Joshua 7:1, commentary and pictures

Achan of Judah took treasure from Jericho that was devoted to God and under His ban, in violation of a direct command to leave it untouched. Although he alone took it, his act is charged as the trespass of all the children of Israel, against whom the anger of the Lord was kindled. Because of that one hidden sin the presence of the Lord was withdrawn from Israel's armies, so they were defeated before Ai with thirty-six men slain and could not stand before their enemies until the camp was cleansed. At the root of his ruin was covetousness growing into selfish robbery of God, theft, deception and concealment without remorse. Therefore hidden sin must be searched out, uncovered and put away rather than tolerated or covered, for the same covetousness and corporate guilt still withhold God's blessing from His people today until there is full repentance and restitution.

The Taking and Setting

Joshua 7:1 names a single offender, Achan of the tribe of Judah, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, who took of the accursed thing. What he took included the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment and silver that God had appointed to be utterly consumed with fire, which he hid after taking. He thought it a little matter to benefit himself from what was appointed to destruction, but in God's sight it was very serious because he disregarded the words of the Lord.

What he took was devoted to God, for all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron were consecrated to come into the treasury of the Lord. Jericho and its contents belonged to Him as the firstfruits of Canaan, because He alone had won the victory. To take the Babylonian garment, gold, and silver was therefore robbery of God's devoted share.

His taking violated a direct, positive command given through Joshua to keep away from the accursed treasures of Jericho and not to touch what was forbidden. He had heard Joshua's charge before Jericho to keep from the thing appointed to destruction, yet he coveted and took it and was even ready to steal the gold and silver plainly specified for God's treasury. Covetousness led him to take what God had forbidden him to touch.

God had forbidden those treasures and put them under His curse to guard Israel from being charmed by idolatrous things and having their hearts diverted from Him. The danger was idolatry, which could deceive them and displace God in their minds.

The verse belongs to the account connected with the assurance that Jericho would be given into Joshua's hand and with the instructions for its capture. It begins the account of Achan's sin in taking the accursed thing, for which he later met a dire penalty at Gilgal. That judgment makes Gilgal memorable as Israel's first encampment in the promised land.

One Man's National Guilt

Although one man of the tribe of Judah took of the thing devoted to destruction, his act is charged as the trespass of the children of Israel, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against all the people, not against him alone. What he took, the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment appointed to be utterly consumed with fire, seemed to him a little matter to benefit himself from what was appointed to destruction, but in God's sight it was very serious because he disregarded the words of the Lord. His covetous taking of treasure God had forbidden because it was under the curse brought consequence and weakness upon the nation before its enemies and kept it from succeeding against them. The accursed thing so taken stands as a picture of sin hidden in a home or heart that must be dealt with before God's blessing can be expected.

That corporate guilt rested on Israel even though the people did not know of the act, for the stolen goods including the Babylonish garment and wedge of gold were taken and hidden, and Israel was defeated by its enemy while prayer alone was not enough until the camp was cleansed by uncovering and removing the sin. He held no holy office, yet his concealed sin still affected the whole camp, withholding blessing and help in battle so that Israel could not stand before its foes. The hidden wrongdoing was searched out by God's Spirit, and the account warns to examine conduct and clear away fraud, showing that one person's hidden sin can bring grave consequences on the whole community with defeat and deaths of many.

Achan and his family perished for the sin when he was found out and destroyed, while the congregation suffered because of one man's act, with defeat and deaths coming upon the nation. His example warned that disobedience by a larger company could bring still graver consequences than the guilt that already rested on Israel as a whole and kindled God's anger against the nation.

The same law holds for the church when its appointed leaders neglect their duty to correct wrongdoing, for as Israel's defeat with the loss of thirty-six men signified God's displeasure with evil in the camp, so God's blessing is withheld until the wrong is thoroughly removed. When a church makes light of defects of character in a member or minister and knowingly places a man of weakness of character and little moral power over the flock, it assumes his defects and makes them its own, lowering the standard of righteousness to ruin and dishonoring God. If those who know the truth and understand God's requirements become careless and pass by sin and transgression in their midst, they are held equally responsible with those guilty of open transgression, for transgressing one commandment makes one a transgressor of the whole law. By knowingly hiding its eyes from known evil and walking contrary to God's will, its case becomes more grievous than Israel's, and God will not be with it except it destroy the accursed from among it, diligently separating the Achans when God by His Holy Spirit points out the wrongdoers and there is to be no holding peace when He is dishonored by deception and moral corruption.

Covetousness at the Root

Covetousness lay at the root of Achan's sin and ruin, and it was covetousness that led him to take treasure God had forbidden because it was under the curse. He ventured to transgress the most positive charge to keep away from the accursed treasures of Jericho and not to touch what was forbidden. That charge put those treasures under the curse to guard Israel from being charmed by idolatrous things and having hearts diverted from God.

