And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
After Israel fled before Ai with thirty-six slain, Joshua lay prostrate before the ark in grief and pleading, and he was told to stop lying on his face and rise to decisive action because continued mourning was not the duty of that hour. The voice answering him was Christ veiled in the cloudy pillar, the Captain of the Lord's host who had before assured him of victory. Israel had sinned by breaking the covenant in taking what was devoted to destruction at Jericho, when Achan in growing covetousness stole and hid gold, silver and a Babylonish garment and dissembled about it. That one hidden theft made the whole camp guilty and accursed, so God's presence and blessing were withdrawn and He would go with them no more until the evil was destroyed from among them. Prayer alone could not end the defeat while sin remained concealed, so earnest pleading had to be joined with sanctifying the people, searching out the wrong and putting it away before God could bless again.
Defeat and Prostrate Plea
Israel had just fled before the men of Ai with melted hearts and thirty-six men slain, and Joshua rent his clothes and fell on his face before the ark with the elders in astonishment, grief, abject humiliation, weeping and tortured spirit. He pleaded why God had brought Israel over Jordan, mourned that Israel was humiliated and turned their backs before enemies, and feared the Canaanites and inhabitants of the land hearing and surrounding them and cutting off their name. His anguish was also for the dishonor that had come upon God's cause and God's great name, and for the withdrawal of unseen help that had caused repulse and death. He did not yet know Achan's hidden sin, but lay in humility because the Lord was angry with His people after their defeat.
The voice that answered him was Jesus Christ enshrouded in the cloudy pillar. He was the Captain of the host of the Lord whom Joshua had met when seeking assurance of divine guidance, before whom Joshua had fallen on his face in worship and from whom he had received assurance of victory and instruction for capturing the city. That meeting belonged to the first step of the conquest of Canaan at Jericho.
Get thee up, wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face, means stop lying prostrate and end mourning, despair, lamentation and continued pleading. Prolonged prayer was not the duty of the hour, and despair and lamentation were wrong at that moment. God interrupted, stopped and reproved that face-down prayer in anguish and tears because prayer alone could not continue while hidden sin remained, and He commanded rise to prompt and decided action to confront the reason for defeat. That action was to hunt out the sin, have it searched out, exposed and removed, and deal with the guilty person according to its grievous character.
Covenant Sin Exposed
Israel had sinned and broken covenant by taking what had been devoted to destruction at Jericho against the most positive command. What was taken was stolen from what belonged to the Lord's treasury, the golden wedge and the silver with the Babylonish garment and shekels of silver, and was hidden and concealed among their own stuff and goods. In doing this they dissembled and acted a lie, taking forbidden treasure that God had put under His curse.
That taking came from Achan's covetousness in disregarding the express command. His greed had grown gradually into a habit that weakened his judgment and deadened his sense of right and of consequences. When temptation came he gave in to it, and by that cherished covetousness brought ruin and disaster on himself and loss upon Israel.
He hid his theft and dissembled it, and even while watching the defeat and Joshua's anguish he would not confess. His concealed selfishness and deception brought God's displeasure until God exposed the sin and brought its consequences upon him.
God knew all about Achan's sin committed in the midst and was offended by it. He searches out concealed sin and does not leave iniquity hidden, but uncovers hidden guilt and rebukes failure to be vigilant about sin. In this He shows that He knows what people misunderstand or misinterpret and will vindicate those who trust Him.
Whole Camp Under Guilt
The hidden theft of one man was charged upon the whole congregation, and his seemingly small offense made Israel accursed and as weak as water. Because of that one offender Israel could not stand before enemies but turned their backs before them, the enemy was allowed to triumph, and Israel was driven into disgraceful retreat and defeat with loss of life. Thirty-six men were slain in the repulse at Ai, and the teaching held by those passages is that thousands were killed through Achan's sin. That one man's sin weakened God's servants, brought God's displeasure so He could not bless Israel in battle, and brought the whole church under rebuke to suffer defeat and lack until the sin is found and put away.
