victories. But when they do not happen, where do we turn? Joshua “fell before the Ark of the LORD” to seek answers.

GOD’S desire is for HIS children to come to HIM to seek answers to the questions of life. HE seeks honesty. Joshua simply did not know why they had lost the battle but he was about to learn a very valuable lesson.

Joshua unloaded on GOD. GOD had let them down. It is good to unload on GOD because it often reveals areas that need to be addressed in our lives. It reveals our hearts toward GOD. GOD knows our hearts so don’t hold back because your outburst may lead to uncovering truth. We have read Joshua’s reaction to their defeat, now let’s read GOD’S response and the revelation of truth.

Let’s read Joshua 7:10-12:

10 The Lord then said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why are you on the ground? 11 Israel has sinned. They have violated My covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put the things with their own belongings. 12 This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from you what is set apart.

Joshua had a pity party. GOD came to his rescue. “The Lord then said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why are you on the ground? 11 Israel has sinned. They have violated My covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put the things with their own belongings. 12 This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from you what is set apart.”

When there is sin in the camp, it must be dealt with immediately. GOD told Joshua that he was the man to deal with the sin in such a way that a clear message would be sent to all who may consider disobeying GOD’S instructions in the future.

GOD instructed Joshua how he was to discover the truth of what happened and the punishment, as we continue.

Let’s read Joshua 7:13-15:

13 “Go and consecrate the people. Tell them to consecrate themselves for tomorrow, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are things that are set apart among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove what is set apart. 14 In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord selects is to come forward clan by clan. The clan the Lord selects is to come forward family by family. The family the Lord selects is to come forward man by man. 15 The one who is caught with the things set apart must be burned, along with everything he has, because he has violated the Lord’s covenant and committed an outrage in Israel.”

GOD takes sin seriously as we read this account. Joshua listened and took action as instructed by GOD. The Israelites were to consecrate themselves. I think this was an opportunity for those who had sinned to come forward and confess their sin. Often, when we sin, we think no one knows but GOD knows and HE is the One Who holds us accountable. Have our sins been confessed and covered by the shed blood of the LAMB, JESUS? Judgment day is coming!

Let’s read Joshua 7:16-18:

16 Joshua got up early the next morning. He had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the Zerahite clan was selected. He had the Zerahite clan come forward by heads of families, and Zabdi was selected. 18 He then had Zabdi’s family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.

Achan was identified as the culprit.

Let’s read Joshua 7:19-21:

19 So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you, tell me what you have done. Don’t hide anything from me.” 20 Achan replied to Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did: 21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Babylon, 200 silver • shekels, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and took them. You can see for yourself. They are concealed in the ground inside my tent, with the money under the cloak.”

GOD led Joshua to put his finger on Achan. Joshua seems to speak in a gentle, compassionate tone “my son.” Achan confessed his sin but he waited until he was identified before he confessed. Achan knew what he had done and that he had sinned against the “Lord, the GOD of Israel.” Achan had a Spiritual character flaw that surfaced when he spotted the things that appealed to him. He coveted those items. To covet means to desire that which is off limits, something you have no right to possess. We may have a desire but the desire must not turn into action.

Let’s read Joshua 7:22-24: (Consequence of sin)

22 So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there was the cloak, concealed in his tent, with the money underneath. 23 They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out in the Lord’s presence. 24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his ox, donkey, and sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor. (Achor means trouble.)

What was about to happen would not be pretty but it is a very graphic lesson of the consequences of sin. Sin involves our family and all that GOD has provided for us. As Christians, we live under GOD’S grace but confession is a must for us to obediently serve HIM. Yes, when Christians sin, they will still suffer the consequences of their sin, even when they confess. As I stated earlier and to which there is no answer, if Achan had confessed his sin earlier would he and his family had been spared? Why take the chance? First John 1:9-10 is the Christians opportunity to confess and repent:

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We don’t have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

When we confess and repent, GOD will forgive but there still may be consequences for our action. In this case Achan’s family and all that he had were condemned and destroyed. Achan hid the things he coveted and took from GOD. Achan had a shallow or no understanding of GOD. He thought he could get away from the all seeing eye of GOD. But GOD revealed truth. HE sees all, knows all, is present everywhere and is all powerful.

