Lent 1 2025

Joshua 7:16–26 (NIV84)

Joshua 7:16–26 (NIV)

16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen. 19 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.” 20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 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.” 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord. 24 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. 25 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. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.

Achor means trouble.

Have you ever seen a man-made pile of rocks and wondered, “What is its purpose?” Here is a brief history of the practice of rock stacking over the centuries.

Rock stacking: from tradition to trend

Cairns were our ancestors' first foray into building structures – pile some rocks on top of each other, and they would have the beginnings of a shelter or a food cache, for example. In Mongolia, cairns marked burial sites in cemeteries. In Tibet, Buddhists used them in ceremonies to call in good fortune and balance out conflicting energies. Before the invention of lighthouses, cairns warned sailors away from Norway's jagged fjords.

Rock stacks became landmarks on hilltops in Scotland and trade route markers for sled dogs plowing through the Alaskan wilderness. For a time, they were a key tool in a strategy for hunting bison, used by a variety of Indigenous communities from the Rocky Mountain foothills to deep in the Dakota plains.

I recall being told that stacks of rocks on hilltops in South Dakota were used to locate the next available water. From that hilltop you would be able to see your target.

Today, the popularity of rock cairns has less to do with utility and tradition and more to do with social media. At least that's the opinion of the Colorado-based rock-stacking artist, Michael Grab, who goes by the moniker Gravity Glue.

"It really started to blow up between 2014 and 2015," he said, speaking about the trend of stacking rocks in gravity-defying formations and then posting the photos onto social media. "Then it exploded into this international art form, and what was maybe a handful of practitioners became hundreds." Others followed, stacking rocks on beaches, on hiking trails, and, much to the chagrin of conservationists, in places where visitors are specifically asked to "leave no trace."

The practice of stacking rocks as a memorial so that future generations would ask, “What does this mean?” has biblical history as well.

Exodus 24:3–7 (NIV)

3 When Moses went and told the people all the LORD’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the LORD has said we will do.” 4 Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.”

Joshua 4:1–3 (NIV)

1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

1 Kings 18:30–32 (NIV)

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

2 Samuel 18:16–18 (NIV)

16 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them. 17 They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes. 18 During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

Joshua 7:25–26 (NIV)

25 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. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.

Another line of thought is “Why are places (towns, mountains, gulfs, etc. named as they are?”

They are mnemonic devices. By seeing piles of rocks or saying the name of a place, they are intended to help us remember a person or event that happened for our instruction. So that we will not forget the past and repeat it.

This is a biblical concept as well. Romans 15:1–6 (NIV)

1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some of those accounts are filled with positive lessons that we do well to follow. For example how Joseph did not seek revenge on his brothers for selling him into slavery. Or how Jesus responded to temptation with the word of God and prevailed for our sakes.

But some are cautionary tales. It reminds us that something bad happened and we should be very careful not to follow that example . . . or else.

The story of Achan is such an event and perhaps not all that familiar to us.

I don’t think it is in our children’s Sunday school lessons.

It is not one of the normal readings for ILCW but a supplemental reading.

Message: The Consequences of Giving in to Temptation.

The New International Version

The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the LORD, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 11, 12, 13 and 15.

I don’t think we realize just how devastating the war to take over the land of Canaan was on those who were defeated. The law called for the total annihilation of the inhabitants of the conquered town and all of their possessions. We read from Deuteronomy 13:12–18 (NIV) 12 If you hear it said about one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you to live in 13 that troublemakers have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known), 14 then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, 15 you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock. 16 You are to gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. That town is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt, 17 and none of the condemned things are to be found in your hands. Then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger, will show you mercy, and will have compassion on you. He will increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your ancestors—18 because you obey the LORD your God by keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.

This was the law and the people had agreed to it.

There were exceptions. Joshua 6:16–19 (NIV84) 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.”

But it was clear. Individuals were not to plunder the city and take any people or possessions into their own possession or there would be dire consequences.

Temptation: Take the goods for yourself. Hide your actions if you have to.

Sin: First Commandment: This was to punish those who had worshiped other gods.

Fourth Commandment: Disobeying the accepted authority of the government.

Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal.

Ninth Commandment: You shall not covet.

Lesson: We have many laws and commands that we are to follow. But how often doesn’t a temptation come our way which leads us to do the opposite and then at times to justify what we have done.

the desire to have or do something, esp. something wrong, or something that causes this desire: [ U ] It's not easy to resist temptation.

"The Biblical meaning of temptation is 'a trial in which man has a free choice of being faithful or unfaithful to God'. Satan encouraged Jesus to deviate from the plan of his father by misusing his authority and privileges. Jesus used the Holy Scripture to resist all such temptation.

What is an example of temptation?Temptation is something you want to have or to do, even though you know you shouldn't. That bag of peanut butter cups on top of your fridge might be an example of a temptation. The thing that you want despite knowing it's not good for you — like the cool sneakers you really can't afford — is a temptation.