God's presence, help and blessing were withdrawn from Israel's army, and His frown and rebuke and curse rested upon them. He warned that He would be with them no more and would not go out to battle with them unless they destroyed the accursed thing from among them. Distress and prayer alone could not replace confronting and removing the known wrongdoing, so the people had to sanctify themselves and right the wrongs among them before they could prosper and have prayer answered. Cherished and tolerated wrongs hinder God's blessing and presence, and it is sin for a church not to search out the cause of its darkness and afflictions.
Achan was searched out and destroyed with all his household and all they possessed for coveting and hiding the forbidden spoil in trifling with a jealous God. By that judgment the curse was wiped from Israel and God's anger was turned away. Israel then advanced against Ai with divine help.
Prayer Requiring Prompt Action
Joshua's grief, appeal, mourning, distress and pleading prostrate on his face could not resolve the defeat while hidden sin remained unconfessed and unremoved, and God stopped, interrupted and rebuked that prayer and commanded him to get up because action was required. Israel had violated the covenant by taking, stealing and concealing what was devoted to destruction and forbidden as the accursed thing, hiding it among their own goods, so Israel could not stand before enemies until it was removed and God would not remain with them unless it was taken away. Achan's seemingly small theft brought guilt, defeat and serious consequences upon the whole nation, with God's presence, unseen armies and help withdrawn from Israel's army and the enemy allowed to triumph. Humbling oneself and supplicating God was not enough while known wrong remained unaddressed, for prayer alone does not replace confronting, exposing, bringing to light and removing known wrongdoing, dissembling and evil, and God desired to give Israel a lesson they should never forget about putting away sin, written for instruction and warning.
God does not forsake His people, humble them or remove His presence without cause, so the defeat had a cause to be faced rather than merely grieved over with prolonged pleading, for it came from hidden sin and not from lack of prayer. Earnest prayer must therefore be joined with decisive, prompt action to hunt out the sin, deal with it according to its grievous character, sanctify the people against tomorrow, set things in order, and put away falsehood, dissembling, iniquitous practices and every deceptive act before God can bless and they can stand against enemies. That cleansing means giving up vitality-destroying habits, eating, drinking and dressing to the glory of God, refusing to let wrong go unrebuked, and separating those who will not come into order, lest God say He will be with His people no more except they destroy the accursed thing from among them. The responsibility rests on the church to search for the cause of its darkness and afflictions and to right the wrongs among them, because cherished and tolerated wrongs hinder God's blessing and presence, it is sin for a church not to search them out, and no church can be living and prosperous with accepted prayers until it is awake to the wrongs that block His blessing and each person faces and corrects his own part.
That sin barred God's way so He could not do what He would despite the great and glorious work He had by mighty power done for Israel, just as the unbelief of the Redeemer's neighbors kept Him from doing many mighty works. He knew all about Achan's sin committed in their midst and was offended by it, and He only waits for His people to clear the way by discipline, full surrender, keeping the commandments, cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Clearing the way means hating the sin but loving the sinner, calling things by their right name and putting sins away through repentance like John's preparation for Christ, so that Christ's words can find lodging in the heart and heavenly intelligences can work through the surrendered agent as a living channel of light.
The same dealing holds in every similar case and was written for instruction, warning and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come: when sinful action is among His church the whole church bears God's rebuke, suffers defeat, contempt, lack and loss of blessing, and cannot prosper until the sin is found and put away. The sin of one man was charged upon the whole nation and made all Israel weak, so Israel could not stand before enemies but was defeated with some of the army slain and the enemies of God and man triumphing. Known sin must therefore be confronted and dealt with rather than merely grieved over, hidden wrong in heart or household brought to light, unrepentant offenders separated after humiliation of soul and true heart work in repentance, for without such repentance those pointing by precept and example to earthliness and sensuality instead of purity and holiness will surely be lost under God's displeasure.
Leaders Purging the Camp
Those in responsible positions as faithful sentinels, teachers, and leaders in high positions of trust must rise from mourning and prayer to prompt, decisive action to search out, confront, and purge known sin, dissembling, evil, and moral defilement and corruption from school, congregation, and camp, and to sanctify the people. They must not hold peace, let things drift, treat sin as unimportant, or pass by deception, falsehood, and moral corruption, for God has not changed from ancient Israel to the gospel and holds every teacher and one in authority accountable for the guilt until everything possible is done. Hidden wrongdoing brings guilt and loss of blessing upon the whole community, so until the wrong is searched out and purged Israel cannot stand against enemies or receive favor, and Achan’s hidden offense remained charged to Israel until dealt with as directed.
