Joshua 7:2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai . . . and told them, Go up and spy out the region.
After the fall of Jericho, Joshua turned his attention to the little town of Ai. If God’s army advanced quickly, the Promised Land could be theirs in a very short time. Like a train gathering speed, they were gathering momentum.
When the spies returned from Ai, they were so confident it could be conquered, they recommended that only two or three thousand soldiers be sent to overthrow it. But to everyone’s surprise, Ai scattered Israel’s army and killed thirty-six soldiers. This was a catastrophic setback because it was now clear to everyone that Israel could be defeated. All their enemies would be emboldened to fight, and all their momentum was lost. It was a devastating setback to the entire military campaign.
Joshua 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening.
As Joshua lay facedown before the ark of the covenant, God revealed the reason for Israel’s defeat: Israel has sinned . . . . They have taken some of the devoted things [and] put them with their own possessions (Joshua 7:11), he said.
The previous attack on Jericho came with clear instructions. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury (Joshua 6:19). But an Israelite soldier named Achan found some precious things in Jericho, and kept them for himself. God was now withholding his support until Achan be singled out and put to death.
God exposed the guilty person through a process of elimination. All the tribes of Israel came forward, and the tribe of Judah was chosen. That was Achan’s tribe. Then the clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. That was Achan’s clan. Then the Zerahite families came forward, and the family of Zimri was chosen. That was Achan’s family. Then the men of Zimri came forward, and Achan himself was chosen (Joshua 7:16-18). Now his fate was sealed.
At any point in the process, Achan could’ve confessed and begged for mercy. We can imagine his heart pounding faster and faster, as the circle of suspects got smaller and smaller. Should he confess, or hope to get away with it? He’d never outlive the shame, but perhaps he could save his life. The tension nearly killed him, but Achan refused to confess until it was too late.
Joshua 7:19-21 Then Joshua said to Achan, My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him.
Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me. Achan replied, It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.
We can imagine Achan’s temptation when he saw the precious things. It was a life-changing amount of wealth that could have established his family for years. Perhaps he never stole a thing before, but when the opportunity came, he took it. He hoped for the best, but got the worst.
Joshua 7:24-25 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.
Joshua said, Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today. Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.
From Achan we learn the importance of not concealing our sins. Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy (Proverbs 28:13), says Proverbs. When we conceal our sins, we put God to the test, and dare him to expose us. But If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9), wrote John. If Achan could speak from the grave, he’d say the best time to confess our sins is before it’s too late.
Joshua 8:1 Then the Lord said to Joshua . . . . go up and attack Ai.
At God’s direction, Israel positioned troops behind the city to wait in secret. Then Joshua led other troops in front of the city to lure the soldiers out. When Ai’s solders saw the troops of Israel, they ran out to fight. Then Joshua gave the signal and the troops behind the city ran in and set it on fire. When Ai’s solders saw their city burning, they knew they’d lost the battle. Then Israel’s troops turned on them and slaughtered them. Ai’s king was brought to Joshua, and his body was hung on a pole as warning to surrounding kings.
This time God provided a strategy that made perfect sense, and it was completely effective. God’s ways don’t always make sense, but often they do. As the church seeks to spread the gospel, it should consider what strategies God may be pleased to use. Some strategies have worked well in the past, and others are working well today. God works with and through his people to accomplish his mission on earth.
Reflection and Review
Why was the defeat at Ai a catastrophic setback?
Why did God use a process of elimination to identify Achan?
What strategies are being used to spread the gospel today?
After the fall of Jericho, Joshua turned his attention to the little town of Ai. If God’s army advanced quickly, the Promised Land could be theirs in a very short time. Like a train gathering speed, they were gathering momentum.
When the spies returned from Ai, they were so confident it could be conquered, they recommended that only two or three thousand soldiers be sent to overthrow it. But to everyone’s surprise, Ai scattered Israel’s army and killed thirty-six soldiers. This was a catastrophic setback because it was now clear to everyone that Israel could be defeated. All their enemies would be emboldened to fight, and all their momentum was lost. It was a devastating setback to the entire military campaign.
Joshua 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening.
As Joshua lay facedown before the ark of the covenant, God revealed the reason for Israel’s defeat: Israel has sinned . . . . They have taken some of the devoted things [and] put them with their own possessions (Joshua 7:11), he said.
The previous attack on Jericho came with clear instructions. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury (Joshua 6:19). But an Israelite soldier named Achan found some precious things in Jericho, and kept them for himself. God was now withholding his support until Achan be singled out and put to death.
God exposed the guilty person through a process of elimination. All the tribes of Israel came forward, and the tribe of Judah was chosen. That was Achan’s tribe. Then the clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. That was Achan’s clan. Then the Zerahite families came forward, and the family of Zimri was chosen. That was Achan’s family. Then the men of Zimri came forward, and Achan himself was chosen (Joshua 7:16-18). Now his fate was sealed.
At any point in the process, Achan could’ve confessed and begged for mercy. We can imagine his heart pounding faster and faster, as the circle of suspects got smaller and smaller. Should he confess, or hope to get away with it? He’d never outlive the shame, but perhaps he could save his life. The tension nearly killed him, but Achan refused to confess until it was too late.
Joshua 7:19-21 Then Joshua said to Achan, My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him.
Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me. Achan replied, It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.
We can imagine Achan’s temptation when he saw the precious things. It was a life-changing amount of wealth that could have established his family for years. Perhaps he never stole a thing before, but when the opportunity came, he took it. He hoped for the best, but got the worst.
Joshua 7:24-25 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.
Joshua said, Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today. Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.
From Achan we learn the importance of not concealing our sins. Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy (Proverbs 28:13), says Proverbs. When we conceal our sins, we put God to the test, and dare him to expose us. But If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9), wrote John. If Achan could speak from the grave, he’d say the best time to confess our sins is before it’s too late.
Joshua 8:1 Then the Lord said to Joshua . . . . go up and attack Ai.
At God’s direction, Israel positioned troops behind the city to wait in secret. Then Joshua led other troops in front of the city to lure the soldiers out. When Ai’s solders saw the troops of Israel, they ran out to fight. Then Joshua gave the signal and the troops behind the city ran in and set it on fire. When Ai’s solders saw their city burning, they knew they’d lost the battle. Then Israel’s troops turned on them and slaughtered them. Ai’s king was brought to Joshua, and his body was hung on a pole as warning to surrounding kings.
This time God provided a strategy that made perfect sense, and it was completely effective. God’s ways don’t always make sense, but often they do. As the church seeks to spread the gospel, it should consider what strategies God may be pleased to use. Some strategies have worked well in the past, and others are working well today. God works with and through his people to accomplish his mission on earth.
Reflection and Review
Why was the defeat at Ai a catastrophic setback?
Why did God use a process of elimination to identify Achan?
What strategies are being used to spread the gospel today?