His greed did not spring up at once but developed gradually until it became a habit. As he fostered it, it deadened his sense of right, dulled his perceptions, and weakened moral judgment. He became an easy prey who yielded readily when temptation came, though he would have been horrified at the thought of bringing disaster on Israel.

His trespass was selfishness, love of money and love of the world. It was robbery of God, taking the sacrifice from God's altar and hoarding as his own the means God had only lent him as a steward. This included gold and silver plainly specified for God's treasury, with the golden wedge and Babylonish garment among what he coveted and took. What he seized had been devoted to God as His own share, the firstfruits of Canaan, because He alone had won the victory at Jericho.

His act involved theft, embezzlement, robbery, dissembling, falsehood, concealment, deception, and dishonesty. The principles behind it were dangerous not only to himself but also to his family and the people. It was a trespass without remorse, with no distress, no sorrow, no confession or humiliation of soul, and no reasoning from cause to effect that his theft had brought the Lord's displeasure and defeat in battle upon the people.

He did not work in harmony with Christ to keep the law of God, and mere profession of religion until the judgment does no good without that obedient cooperation. The spirit that took possession of him remains as a living, unrepented thing, working in men in important positions who make no restoration and do not fall on the Rock and be broken.

Anger Withdrawal and Defeat

Because of this one man's sin the presence of the Lord was withdrawn from the armies of Israel, for He would not serve with their sins. The General of armies, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the armies of heaven were withdrawn, and Israel was left to plan in human wisdom. Guilt came upon the entire congregation so that God could not help them, His blessing could not rest on them till the camp was cleansed, and the sin in their midst barred His way so that He could not do what He wanted to do. God would not go to battle with Israel while concealed sin remained among them, withholding blessing and help in battle.

The Lord permitted the men of Ai to defeat His people, so that when they went out to battle they were beaten by their enemies. Israel became weak as water before enemies, could not stand before them, and fled before them. That defeat brought affliction, disaster and deaths, with hearts melting and with humility and weeping before the ark, and the people troubled by secret theft and failure to confess. The taking and hiding of what was devoted to destruction thus brought the Lord's anger against all Israel and His displeasure on all Israel.

In that defeat thirty-six men of war were slain, signifying God's displeasure with the evil in the camp. What was counted a little thing brought great sorrow and anguish of spirit upon the responsible men of Israel, who felt the weight and agony of soul because of the rebuke of the Lord. His covetousness, embezzlement and concealment were grievous sins that caused the loss of thirty-six lives and were given to teach Israel to fear and honor Him.

The hidden sin is also described as causing thousands of Israelites to be killed while God withheld help in battle.

God searched out Achan's guilt and pronounced a curse on him, and as He searched out Achan He will also search out those who cherish such sins. He told Joshua that Israel had sinned and transgressed the covenant by taking and stealing the accursed thing, and that they could not stand before their enemies nor have Him with them unless the accursed was destroyed from among them. After Joshua carried out the divine sentence on Achan, God's wrath against Israel was turned away.

Searching Out Hidden Sin

The accursed thing stands as a picture of sin hidden in a home or in the heart, which must be uncovered and put away before God's blessing can be expected. Achan's taking and hiding of property devoted to destruction, including the Babylonish garment and the wedge of gold, brought guilt upon all Israel though the people knew nothing of his act, and left them defeated before their enemies. Prayer alone was not enough to restore them; the camp had to be cleansed by searching out the hidden wrongdoing and removing it, and God's Spirit exposed Achan so that fraud could be cleared away. The church likewise must search itself and put away concealed sin, for such sin obstructs God's presence and blessing and brings His displeasure upon the whole community.

Wrongs among God's people must be searched out and corrected promptly, not covered up or tolerated, and those responsible are to require the sinner to abandon sin or be separated from fellowship, so that others will fear God. Those charged with this work of reproof are not to be hindered or condemned for carrying it out. When God is dishonored by deception and moral corruption there must be no holding peace and hidden sins must not be left to drift along; God by His Holy Spirit will point out the wrongdoers. Discipline is necessary to clear the way for God to work, calling sin by its right name, hating the sin but loving the sinner, putting sin away and cleansing from all filthiness of the flesh and perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.

Israel afterward remembered Achan's case as a rebuke for failing to be vigilant in discovering sin among them, and resolved to act promptly against wrongdoing. Yet concern for purity must not become harsh judgment or groundless suspicion; earnest action against suspected evil should follow courteous inquiry. The presence of Achans in the camp weighs down the church like clogs, so that God's work progresses but little. Because of them truth takes little effect, few are added to the church, and faithful servants are discouraged.

