p. 191 | Joshua and Victory

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 10, 1875

Joshua and Victory.

Joshua is in agony. The power that flung the walls of Jericho so flat has left the camp of Israel. A feeling of desolation and despair comes over him. Such darkness is terrible to one who has walked in the light and strength of God. Those who live on the low plain of a limping faith and partial communion know nothing of it. They are like men who have always lived under shadows, have never enjoyed the full glory of the sun, and are unable to appreciate its absence. But Joshua had been girded by Almighty strength, exalted by divine endowment, led by the Captain of the hosts of Heaven, and when his troops came back from Ai discomfited, a great horror of darkness came over him, or rather he was made conscious of its presence. For it had been growing upon the camp since the glorious events at Jericho, but they were so filled with the past that they forgot the present and did not realize that the Lord had hid his face. That error has been repeated a thousand times. Churches starve, thinking of former times of refreshing; Christians backslide by looking back to experiences of the past, and forgetting present needs and privileges.

The sin of Achan was symptomatic. All Israel had lost faith and become presumptuous; had turned from trusting the Lord to trusting themselves. They showed that by their self-reliant effort to take Ai. And Joshua himself was involved in the same presumption, filled with self-trust, though so recently emptied of self and filled with God; and he also consented to the ambitious plans of his men. Achan's theft was the mature fruit of this great revival of self. Such revivals usually develop distinguished villains. He might have done the deed in any case, but was more likely to sin when all around were wavering. We have thought that Judas was aided in his crime by the spiritual languor that allowed the other disciples to sleep in Gethsemane, and Peter to deny his Lord in Pilate's Hall. A falling spiritual barometer is dangerous to men of easy morals. Achan stole the wedge of gold, and the royal robe of the king, richly wrought in Babylon, concentrated the sin of the hour in his own person and family, and received the wages of his guilt.

Does not that heap of stones which was piled on Achan's body testify “unto this day?” The record stands that “one sinner destroyeth much good,” that one man hinders a whole church, turns back a whole army of workers. How often have we seen such results! What disgrace has been brought upon Zion by one false heart! What agony has been caused by one troublesome member?

The exposure of Achan was alarming, and the wicked rejoiced. Men of Ai, no doubt, hovered around and laughed at the trouble in the camp. It did look discouraging, and many in Israel, very likely, prophesied failure. There were heart-searchings, tears, prayers, broken spirits, great sorrow in the camp, and that opened the way for the Lord. As the people humbled themselves, a mighty hand was outstretched to exalt them. In the hour of their discouragement the great Captain was preparing for victory; as self-trust was sinking, and self-strength vanishing, they were receiving power. There is never any trouble in increasing spiritual power if we can only empty out all carnal power. It is easy to lift Christians up, if we can only get them thoroughly down. The only reason the Lord cannot raise us higher, is because we refuse to go down lower. The route to the summit of grace is down through the valley of death to pride and selfishness.

The churches everywhere need to go down, that they may go up; to be emptied of self, that they may be filled with Christ; to feel their weakness, that they may receive power; to be crushed, that they may be healed. They should all make a trip to Achor, and be troubled for their sins, that they may go in peace and victory.—Sel.