The church shares responsibility to search for the cause of its darkness and afflictions, to awake to the wrongs that block God’s blessing, and to right the wrongs among them, for God does not forsake, humble, or remove His presence without cause. Cherished and tolerated wrongs hinder God’s blessing and presence, it is sin for a church not to search them out, and no church can be living and prosperous with accepted prayers until it does. Members facing spiritual decline should examine themselves for hidden sin rather than merely lament, and knowingly overlooking a member’s or minister’s serious defects while accepting his leadership brings shared guilt.
Thorough work is required to cleanse the camp from Achans and elevate the standard far higher, for prayer alone is not enough while sin and sinners remain. Offenders must be confronted and shown that they must either put away sins or be separated, lest others be contaminated. Those who sin and after being visited and labored with refuse to hear admonition and warning and refuse to repent are as Achan in the camp, deceived and deceiving, and must not be retained on church books or in fellowship but must be disfellowshipped without delay. To retain those who do wickedly and refuse to repent makes the saints accountable for their evil deeds, contaminates others, causes others to fear God less, and insults the God of heaven. Every Christian must choose poverty, reproach, separation from friends, suffering, and death before dishonor or transgression of the law rather than defile the soul with sin.
This purging applies to talebearing, meddling, criticism, faultfinding, backbiting, malicious speech, and slander, whose toleration brought God’s displeasure and weakened the church so that blessing could not rest until cleansed. Backbiting is worse than Achan’s sin because its envy and hatred, accusation and condemnation, talebearing and false reports are not confined to the one who cherishes them but corrupt the minds, spirits, and souls of many listeners and defile many with bitterness. Those who do not repent and change must be removed from corrupting the church.
It applies also to robbery, dissembling, dishonest business practices, selfish appropriation of means and institutional funds, and measuring self by self and taking what one thinks deserved. Such taking robs God’s treasury just as Achan robbed God, surrounds the soul with unbelief and double-dealing, dishonors God even when concealed, proves God is not with that man, and brings the same loss of help and blessing until cleansed. Such workers cannot give the right mold to the work nor supply hard fields where laborers give part of their wages to meet needs, cannot safely be retained even as editors or managers but must be disconnected without delay, and are called to full repentance and restitution, for God sees every case and will pass judgment.
It applies to tolerating violations of the seventh commandment and to those claiming to be God’s representatives who point by precept and example to earthliness and sensuality instead of purity and holiness. Such sin can weaken Israel even if the only cause, brings God’s frown and displeasure upon the church, removes the ark from the camp, and was written for instruction and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. Without humiliation of soul and true heart work in repentance those engaged in it will surely be lost.
It applies when God’s people sanction or carry out decisions of men they know are not in harmony with truth and righteousness, for that same voice calls them to open their eyes and get up. Such compromise weakens faith and lessens relish for communion with God, because Israel has sinned and transgressed the covenant and God will not remain unless the accursed thing is destroyed. A wrong course pursued by one toward his brother turns God’s light away until the wrong is searched out and the cause of the oppressed is vindicated, and little progress, little effect from truth, few added, and discouragement come from Achans weighing the people down as clogs. Selfishness and exaltation wanting to be foremost when God and brethren have not placed them there mark such corrupt hearts; God enlightens them and gives opportunity to reform, but when they will not heed He in mercy rids the church of them and gives many up to their own ways, and their lying tongues and misrepresentations after leaving injure the cause less than their influence if they had remained. God’s people must therefore be tender in feeling and discrimination, with enlarged hearts, noble sympathy, largeness of soul, and disinterested benevolence, for as long as selfishness dries up kindly sympathy and tender thoughtful love for brethren every virtue is corroded, but then the church can triumph in God. Even zeal to deal with sin must first learn the facts lest brethren be suspected without cause.
