In the Vally of Trouble One Mans' Sin Affects Us All
In the Valley of Trouble One Mans’ Sin Affects Us All
Jos 7:26 11/18/07 p.m.
Jos 6:1-5 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”
Jos 6:17-20 17 Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are 2consecrated (set apart) to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Jos 6:2727 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country.
Jos 7:1-6 But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the country.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel;
Jos 7:10-13 10 So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”
Jos 7:16-26 16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 He brought the clan of Judah, and he took the family of the Zarhites; and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 Then he brought his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Now Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.” 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. 23 And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. 26 Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of 2Achor to this day. The Valley of Trouble
Notice Gods’ command & warning v17 & 18
17 Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are 2consecrated (set apart) to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”
Notice their sin
V11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff
They Sinned & Transgressed My covenant which I commanded them
BY; taken some of the accursed things,
and have both stolen
and deceived;
and they have also put it among their own stuff
The accursed things 2764 חֵרֶם, חֵרֶם [cherem, or (Zech., cherem /khay·rem/] n m. From 2763; TWOT 744a, 745a; GK 3051 and 3052; 38 occurrences; AV translates as “net” nine times, “accursed thing” nine times, “accursed” four times, “curse” four times, “cursed thing” three times, “devoted” three times, “destruction” twice, “devoted thing” twice, “dedicated thing” once, and “destroyed” once.
1 a thing devoted, thing dedicated, ban, devotion.
2 a net, thing perforated.
3 have been utterly destroyed, (appointed to) utter destruction.[1]
The accursed thing is “Anything” that is misappropriated.
The accursed things were;
A beautiful Babylonian garment, - was to have been destroyed
Two hundred shekels of silver, - was to have gone to the Lord
And a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels - was to have gone to the Lord
Sin & Transgression of Gods’ covenant by Misappropriation can be done by several different means.
and have both stolen – wrongfully taken or keep
and deceived; - by being less than honest
and they have also put it among their own stuff - taking part, approval, condoning
The repercussions;
V1212 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
They could not stand before their enemies
But turned their backs before their enemies
We will not be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil (whether spiritual or physical) because we do the same things and have the same sickness and evil – sin
Because they have become doomed to destruction
W/o God fighting for us we can not and will not stand up to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, or the attacks of Satan and his co-harts
- you reap what you sow and the wages of sin is death
– and we all know that Satan came only to kill, steal, and destroy
Neither will I be with you anymore,
Obedience is what brings Gods’ favor & blessings
He honors those that honor Him
– the wrath of God abides on the sons of disobedience
Jos.23:10 – it is God who fights for you
Unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
Repent and remove and make right what is wrong
Gods’ instructions;
V1313 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow,
Get up, - there is no use in praying and seeking Gods’ help while we keep the accursed thing in our lives and in our church
Sanctify the people - set the people apart for God and His service by instructing them in the things of God.
Godly instruction says;
Only one God can be taught and/or embraced
Only one way of salvation is acceptable unto God –
By grace through faith in Christ
Only one set of instructions can be embraced – The Holy Bible
Gods’ instruction book is infallible and w/o error
To fulfill the Word of God we must love God and our neighbor
The one that does not endeavor to control his tongue, his religion is useless
The commands of God over rule mans’ tradition and law
God’s laws can not be compromised
We are to abide in – live according to the Word of God
It is more blessed to give than receive
God resists the proud and arrogant but loves the meek and humble
God uses the people that the prideful reject
God judges according to the heart not outward appearance
To stubbornly reject the instructions God is the same as witchcraft
The removal of God from a society brings moral decline
The moral decline of a nation brings Gods’ judgment
A nation is to seek the Lord when choosing a leader
We are to pray for our leaders
We are to use our talents for the Kingdom of God
We work to provide for our households and help our neighbors
Marriage is a life long covenant established by God between a man & a woman
The killing of the innocent is murder
The man is responsible for his household
The wife is to support her husband according to godliness
Children are to be subject to and respectful of their elders
We are to expose and rebuke things contrary to the Word of God
We are not to hide, condone, or support things contrary to the Word of God
We are to keep the House of God clean of false teaching and practices
We are do all we do for the honor and glory of God
And say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow – we are to begin today to clean up our life and the life of the church for a better tomorrow
Because IF There is an accursed thing in your midst,
thus says the Lord God of Israel:
You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”
We will have no victory until we have a clean life and church
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2 set apart
2 Lit. Trouble
2 set apart
n n: noun
m m: masculine
TWOT Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
GK Goodrick-Kohlenberger
AV Authorized Version
[1]Strong, James: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible : Showing Every Word of the Text of the Common English Version of the Canonical Books, and Every Occurrence of Each Word in Regular Order. electronic ed. Ontario : Woodside Bible Fellowship., 1996, S. H2764