Sin in the camp

The city of Jericho lay in ruins! Joshua had told the people of Israel not to take anything from the city: they were not to keep a single thing for themselves. However, one man disobeyed the Lord’s instruction. He secretly took a beautiful coat, some silver, and a bar of gold and buried them in his tent. Joshua didn’t know that Achan had taken the treasures and hidden them.

Some time later, Joshua sent some soldiers to the nearby city of Ai to attack it. Yet even though it was only a small city, the Israelite army was defeated and chased back. The Israelites lost their courage and became afraid.

When Joshua prayed and asked the Lord why He had allowed them to be defeated, God told him that Israel had sinned.

Why were others punished for one person’s sin?

Has your whole class ever been punished for making a noise, even though you weren’t talking? It seems unfair that everyone has to suffer just because one or two people break the rules and don’t care about others.

God had given the Israelites a strict command not to take anything from the city. To Achan, it seemed like a waste to leave the gold and silver behind. Besides, he may have thought that if he didn’t take it, someone else would. Yet his disobedience cost him his life and the lives of many Israelites who were killed in battle. It is unfair when innocent people suffer because of others, but remember: the devil, who encourages disobedience, never plays fair.

Because God is absolutely holy, He cannot simply overlook sin as though it does not matter. He also cannot bless His people in a powerful way when there is unforgiven sin in their lives. And where God’s power cannot work, there is defeat.

Verse for today

Search me, O God, and know my heart... See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

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