The Danger of Disobedience
Joshua 7:1-15
📖 Scripture
1 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.
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 army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.”
4 So about three thousand 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 in fear 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, “Alas, 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 Pardon your servant, 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?”
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: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
14 “‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man.
15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”
📘 Scripture Summary
Achan from the tribe of Judah takes some of the devoted things for himself, causing God’s anger to burn against Israel. As a consequence, they are defeated at Ai. Joshua questions the Lord, and He replies tha Israel has sinned by stealing devoted things. He commands them to consecrate themselves and come forward by tribe, clan, and family until the guilty party is identified.
📖 Memory Verse
“The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!’”
– Joshua 6:16
🔎 Reflection
Sin Affects All (7:1–12)
When more spies are sent to the smaller city of Ai, they see that there are only a few people there. Thus, Israel sends only a couple thousand soldiers for battle. However, the Israelites lose the battle, and they are terrified. Joshua and the elders fall before the Lord in desperate prayer, and God tells Joshua that Israel has violated their covenant. One person has stolen and lied, but the entire community is affected. The situation may seem extreme to us, but the truth is that the sins of even one person can impact an entire community. May we be quick to identify, confront, and repent of any sins in our churches so that nothing will hinder us from achieving our victories in God.
What are the greatest problems in your church community? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any hidden sins that need to be addressed in yourself and others and the grace to confront and repent of them.
Idolatrous Adultery (7:13–15)
The people of Israel are told to consecrate themselves in preparation for the next day. They are to cleanse and sanctify themselves, recognizing that they are going to go before the holy Lord. The next day, tribe by tribe, family by family, the people will go before God, and it will be revealed who has violated the covenant and defiled the whole community. This unfaithfulness is a kind of adultery. The Lord and His people are supposed to be committed to one another, but an outrageous act—a willful sin against God—has violated this relationship. At its root, this sin is idolatry. We must beware of idols in our lives, for they can tempt us away from our committed relationship with the Lord.
What is the most tempting idol for you? Take time to reflect on why this idol is so important to you and why your relationship with God is so much greater.
🌟 Today’s Inspiration
“Our contemporary society is not fundamentally different from these ancient ones. Each culture is dominated by its own set of idols. Each has its ‘priesthoods,’ its totems and rituals.”
– Timothy Keller
🙏 Prayer
Dear God, I ask that You reveal any idols in my heart. Help me and my church community to root out sins, humbly seek Your correction, and walk in accordance with Your truth and ways. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
🖋 Essay
He Will Answer
Joshua tears his clothes, falls facedown, and remains there all day before the ark of the Lord. His response reminds us of the importance of seeking the Lord in times of trouble and uncertainty. When we experience distress and worry, we sometimes turn to Him at first. But over time, we become weary of intentionally seeking Him out. We can learn from the example of Joshua, who had the habit of turning to God in good and bad times. He knew that turning to God was best because He was the only One with the ultimate power, authority, and providence.
While Joshua receives a very clear message from God, we do not always hear such direct answers when we are in distress. When we have brought our questions to Him for an extended period of time, we can be left wondering whether God has even heard our cries because we have been suffering for so long. We might desire an instant fix, asking God to get rid of whatever is causing us distress. However, it is imperative that we keep seeking His face and trusting Him. Even when it feels like we are met with increasing uncertainty and lack of clarity as we follow God, we can be assured that He will answer. We may not always receive our desired answer, but we can trust that God’s answer will always be what we need so that we can grow in Him.
Written by Lisa Polite