Let’s read Joshua 7:25-26 and 8:1:

25 Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Today the Lord will trouble you!” So all Israel stoned them to death. They burned their bodies, threw stones on them, 26 and raised over him a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.

This is a very graphic depiction of the consequences of sin. But thanks be to our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST, HE paid the penalty for sin and all who place their faith in HIM, according to the words of JESUS found in John 5:24:

24 “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

Yes, Christians are forgiven and under GOD’S grace but still accountable.

Joshua had to deal with the sin in the camp and he did as per GOD’S instructions. Once Joshua had taken care of business, what was Joshua to do? 

Let’s read on.

Let’s read Joshua 8:1-2:

1 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole military force with you and go attack Ai. Look, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, city, and land. 2 Treat Ai and its king as you did Jericho and its king; you may plunder its spoil and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

In essence, GOD told Joshua: now that you have dealt with the problem, take your whole military force and attack Ai. The victory is yours, Joshua, just as it was in Jericho. Often, after a defeat, we need a victory and GOD would give Joshua a victory provided he took action. Did he? Let’s read further. GOD gave Joshua the battle plan for defeating Ai, as we read in Joshua 8:3-29:

3 So Joshua and the whole military force set out to attack Ai. Joshua selected 30, 000 fighting men and sent them out at night. 4 He commanded them: “Pay attention. Lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it, and all of you be ready. 5 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them. 6 They will come after us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing from us as before.’ While we are fleeing from them, 7 you are to come out of your ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God has handed it over to you. 8 After taking the city, set it on fire. Follow the Lord’s command —see that you do as I have ordered you.” 9 So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the ambush site and waited between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But he spent that night with the troops. 10 Joshua started early the next morning and mobilized them. Then he and the elders of Israel led the troops up to Ai. 11 All those who were with him went up and approached the city, arriving opposite Ai, and camped to the north of it, with a valley between them and the city. 12 Now Joshua had taken about 5, 000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. 13 The military force was stationed in this way: the main camp to the north of the city and its rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley. 14 When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, the men of the city hurried and went out early in the morning so that he and all his people could engage Israel in battle at a suitable place facing the • Arabah . But he did not know there was an ambush waiting for him behind the city. 15 Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten back by them and fled toward the wilderness. 16 Then all the troops of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17 Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city exposed while they pursued Israel. 18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out the sword in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand the city over to you.” So Joshua held out his sword toward it. 19 When he held out his hand, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They ran, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire. 20 The men of Ai turned and looked back, and smoke from the city was rising to the sky! They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now became the pursuers. 21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. 22 Then men in ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces, some on one side and some on the other. They struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained, 23 but they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua. 24 When Israel had finished killing everyone living in Ai who had pursued them into the open country, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the sword. 25 The total of those who fell that day, both men and women, was 12, 000 —all the people of Ai. 26 Joshua did not draw back his hand that was holding the sword until all the inhabitants of Ai were •completely destroyed. 27 Israel plundered only the cattle and spoil of that city for themselves, according to the Lord’s command that He had given Joshua. 28 Joshua burned Ai and left it a permanent ruin, desolate to this day. 29 He hung the body of the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take his body down from the tree. They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and put a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day.

VICTORY!!! Trust and Confidence in GOD Restored!

Is there un-confessed sin in your life? Is it causing you to be defeated? If so, confess it to JESUS, repent (which means to stop doing it) and allow GOD to restore you. Receive HIS strength. The victory has been won in CHRIST, the wall separating you from victory has fallen but you must claim it! Achan’s sin impacted his family, as well as, his extended family, the Israelites. Blessings!!!