Is temptation a problem for us?

Jesus teaches us to pray: “And lead us not into temptation.” You may recall how Luther explains this.

What is meant by this Petition? Ans. God indeed tempts no one to sin; but we pray in this petition that God would so guard and preserve us, that the devil, the world, and our own flesh, may not deceive us, nor lead us into error and unbelief, despair, and other great and shameful sins; and that, though we may be thus tempted, we may, nevertheless, finally prevail and gain the victory.

Achan was tempted by his own greed to disobey the Lord.

And he probably thought he got away with it. But the Lord brought consequences on Israel to show something was amiss. Although the Israelites had been very successful in conquering Jericho, the next battle didn’t go as planned.

Joshua 7:2–9 (NIV84)

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there.” 4 So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

Did you catch how Joshua blames the Lord with same complaint the Israelites had in the past? Joshua 7:7 (NIV84) 7 And Joshua said, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!

But not the real reason this happened. Joshua 7:10–13 (NIV84)

10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. 13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it.

The Lord knew what had happened in secret and he was going to expose it publicly. He did so by having them draw lots and eventually it fell to Achan. One has to wonder the thought process of Achan as the lot was getting closer to him: Zerahites . . . Zimri . . . Achan.

He had been discovered. It was now time to admit it.

Joshua 7:19 (NIV84)

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

Lesson: When we give in to temptation, we may think that we “get away” with it and in some cases we might. It may never be discovered that we were the one who stole that item or who vandalized that piece of property or heaven forbid built a cairn on the shores of Lake Superior. But the Lord knows and nothing is hidden from the Lord. We may even be able to harden our hearts and soothe our conscience with lies but the sin remains.

1 John 1:8–10 (NIV84)

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

Did Achan confess his sins?

Joshua 7:20–23 (NIV84)

20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD.

What do we expect will happen next?

We may think that he will get off “Scot free”.

Scot-Free

The phrase 'Scot-Free' means that something or someone is completely free from penalty or harm. The term is also used in discussing a person who has avoided paying taxes. Example of Use: “He was guilty of robbery, yet the jury error meant he got away with his crime scot-free.” Interesting fact about Scot-Free

The expression 'Scot-free' originates from the Scandanavian word, 'Skat,' which means “tax” or “payment.” The word mutated into 'scot' as the name of redistributive taxation meant to provide relief to the poor during the 10th century. Someone who did not have to pay the tax for some reason was referred to as 'scot-free.'

After all, doesn’t the Bible promise this? “If we confess our sins, God will cleanse us from all sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

We should never doubt the promise of forgiveness and what God certainly does for those who trust in Jesus.

But this cautionary tale is about what happens to the impenitent. Some commentators think that even though Achan said the right words, he did not truly repent in his heart.

Is there a difference between why Achan has put to death and King David was not even though both had sinned against the Lord and confessed it?

Would anyone like to elaborate here? David: "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." (Psa 51:4) Achan: "I have sinned against the LORD God." (Josh 7:20) Both sinned against God and made similar confessions after being confronted of their sin. By similar confessions I mean that both dropped all other pretenses to proclaim that it was God that they had sinned against. David lost his child but his life was spared and his testimony was exalted as an example of repentance unto life. Achan was stoned and burned.

I'm not sure how much one can elaborate on these, except to say that the words "I have sinned against the LORD" aren't a magic formula for repentance. We know clearly from other testimony that David was penitent and a man after God's own heart, and that he enjoyed God's favor. We know also that Achan was stoned and burned. Beyond this we can't say much about Achan, and I don't think it's wise to do much. The fact that he said the right words seems to me to be quite clear evidence that repentance unto life isn't mechanistic. Perhaps that's the lesson to take away.

We may compare it to the words of Judas Iscariot who said, “Matthew 27:3–4 (NIV84) 3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

Confessing is not equal to repentance.

Things did not end well for Achan and his family: Joshua 7:25–26 (NIV84)

25 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. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.

Later this event would be used as a warning: Joshua 22:15–20 (NIV84)

15 When they went to Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh—they said to them: 16 “The whole assembly of the LORD says: ‘How could you break faith with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the LORD and build yourselves an altar in rebellion against him now? 17 Was not the sin of Peor enough for us? Up to this very day we have not cleansed ourselves from that sin, even though a plague fell on the community of the LORD! 18 And are you now turning away from the LORD? “ ‘If you rebel against the LORD today, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole community of Israel. 19 If the land you possess is defiled, come over to the LORD’s land, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and share the land with us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building an altar for yourselves, other than the altar of the LORD our God. 20 When Achan son of Zerah acted unfaithfully regarding the devoted things, did not wrath come upon the whole community of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.’ ”

Lesson for Us regarding temptation.

James 1:12–15 (NIV84)

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.