FHBC Sermon Notes

Joshua 7 - Up to this point God has brought Israel to the point of conquering the promised land. But something is different, something has changed...

Jericho had just been conquered. With God working powerfully, chapter 7 opens with "But... the people of Israel broke faith..."

In this chapter Israel has suffered a stunning defeat from a small village. They have a large army, how could they be defeated by one so small. Has God broken his promise? Are they abandoned?

No, this passage is about one simple thing... sin. Sin was in the midst of the people. This passage is about what God thinks of sin.

So often we categorize sin, so that we can think of ourselves are righteous, by saying that we don't do the really bad sins. We haven't killed anyone, haven't stolen a car, or whatever, but this is not how God perceives sin.

The answer is much simpler

1. God hates sin.

The anger of the Lord burned against the people. And this results because of what? This is the first time in the book of Joshua that we see any mention of sin amongst the people of Israel. God's anger burned and the people are overcome with the same fear that had come upon the Canaanites. "The hearts of the people melted..."

Contrast the actions of Achan with those of Rahab. There was no free pass for Achan as an Israelite. His fate as a result was the same as the cannanites outside of Israel. He was to be devoted to destruction. He had broken the core of the covenant. He had, "transgressed my covenant". He had placed his desire for other things over God. He had made his ways more important than God's ways.

Some rather harsh words are used to describe sin in this passage. He has stolen. He has lied, saying that these things were his instead of God. He had made God to be the liar, claiming him unfaithful. Basically we ever we do see things with are saying that we know better than God. We are making him to be the liar, making ourselves God in his place.

Throughout scripture we see the hatred of God towards sin.

We must think of sin the same way God does.

2. God judges sin.

No one else is judged, but against Achan, God establishes a process to inact judgement on him.

He stole about $37000 and an expensive robe. He was to be stoned, burned, then stoned again. What does this tell us of how God thinks of sin? We want to think the judgement excessive, but it is the same that we all deserve.

We all deserve hell.

But... God poured out all of that wrath on his Son, upon Jesus, to give us cleansing, and a new relationship with God. Yes! Let us place oursleves at the foot of the cross, on the blood of Jesus. Let us receive him as Lord. Turn to Christ.

We can love in the power of his Spirit. We have strength in Him to live holy lives.