Sermon Tone Analysis

God Judges Sin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Joshua 7:1-26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 1999

 

 

God Judges Sin

 

Illustration, Climbing Higher

 

The story is told of pastor Dale Kurtz, who laughed so hard that his sides ached.

He was watching a frustrated squirrel trying to climb the metal pole supporting a bird feeder.

The squirrel repeatedly got part way up, then slowly slid down the pole in a heap.

In describing this incident, Kurtz wrote, " What the squirrel didn't know was that I had greased the pole!

Greasing the pole is one of Satan's tactics to hinder Christians in their spiritual climb.

The grease he often uses is our pride, complacency, and self sufficiency.

Introduction

 

This morning we saw how Israel had a tremendous victory at Jericho.

They obeyed God's unusual plan for battle.

They exercised great faith because God had assured them of victory.

They obeyed the Lord and he miraculously intervened causing the walls of Jerciho to fall down.

Chapter 6 closes with these words:  /So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

/God was keeping His covenant promises to Joshua and Israel.

I would like to say that Israel was in a strong position militarily, but they weren't.

Chapter 7 starts with the ominous word */But.

/*They were precariously perched on the top of a hill and about to be knocked down.

Of course Joshua and Israel did not know this at the time.

As we look at their attack on Ai we see how *God Judges Sin.*

There are two main points.

*/Firstly /*    * ** Sins Consequences*

*/Secondly/*  *Sins Cleansing*

 

*I.

Sins Consequences*

 

a.

Disobedience

 

*Joshua 7:1 says: */But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

/

/ /

Achan's Trespass

/ /

Although Israel obeyed God's instructions regarding the procession around Jericho, they disobeyed Him concerning the accursed things.

God had strictly forbidden them to take any spoil from Jericho.

Everything from Jericho was /devoted to God./

It would be either destroyed or placed in the Lord's treasury.*

Joshua 6:17-19 says:*/ And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and *trouble* it.

But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

/Achan took the accursed thing into his tent.

He not only made himself */accursed,/* he brought a */curse/* upon Israel.

The word */accursed /*is used 8 times in chapter 7.

Anger Against Sin

 

God looked at this very seriously.

He could not have made it any clearer, everything belonged to Him as the first fruits of the land.

Achan disobeyed God's commandment.

As we will see later he hid the accursed things his tent.

But the Lord knew who he was and what he had done.

God knew Achan very well, as indicated by the list of his ancestors.

Achan had violated the covenant.

He had */deliberately disobeyed/* what he knew was right.

That is why he hid the stuff in his tent.

God was angry, and all Israel was affected.

Israel as a nation would pay the price for Achan's sin.

God held Israel responsible for this violation of the covenant.

Illustration Of The Trojan Horse

 

The Greeks wanted to capture the city of Troy.

This was not an easy task since it was well fortified with high walls and strong gates.

So they devised a plan to take the city by stealth.

They made a wooden Trojan horse that was hollow inside.

Then they placed the horse outside the city in the morning and then withdrew.

The people of Troy opened their gates, came out, and took the Trojan horse inside the city.

During the night when everyone was asleep the men inside the Trojan horse came out of the horse.

They opened the city gates allowing the soldiers to come in under the cover of darkness.

The city was taken before the citizens knew what had happened.

This is what Satan did to Israel through Achan.

Application

 

The same is true for us today.

You cannot sin and get away with it.

When you allow the accursed thing into your life you give the enemy a foothold.

Sin affects more people than just the perpetrator.

It spreads like yeast in bread.

Others suffer the consequences of our sin.

The sinful habits and lifestyles of parents are passed on to their children just as God said.

This should cause us to think carefully before we do something we know is wrong.

/Let me ask you, have you brought the accursed thing into your home?/

I am not talking about silver or gold.

I am talking about things that God despises.

/Do you allow a curse to come into your home through television or music?

If Jesus Christ were to sit next to you when you watched T V would your viewing habits change?/

/Would God approve of the music you listen to?/

If our entertainment promotes wickedness then we are bringing a curse into our homes.

Let me assure you God is present and He knows what you watch and listen to.

He will not bless us if we take the /accursed thing/ into our homes.

We need to show discernment with what we allow into our homes.

We need to exercise our wills and choose what is good and wholesome.

We need to reject what is accursed.

Adversary's Stronghold In Israel's Camp

 

Unfortunately Joshua didn't know what had happened at Jericho.

He thought everything was fine after their tremendous victory.

He was riding high and keen to get on to the conquest of Ai.

Joshua was full of confidence having seen God's miraculous help at Jericho.

He was totally unaware that one of his soldiers had brought the accursed thing into the camp.

He didn't know that the enemy had a foothold in their camp that would weaken their defences.

*Verse1/ /*/But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, took of the *accursed thing: *and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

/

b.

Defeat  *   *

* *

*Joshua 7:2-5* /And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country.

And the men went up and viewed Ai.

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.