Personal Warnings and Restitution
The accursed thing to be risen up and removed is covetousness, selfishness, love of money and love of the world, which gains upon Sabbath-keepers imperceptibly until those who have it are not aware of it, is all through their ranks, destroys the spirit of sacrifice and dries up sacrifice. It shows itself in hoarding means that God has only lent as stewards yet calling it their own, in taking the sacrifice from God's altar for worldly gain and increase and loving the world and its gain. Unless this evil is rooted out through sacrificing for God, denying self for the truth's sake, and an entire change, destruction is as sure as Achan's was, and those who cling to it will perish with the world. For when God's prospering hand is removed it is all snatched away in a moment, the loftiness of man is to be brought down and the pride of man humbled, kings and nobles and rich and poor alike shall bow, and the withering plagues of God shall fall upon them.
Achan's case warns personally that temptation can bring a fall even when a person feels secure, and that no one can resist it in human strength alone. Reviewing past failures in a right spirit brings clear judgment and humility, as Joshua near the end of his life reviewed Israel's past to awaken gratitude for providence and humility over complaints and disobedience. He warned them to avoid idolatry and close ties with idolaters, even at the borders of sin, because departing from God leads to ruin while God is faithful both to His promises and to His warnings.
Getting up means making clean work where robbery and sinful neglect have taken God's means through selfishness, for lying upon the face in prayer is not accepted until then. It means full restitution of both principal and interest, and putting away lack of principle, perverted ideas, insincerity and every excuse. It means recovering spiritual discernment to know justice and mercy and equity and truth, instead of questioning, criticizing, envying and going directly contrary to the plain will of the Lord, for God hates all such robbery.
Rising is arising to renew strength in God by renewing and keeping the covenant with Him, ending helplessness under defeat while an accursed thing remains in the midst by actively removing that thing. Prolonged prayer was not the duty of the hour after Israel fled before the men of Ai with melted hearts and turned their backs before enemies, because defeat came from hidden sin in breaking the covenant by taking, stealing, dissembling and hiding what was forbidden among their own goods, and they could not stand before enemies until it was taken away. That cleansing is from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, giving up vitality-destroying habits and every deceptive act, eating, drinking and dressing to the glory of God, refusing to let wrong go unrebuked, and separating those who will not come into order, lest God say He will be with His people no more except they destroy the accursed from among them.
After Israel fled before Ai with thirty-six slain, Joshua lay prostrate before the ark in grief and pleading, and he was told to stop lying on his face and rise to decisive action because continued mourning was not the duty of that hour. The voice answering him was Christ veiled in the cloudy pillar, the Captain of the Lord's host who had before assured him of victory. Israel had sinned by breaking the covenant in taking what was devoted to destruction at Jericho, when Achan in growing covetousness stole and hid gold, silver and a Babylonish garment and dissembled about it. That one hidden theft made the whole camp guilty and accursed, so God's presence and blessing were withdrawn and He would go with them no more until the evil was destroyed from among them. Prayer alone could not end the defeat while sin remained concealed, so earnest pleading had to be joined with sanctifying the people, searching out the wrong and putting it away before God could bless again.
Defeat and Prostrate Plea
Israel had just fled before the men of Ai with melted hearts and thirty-six men slain, and Joshua rent his clothes and fell on his face before the ark with the elders in astonishment, grief, abject humiliation, weeping and tortured spirit. He pleaded why God had brought Israel over Jordan, mourned that Israel was humiliated and turned their backs before enemies, and feared the Canaanites and inhabitants of the land hearing and surrounding them and cutting off their name. His anguish was also for the dishonor that had come upon God's cause and God's great name, and for the withdrawal of unseen help that had caused repulse and death. He did not yet know Achan's hidden sin, but lay in humility because the Lord was angry with His people after their defeat.
The voice that answered him was Jesus Christ enshrouded in the cloudy pillar. He was the Captain of the host of the Lord whom Joshua had met when seeking assurance of divine guidance, before whom Joshua had fallen on his face in worship and from whom he had received assurance of victory and instruction for capturing the city. That meeting belonged to the first step of the conquest of Canaan at Jericho.
Get thee up, wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face, means stop lying prostrate and end mourning, despair, lamentation and continued pleading. Prolonged prayer was not the duty of the hour, and despair and lamentation were wrong at that moment. God interrupted, stopped and reproved that face-down prayer in anguish and tears because prayer alone could not continue while hidden sin remained, and He commanded rise to prompt and decided action to confront the reason for defeat. That action was to hunt out the sin, have it searched out, exposed and removed, and deal with the guilty person according to its grievous character.
