Josh (11-16-08)
Nov 16, 2008
“Dealing with Sin” Josh 7:1-26
What we saw from God’s Word last week is a shuttering thought .. ( about Achan ) to think that just one of us could affect so many within a church / business / family
To think that one sin .. from one person can affect .. so many people / so many things
but .. none the less .. we were taught in Heb 12:15
see to it that no one / that is .. no one person comes short of the grace of God that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble .. & by it .. many be defiled this of course means that thru the one who sins .. many are affected
& Eccl 9:18 tells us much the same
wisdom is better than weapons of war but one sinner destroys much good
To think .. that God is this serious about our walk with Him .. is chilling … which ought to give us reason enough to try to walk in righteousness with our God for the sake of family / children / marriages
& why walk with Him in righteousness … the truth is .. we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing Eph 1:3
blessed be the God & Father of our Lord J.C. who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ
& yet .. how many of us experience these blessing .. how many blessings are we enjoying today
how many of them are really yours & are we truly walking in the power that has been given to us by God
We have the title / we have the right to God’s power & blessings .. Eph tells us so but have we claimed them .. & if so are we enjoying / using them as He intended
Think of the many Christians / maybe you who are blessed with every spiritual blessing & yet are living as if they are spiritual paupers
God has made His blessings & power available to us .. but if we are to get them there are battles to be fought & victories to be won / just like in Joshua in fact .. Ephesians closes with the clanking of armor & the sound of battle with our call “put on the whole armor of God” [1]
Achan disobeyed & took the hazardous steps that lead to sin & death .. he simply said in v21 “I saw / I coveted / I took”
James 1:13-15 reminds us by teaching
13) let no one say when he is tempted I am being tempted by God for God cannot be tempted by evil & He Himself does not tempt anyone
14) but each one is tempted .. ( how ) when he is carried away & enticed by his own lust
15) then when lust has conceived it gives birth to sin & when sin is accomplished it brings forth death
Eve & Adam experienced the same thing when Eve saw / coveted / took ( Gen 3:1-6 ) ( & thus harmed many / how many .. all of us ) & David also when he .. saw / coveted / took with his lust & sin over Bathsheba in 2 Sam 11:1–4
Since Achan saw / coveted / took the things hat were not his to have he brought defeat to all of Israel & death to himself & his family [2]
( lets learn from his mistakes )
1) v21 Achan’s 1st mistake was to look at the treasures .. & covet & take them
Matt 5:29-30 Jesus makes a strong statement
29) if your right eye makes you stumble tear it out & throw it from you for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell
30) if your right hand makes you stumble cut it off & throw it from you for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell
( James 1:14 ) tell us that
each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires & enticed by his own lusts
So .. what are we to do so as not to take this path of sin against God
let’s refresh our thoughts & memory to the lesson that God gave to Moses & Joshua .. ( & also to us )
Josh 1:7-8
7) only be strong & very courageous .. ( how ) be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you do not turn from it to the right or to the left so that you may have success wherever you go
8) this book of the law / our Bibles shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate on it day & night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it for then you will make your way prosperous & then you will have success
Listen church .. if we keep God’s Word before our eyes / thoughts / hearts we won’t start looking in the wrong direction & doing the wrong things
Prov 4:20-25
20) my son .. give attention to my words
incline your ear to My sayings
21) do not let them depart from your sight
keep them in the midst of your heart
22) for they are life to those who find them
& health to all their body
23) watch over your heart with all diligence
for from it flow the springs of life
24) put away from you a deceitful mouth
& put devious speech far from you
25) let your eyes look directly ahead
& let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you
( not to the right or the left )
by the way .. how many warnings must God give us to assure us that He is very serious about our walk with Him
2) His 2nd mistake was to call the treasures v21 “the spoil” they were not “the spoil” they were clearly “the Lord’s treasure” as Joshua clearly said Ch 6:17 / v19 / v24 & were wholly dedicated .. to His treasury
& they didn’t belong to Achan / or to Israel they belonged to the Lord their God
( Here is something imp. to learn from this ) when God identifies something / anything ( no matter what ) .. in a special way
( we have no right to change it )
Isa 5:20
woe to those .. who call evil good & good evil
who substitute .. darkness for light & light for darkness
who substitute .. bitter for sweet & sweet for bitter
Listen .. if God says something is right or wrong .. good or bad .. yes or no then it’s just as He says & that’s the end of the debate we have no right to change God’s commands[3]
Rev 22:18-19
18) I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book .. if anyone adds to them God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book
19) & if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy .. God will take away his part from the tree of life & from the holy city which are written in this book
Oh Christian / each one of us we would be wise to listen to God & His Word & not stray from it .. to the right or the left
( you know )
Achan should have been singing praises in his heart for the great victory that God had given Israel .. ( & he & his family ) instead .. Achan was imagining in his heart what it would be like to own all that treasure
( listen ) within our imagination is “the womb” in which desire is conceived & from which .. sin & death are born [4]
( How do we defeat this foe / it’s our choice )
Rom 6:12-13 tells us so
12) therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts
13) & do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness .. but present yourselves to God ( listen .. but present yourself to God / your choice ) as those alive from the dead & your members as instruments of righteousness to God
3) v21 therefore his 3rd mistake was to think that he could get away with his sin simply by .. hiding the treasure ( hiding his sin )
Adam & Eve .. tried to cover their sin by running away & hiding from God ( Gen 3:7-10 )
7) then the eyes of both of them were opened & they knew that they were naked & they sewed fig leaves together & made themselves loin coverings
8) they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day & the man & his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden
9) then the Lord God called to the man & said to him .. where are you
10) he said, I heard the sound of You in the garden & I was afraid because I was naked .. so I hid myself
( don’t be naive )
“be sure .. your sin will find you out”
was said to God’s people / not the lost
Num 32:23
behold .. you have sinned against the Lord & be sure your sin will find you out
Heb 4:13
& there is no creature hidden from His sight but all things are open & laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do
How foolish of Achan .. or any of us to think that God couldn’t see what he / we are doing “when all things are laid bare & open to His eyes”
Achan’s sin becomes even more absurd when you stop to realize … all that God had done for him
by the way / how about all He has done for us
God had cared for him & his family fed them .. brought them safely across the Jordan & given them the Promised Land
The Lord had accepted Achan as a son of the covenant / thru circumcism just as He has accepted us thru salvation & His Son J.C.
Yet in spite of all that God has given him ( not to mention all that God has given us ) Achan disobeyed God .. just for some things
( Matt 6:33 ) but seek first .. ( what ) the kingdom of God & His righteousness ( & what ) .. & all these things shall be added to you
For a healthy walk with Christ I have to ask you .. is that statement true to you or not / it will make a difference
Verses:
Heb 12:15
Eccl 9:18
Eph 1:3
James 1:13-15
Gen 3:1-6
2 Sam 11:1-4
Matt 5:29-30
James 1:14
Prov 4:20-25
Isa 5:20
Rev 22:18-19
Rom 6:12-13
Gen 3:7-10
Num 32:23 & Heb 4:13
Matt 6:33
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[1]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (2:17). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 7:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 7:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 7:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
