Monuments in the Land Part I

Monuments in The Land

Over the past couple of years the face of the United States has faced transformation.

Since 2020 157 monuments have been removed and destroyed, and beginning this year there was a name change in several military installations with 7 more planning to be changed in the year to come.

Who cares right? Maybe? Monuments serve a purpose as they preserve cultural heritage for future generations… right wrong or indifferent they tell a story of where we have been.

Found in the heart of the taking of the promised land are four encounters that will yield a monument that we would do well to examine as we step into the promise the Lord has made for us.

1. Monument in the Valley of of Achor

2. Monument at the Ruin Mound of Ai

3. Monument on Mount Ebal

4. Monument Bearing the Appositeness of Righteousness

Each one of these monuments will tell a story that impacts our behavior in walking out the promise

Explore the Monument in the Valley of Achor (Trouble Valley)

The author A.J. Herschel penned:

“An individual’s misdeed can be the beginning of a nation’s disaster. The sun goes down but the deed goes on… Even a single deed generating an endless set of effects may place he lives of countless men in the chains of its unpredictable effects.

There is an inner struggle against temptation, against corruption we must overcome

Joshua 7:11–13 ESV

Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.”

The transgression of one person is impacting the entire nation

This person is in possession of something that has been banned (Herem)

This banned thing has caused the people of God to not be able to stand before their enemies

Restoring order means destroying the banned item.

The culprit we will see is found in that tension in which temptation in the promise has arrived and corruption has set it…

So many ministry leaders set out to do well as they step into the promise but as we will see the very first stop is Trouble Valley in which temptation and corruption must be overcome.

Where Temptation Sets in Corruption is Produced

Hiding in Plain Sight

Joshua 7:16–19 ESV

So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

The warning had gone out something is off… something banned is in our Midst

Achan does not speak up or say I have the item he hides…

Its not until he is confronted that will confess.

It Was Not Needed

Achan is a man of stature and is well off (Josh 7:24)

The items he took

Silver

Cloak

Bar of gold

How often do we respond in the same way with our walk… knowing He will do a greater work we take the things of this world He does not desire for us instead of resting on Him.

He’s from the tribe of Judah…

Praise; Thanksgiving; Kings came from this lineage

Why was that single bar of gold so tempting… what made the cloak so precious… was the silver really worth it?

Achan’s corruption caused entire nation… His role within the nation.

Sin Corruption Yields

Joshua 7:20–21 ESV

And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

I saw; I coveted; I took

More than just possessing a banned item

The sin;

Coveting … corruption of the heart

greed for what does not belong to you

covet>take>oppress

Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions (Lk 12:15)

Stealing… generated from the corrupted heart of covetousness leading to the taking of forbidden things

Achan is nobility and the taking by nobility is an act of oppression against the poor

The items were hidden to keep them away from those in need… the gold and silver was for the temple to distribute

Lying… builds a barrier to redemption breeds iniquity; injustice; violence

Deceiving people

Dealing falsely with God

Lying to Him

Lying about Him

can lead an entire generation astray

Isa 9:15 Prophets most responsible teach lies about God

Consequences for Breaking Covenant in the Promise

Active opposition of God

Disintegration of Unity

Defeat in Battle

Complete destruction of God’s chosen people by victorious enemy

Shame to God’s name

What will people say about you Lord?

Joshua Approach to the Broken Covenant

Lament Josh 7:6

Blame the loss on something else or sit with the Lord and ask Lord what has happened

Pour out your heart and come to terms with the real hurt/wrongdoing

Search for the Causes

2 Cor 7:10 Godly grief yielding repentance

Find the source and deal with it

Confession

Achan’s confession costs him his life may have saved his share in the age to come.

James 5:16 Confess your sins to one another that you may be healed

restore moral integrity

Finally Cleansing action

Joshua had to purge the banned item from within their midst

Monument is erected over the items Achan the silver the cloak the bar of gold, his sons and daughters his oxen sheep his tent and all he had

in the years to come the Israelites in their pilgrimage would continue to add stones to the massive pile and recite “why did you bring trouble on us.”

The first spot we will be found in is the Valley of Achor… where we will be tempted and if we are not careful we will be found in corruption.

We are not left without a way out… unlike Achan we are not reduced to a pile of stone and instead are given an opportunity to see the monument and remember of the actions we are to take.

Lament the Loss

Search your heart

Confess it to the Lord

Rid yourself of it

All of this is done to bring restoration to the people of God.