Covenant Sin Exposed
Israel had sinned and broken covenant by taking what had been devoted to destruction at Jericho against the most positive command. What was taken was stolen from what belonged to the Lord's treasury, the golden wedge and the silver with the Babylonish garment and shekels of silver, and was hidden and concealed among their own stuff and goods. In doing this they dissembled and acted a lie, taking forbidden treasure that God had put under His curse.
That taking came from Achan's covetousness in disregarding the express command. His greed had grown gradually into a habit that weakened his judgment and deadened his sense of right and of consequences. When temptation came he gave in to it, and by that cherished covetousness brought ruin and disaster on himself and loss upon Israel.
He hid his theft and dissembled it, and even while watching the defeat and Joshua's anguish he would not confess. His concealed selfishness and deception brought God's displeasure until God exposed the sin and brought its consequences upon him.
God knew all about Achan's sin committed in the midst and was offended by it. He searches out concealed sin and does not leave iniquity hidden, but uncovers hidden guilt and rebukes failure to be vigilant about sin. In this He shows that He knows what people misunderstand or misinterpret and will vindicate those who trust Him.
Whole Camp Under Guilt
The hidden theft of one man was charged upon the whole congregation, and his seemingly small offense made Israel accursed and as weak as water. Because of that one offender Israel could not stand before enemies but turned their backs before them, the enemy was allowed to triumph, and Israel was driven into disgraceful retreat and defeat with loss of life. Thirty-six men were slain in the repulse at Ai, and the teaching held by those passages is that thousands were killed through Achan's sin. That one man's sin weakened God's servants, brought God's displeasure so He could not bless Israel in battle, and brought the whole church under rebuke to suffer defeat and lack until the sin is found and put away.
God's presence, help and blessing were withdrawn from Israel's army, and His frown and rebuke and curse rested upon them. He warned that He would be with them no more and would not go out to battle with them unless they destroyed the accursed thing from among them. Distress and prayer alone could not replace confronting and removing the known wrongdoing, so the people had to sanctify themselves and right the wrongs among them before they could prosper and have prayer answered. Cherished and tolerated wrongs hinder God's blessing and presence, and it is sin for a church not to search out the cause of its darkness and afflictions.
Achan was searched out and destroyed with all his household and all they possessed for coveting and hiding the forbidden spoil in trifling with a jealous God. By that judgment the curse was wiped from Israel and God's anger was turned away. Israel then advanced against Ai with divine help.
Prayer Requiring Prompt Action
Joshua's grief, appeal, mourning, distress and pleading prostrate on his face could not resolve the defeat while hidden sin remained unconfessed and unremoved, and God stopped, interrupted and rebuked that prayer and commanded him to get up because action was required. Israel had violated the covenant by taking, stealing and concealing what was devoted to destruction and forbidden as the accursed thing, hiding it among their own goods, so Israel could not stand before enemies until it was removed and God would not remain with them unless it was taken away. Achan's seemingly small theft brought guilt, defeat and serious consequences upon the whole nation, with God's presence, unseen armies and help withdrawn from Israel's army and the enemy allowed to triumph. Humbling oneself and supplicating God was not enough while known wrong remained unaddressed, for prayer alone does not replace confronting, exposing, bringing to light and removing known wrongdoing, dissembling and evil, and God desired to give Israel a lesson they should never forget about putting away sin, written for instruction and warning.
God does not forsake His people, humble them or remove His presence without cause, so the defeat had a cause to be faced rather than merely grieved over with prolonged pleading, for it came from hidden sin and not from lack of prayer. Earnest prayer must therefore be joined with decisive, prompt action to hunt out the sin, deal with it according to its grievous character, sanctify the people against tomorrow, set things in order, and put away falsehood, dissembling, iniquitous practices and every deceptive act before God can bless and they can stand against enemies. That cleansing means giving up vitality-destroying habits, eating, drinking and dressing to the glory of God, refusing to let wrong go unrebuked, and separating those who will not come into order, lest God say He will be with His people no more except they destroy the accursed thing from among them. The responsibility rests on the church to search for the cause of its darkness and afflictions and to right the wrongs among them, because cherished and tolerated wrongs hinder God's blessing and presence, it is sin for a church not to search them out, and no church can be living and prosperous with accepted prayers until it is awake to the wrongs that block His blessing and each person faces and corrects his own part.