These Achans are marked by corrupt hearts, selfishness, exaltation, and wanting to be foremost where God and their brethren have not placed them. Those who will not reform after opportunity and light upon their love of self and other sins are given up to their own ways to be filled with their own doings, and their leaving to find pasture with those of their kind is mercy to rid the church of them. They injure the cause less by opposition from without after they have left than by their influence had they remained within, and such opposition should be borne patiently. Achan in the camp is the pattern of the unrepentant sinner in the church, deceived and deceiving, who refuses admonition and warning and will not repent. Such ones are not to be retained but are to be disfellowshipped and diligently separated from fellowship, for one unrepentant sinner can endanger the community and to retain them insults the God of heaven.

Warning to the Church Today

The same covetous evil that ruined Achan is through the ranks of Sabbath-keepers, the Israel of God, gaining upon the heart imperceptibly so that those who have it are not aware of it. It dries up sacrifice to God, takes the sacrifice from His altar, and hoards as one's own the means God has only lent as steward, calling what is God's their own while loving the world and its gain and increase. Unless it is rooted out by an entire change, by arising and renewing strength in God through renewing and keeping covenant with Him, with sacrificing for God and denying of self for truth's sake, destruction will be as sure as Achan's was. That destruction is perishing with the world when human loftiness is brought down and pride humbled, when kings and nobles and rich and poor alike bow, when the prospering hand of God is removed and all is snatched away in a moment under His withering plagues.

God regards as Achan's sin the selfish appropriation of means belonging to His work by workers in schools, institutions, and churches. When such workers grow dissatisfied, measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves, think they should be greatly favored, sell themselves to the highest bidder, demand as much as others receive, become wise above what is written, and take funds or treasury money for themselves or their families through double-dealing, selfishness and covetousness, they rob the treasury as Achan robbed God, and the theft that cost thirty-six lives stands as warning of judgment to teach fear and honor of Him. God is not with such a man, an atmosphere of unbelief surrounds his soul, he cannot give the right mold to the work nor supply the necessities of laborers in hard fields who give part of their wages to meet the needs of those fields, and God sees every such case and will pass judgment on those who selfishly take care that they receive all they think they should have. Such conduct damages the work and brings judgment, for professed Christians who take for themselves what they should return to God's treasury repeat Achan's embezzlement and concealment.

The same corporate guilt rests when means meant for the Southern field is selfishly neglected, withheld, and taken from the field, which is robbery in every sense and a thing God hates. The censure stays on the whole body until clean work is made by full restitution of both principal and interest, not by feeble, half-hearted, unwilling trifling. Disregarding given light blinds spiritual discernment so there is no real sense of justice and mercy and equity and truth, leaving a spirit to question, criticize, envy, and make excuses for going contrary to the plain will of the Lord, and those guilty will be brought over the same ground and placed in the hard position in which they put others. Achan's case likewise warns that dishonest practices in handling sacred work dishonor God, that hidden wrongdoing such as taking and hiding a Babylonish garment and a wedge of gold will be searched out and revealed by God's Spirit, and that prayer alone is not enough without uncovering and removing the sin, examining conduct, clearing away fraud, and showing full repentance and restitution as a turn from sin to righteousness.

Unfaithfulness among those who profess to serve God stands as a warning that it can bring shame and defeat, hinder God's work, withhold His blessing, and discourage faithful workers. A wrong course pursued by one toward his brother turns the light of God from His people until the wrong is searched out and the cause of the oppressed is vindicated. God requires tender feelings and discriminations, enlarged hearts and broad and deep feelings, noble sympathy, largeness of soul, and disinterested benevolence, and just as long as selfishness is suffered to dry up kindly sympathy and tender thoughtful love and interest for brethren every virtue will be corroded, so the fast of Isaiah should be studied and close self-examination made to discern whether the principles God requires in order to receive the rich blessings promised are present. Deception, fraud, sin, neglect of duty, centralization and commercialism and worldly principles in business by members in high positions of trust and responsibility lay the guilt of the past upon all the camp and enfeeble the spiritual life of God's people, with losses from neglect that good deeds cannot retrieve, and God has no place for lovers of deception, fraud and sin. The call therefore is for staunch, faithful workers who understand the truth and are sanctified through the truth, and for complete and thorough reformation in all institutions, arousing to put away existing evils and redeem the time if possible.

Cherishing envy and hatred against brethren while calling it the Spirit of God, and going up and down as talebearers accusing and condemning, blackening character, inspiring hearts with maliciousness, and carrying false reports to neighbors' doors so that hearers lose the Spirit of God, with not even God's messenger spared, is worse than Achan's sin. Achan's trespass was great and kindled the Lord's anger against Israel, yet its influence was confined compared with this evil, which is a root of bitterness whereby many are defiled, corrupting minds and spirits and the souls of those who do not repent and change their course. God cannot bless the church till it is purged of this evil. Achan's fall also teaches the danger of underestimating temptation, for temptation can lead to a sudden fall even when a person thinks himself secure, and no one can resist temptation in his own strength. Safety requires avoiding idolatry and close ties with those who may corrupt faith, and not approaching the borders of sin, because departing from God brings ruin and God is faithful to carry out both His promises and His warnings.