Joshua Part 6

Part 6 — Defeat at Ai and Renewal at Mount Ebal

Text: Joshua 7:1–8:35

Main Idea: Secret sin is never private to God; repentance restores fellowship and blessing.

Joshua 7:1-5

1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai.

3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.”

4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai,

5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

-Pray

INTRODUCTION — “When the Hidden Comes to Light”

On July 8, 2015, the world watched as a massive security breach exposed the personal information of thousands who had trusted their secrets to the internet.

The site promised privacy, but the breach revealed names, locations, and messages.

What had been hidden behind usernames and passwords was suddenly broadcast to the world.

People who thought no one would ever know had to face the devastating reality that hidden sin always has a way of finding the light.

Israel faced a similar moment in this passage.

After a great victory at Jericho, they approached their next battle with confidence, even arrogance.

Ai was a much smaller town—a mere bump in the road compared to mighty Jericho.

But in the middle of their momentum, one man’s secret sin brought a shocking defeat.

This story isn’t just about an ancient battle.

It’s about a timeless truth: what’s hidden from people is never hidden from God.

Introduction:

Israel has crossed the Jordan.

They’ve marched around Jericho and seen God bring walls down without lifting a sword.

Spirits are high, confidence is strong, and momentum is building.

But Jericho wasn’t just a military victory; it was a spiritual moment.

The city and all it contained had been declared ḥērem (חֵרֶם)—“devoted to the Lord.”

It belonged to God, and no one was to touch it.

Ai, by contrast, was a small, insignificant settlement.

Demographically, Jericho was a major fortified city; Ai was a village.

Israel had hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Ai had only a few thousand people at most.

From a human perspective, this was going to be easy.

But victory doesn’t depend on human strategy.

It depends on divine favor.

And God’s favor is not something we can carry into battle when there’s sin in the camp.

I. SIN IN THE CAMP — HIDDEN DISOBEDIENCE LEADS TO OPEN DEFEAT (Joshua 7:1–26)

The chapter opens with a word that sets the tone: “But.”

“But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things.” (v. 1)

The phrase “broke faith” comes from the Hebrew word מָעַל (maʿal), which means to act treacherously or unfaithfully.

It’s not a small word.

This is covenant-breaking language.

It isn’t just that Achan stole something; it’s that he betrayed God’s trust.

Achan secretly took some of the gold and silver that had been devoted to the Lord.

He buried it under his tent.

He thought no one would ever know.

Meanwhile, Joshua, unaware of the sin, sends only a small detachment of soldiers to Ai.

Why send thousands when a few hundred can handle it?

But overconfidence in self-reliance is always dangerous.

**What happens next shocks everyone.

Thirty-six men die, Israel retreats in shame, and the hearts of the people “melt and become like water.”

They’re stunned. They thought victory was guaranteed.

Joshua falls on his face before God, crying out, “Why, Lord?

Why did you bring us here?”

But God answers plainly in verse 10: “Get up… Israel has sinned.”

Notice something here: Achan sinned, but God says “Israel has sinned.”

One man’s secret rebellion has brought the entire camp under God’s displeasure.

God instructs Joshua to bring the tribes forward, and through sacred lot Achan is revealed.

Achan confesses, but the damage has been done.

He thought his sin was hidden, but it was exposed before a holy God.

One commentator from The New International Commentary on the Old Testament writes, “The defeat at Ai was not the result of military miscalculation but of spiritual compromise.”

John MacArthur puts it bluntly: “The most dangerous enemy is not the one outside the camp but the sin tolerated inside.”

Think of it like a football team. One player jumps offsides, and the whole team moves backward five yards.

His mistake becomes everyone’s penalty. Hidden sin always affects more than just the one who commits it.

Application:

We cannot expect victory in public if there’s disobedience in private. Hidden sin is never harmless.

It impacts families, churches, and communities. It steals power, hinders prayers, and weakens witness.

II. STRATEGY FROM GOD — RESTORATION THROUGH OBEDIENCE (Joshua 8:1–29)

But the story doesn’t end in the valley of defeat. God doesn’t abandon His people.

After sin is dealt with, God speaks again in chapter 8:

“Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai.” (v. 1)

The Hebrew verbs אַל־תִּירָא וְאַל־תֵּחַת (’al-tira ve’al-teḥat) are the same words God spoke to Joshua in chapter 1.

That’s a signal of restored fellowship. God is once again leading the way.

This time, the strategy isn’t based on overconfidence but on obedience.

God lays out a plan for an ambush.

Joshua obeys every detail.

Israel divides its army, lures Ai out, and strikes from behind.

When Joshua raises his javelin in verse 18, it’s a visible declaration: “We are trusting in God this time, not ourselves.”

The victory is decisive. What once ended in shame now ends in triumph.

A commentary from The Expositor's Bible Commentary notes, “What Israel failed to do in self-confidence, they accomplished with divine guidance.”

This is the beauty of God’s grace. He doesn’t simply write His people off after failure. When we confess and return to Him, He restores us and gives us new strategies to move forward.

It’s like driving with a GPS. When you make a wrong turn, the voice doesn’t say, “You’re hopeless.”

It says, “Recalculating.”

When Israel repented, God didn’t change the destination—He just recalculated the route.

Application:

God’s grace doesn’t erase the consequences of sin, but it restores fellowship.

When we return to God with humble hearts, He leads us into new victories.

Obedience is always the pathway to blessing.

III. RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT — RETURNING TO THE WORD (Joshua 8:30–35)

After the battle, Joshua doesn’t throw a victory parade.

He builds an altar. Verse 30 says, “Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD… just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.”

They travel to Mount Ebal, just as God instructed through Moses in Deuteronomy 27.

Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim face each other like a natural amphitheater.

Half of Israel stands on one mountain, half on the other.

The law is read, blessings and curses are recited, and the people respond with a loud “Amen.”

This moment is more than ceremony.

It’s a recommitment of the nation to the Word of God.

They don’t just celebrate the victory—they anchor their hearts again to the covenant.

A commentator from The New American Commentary writes, “Victory is hollow without worship. Israel’s altar at Ebal shows that spiritual renewal is as essential as military triumph.”

It’s like a family rebuilding after a storm.

They don’t just replace the walls; they reinforce the foundation so the house can stand stronger in the future.

Israel is doing just that—strengthening their spiritual foundation after a season of failure and restoration.

Application:

Every victory should lead us closer to the Word, not farther from it.

Worship and obedience are not the aftermath of the battle; they are the purpose of the battle.

True renewal begins when God’s Word takes center stage again in our lives.

CONCLUSION — “What’s Hidden Will Be Heard”

What Achan thought was buried under a tent was never hidden from the eyes of God.

His secret sin brought defeat, but confession brought cleansing, and obedience brought victory.

Our sin may be private to people, but it is never private to God.

And the God who saw Ai fall in shame also saw Israel rise again in grace.

This verse says it best: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23)

That’s not a threat—it’s a warning soaked in mercy. God exposes sin not to destroy us, but to restore us.

LIFE APPLICATION

Expose the Hidden: Hidden sin is like a slow leak—it may not seem urgent, but eventually it will bring everything to a stop.

Return to Obedience: Repentance opens the door for God to give new strategies for victory.

Renew the Foundation: Every fresh start must be built on God’s Word.

Closing Thought: Defeat doesn’t have to be the last word. For Israel, failure at Ai became the backdrop for victory and covenant renewal.

God can do the same in your life.

When sin is confessed and obedience is restored, what was once your greatest failure can become the setting for your greatest testimony.