That sin barred God's way so He could not do what He would despite the great and glorious work He had by mighty power done for Israel, just as the unbelief of the Redeemer's neighbors kept Him from doing many mighty works. He knew all about Achan's sin committed in their midst and was offended by it, and He only waits for His people to clear the way by discipline, full surrender, keeping the commandments, cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Clearing the way means hating the sin but loving the sinner, calling things by their right name and putting sins away through repentance like John's preparation for Christ, so that Christ's words can find lodging in the heart and heavenly intelligences can work through the surrendered agent as a living channel of light.
The same dealing holds in every similar case and was written for instruction, warning and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come: when sinful action is among His church the whole church bears God's rebuke, suffers defeat, contempt, lack and loss of blessing, and cannot prosper until the sin is found and put away. The sin of one man was charged upon the whole nation and made all Israel weak, so Israel could not stand before enemies but was defeated with some of the army slain and the enemies of God and man triumphing. Known sin must therefore be confronted and dealt with rather than merely grieved over, hidden wrong in heart or household brought to light, unrepentant offenders separated after humiliation of soul and true heart work in repentance, for without such repentance those pointing by precept and example to earthliness and sensuality instead of purity and holiness will surely be lost under God's displeasure.
Leaders Purging the Camp
Those in responsible positions as faithful sentinels, teachers, and leaders in high positions of trust must rise from mourning and prayer to prompt, decisive action to search out, confront, and purge known sin, dissembling, evil, and moral defilement and corruption from school, congregation, and camp, and to sanctify the people. They must not hold peace, let things drift, treat sin as unimportant, or pass by deception, falsehood, and moral corruption, for God has not changed from ancient Israel to the gospel and holds every teacher and one in authority accountable for the guilt until everything possible is done. Hidden wrongdoing brings guilt and loss of blessing upon the whole community, so until the wrong is searched out and purged Israel cannot stand against enemies or receive favor, and Achan’s hidden offense remained charged to Israel until dealt with as directed.
The church shares responsibility to search for the cause of its darkness and afflictions, to awake to the wrongs that block God’s blessing, and to right the wrongs among them, for God does not forsake, humble, or remove His presence without cause. Cherished and tolerated wrongs hinder God’s blessing and presence, it is sin for a church not to search them out, and no church can be living and prosperous with accepted prayers until it does. Members facing spiritual decline should examine themselves for hidden sin rather than merely lament, and knowingly overlooking a member’s or minister’s serious defects while accepting his leadership brings shared guilt.
Thorough work is required to cleanse the camp from Achans and elevate the standard far higher, for prayer alone is not enough while sin and sinners remain. Offenders must be confronted and shown that they must either put away sins or be separated, lest others be contaminated. Those who sin and after being visited and labored with refuse to hear admonition and warning and refuse to repent are as Achan in the camp, deceived and deceiving, and must not be retained on church books or in fellowship but must be disfellowshipped without delay. To retain those who do wickedly and refuse to repent makes the saints accountable for their evil deeds, contaminates others, causes others to fear God less, and insults the God of heaven. Every Christian must choose poverty, reproach, separation from friends, suffering, and death before dishonor or transgression of the law rather than defile the soul with sin.
This purging applies to talebearing, meddling, criticism, faultfinding, backbiting, malicious speech, and slander, whose toleration brought God’s displeasure and weakened the church so that blessing could not rest until cleansed. Backbiting is worse than Achan’s sin because its envy and hatred, accusation and condemnation, talebearing and false reports are not confined to the one who cherishes them but corrupt the minds, spirits, and souls of many listeners and defile many with bitterness. Those who do not repent and change must be removed from corrupting the church.
It applies also to robbery, dissembling, dishonest business practices, selfish appropriation of means and institutional funds, and measuring self by self and taking what one thinks deserved. Such taking robs God’s treasury just as Achan robbed God, surrounds the soul with unbelief and double-dealing, dishonors God even when concealed, proves God is not with that man, and brings the same loss of help and blessing until cleansed. Such workers cannot give the right mold to the work nor supply hard fields where laborers give part of their wages to meet needs, cannot safely be retained even as editors or managers but must be disconnected without delay, and are called to full repentance and restitution, for God sees every case and will pass judgment.
It applies to tolerating violations of the seventh commandment and to those claiming to be God’s representatives who point by precept and example to earthliness and sensuality instead of purity and holiness. Such sin can weaken Israel even if the only cause, brings God’s frown and displeasure upon the church, removes the ark from the camp, and was written for instruction and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. Without humiliation of soul and true heart work in repentance those engaged in it will surely be lost.
It applies when God’s people sanction or carry out decisions of men they know are not in harmony with truth and righteousness, for that same voice calls them to open their eyes and get up. Such compromise weakens faith and lessens relish for communion with God, because Israel has sinned and transgressed the covenant and God will not remain unless the accursed thing is destroyed. A wrong course pursued by one toward his brother turns God’s light away until the wrong is searched out and the cause of the oppressed is vindicated, and little progress, little effect from truth, few added, and discouragement come from Achans weighing the people down as clogs. Selfishness and exaltation wanting to be foremost when God and brethren have not placed them there mark such corrupt hearts; God enlightens them and gives opportunity to reform, but when they will not heed He in mercy rids the church of them and gives many up to their own ways, and their lying tongues and misrepresentations after leaving injure the cause less than their influence if they had remained. God’s people must therefore be tender in feeling and discrimination, with enlarged hearts, noble sympathy, largeness of soul, and disinterested benevolence, for as long as selfishness dries up kindly sympathy and tender thoughtful love for brethren every virtue is corroded, but then the church can triumph in God. Even zeal to deal with sin must first learn the facts lest brethren be suspected without cause.
Personal Warnings and Restitution
The accursed thing to be risen up and removed is covetousness, selfishness, love of money and love of the world, which gains upon Sabbath-keepers imperceptibly until those who have it are not aware of it, is all through their ranks, destroys the spirit of sacrifice and dries up sacrifice. It shows itself in hoarding means that God has only lent as stewards yet calling it their own, in taking the sacrifice from God's altar for worldly gain and increase and loving the world and its gain. Unless this evil is rooted out through sacrificing for God, denying self for the truth's sake, and an entire change, destruction is as sure as Achan's was, and those who cling to it will perish with the world. For when God's prospering hand is removed it is all snatched away in a moment, the loftiness of man is to be brought down and the pride of man humbled, kings and nobles and rich and poor alike shall bow, and the withering plagues of God shall fall upon them.
Achan's case warns personally that temptation can bring a fall even when a person feels secure, and that no one can resist it in human strength alone. Reviewing past failures in a right spirit brings clear judgment and humility, as Joshua near the end of his life reviewed Israel's past to awaken gratitude for providence and humility over complaints and disobedience. He warned them to avoid idolatry and close ties with idolaters, even at the borders of sin, because departing from God leads to ruin while God is faithful both to His promises and to His warnings.
Getting up means making clean work where robbery and sinful neglect have taken God's means through selfishness, for lying upon the face in prayer is not accepted until then. It means full restitution of both principal and interest, and putting away lack of principle, perverted ideas, insincerity and every excuse. It means recovering spiritual discernment to know justice and mercy and equity and truth, instead of questioning, criticizing, envying and going directly contrary to the plain will of the Lord, for God hates all such robbery.
Rising is arising to renew strength in God by renewing and keeping the covenant with Him, ending helplessness under defeat while an accursed thing remains in the midst by actively removing that thing. Prolonged prayer was not the duty of the hour after Israel fled before the men of Ai with melted hearts and turned their backs before enemies, because defeat came from hidden sin in breaking the covenant by taking, stealing, dissembling and hiding what was forbidden among their own goods, and they could not stand before enemies until it was taken away. That cleansing is from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, giving up vitality-destroying habits and every deceptive act, eating, drinking and dressing to the glory of God, refusing to let wrong go unrebuked, and separating those who will not come into order, lest God say He will be with His people no more except they destroy the accursed from among them.