So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
About three thousand men went up against the small town of Ai soon after the fall of Jericho expecting an easy victory, but they met determined resistance and fled in confusion down the steep descent while the Canaanites pursued. They had acted in self-confidence from the great victory at Jericho, exalting their own strength and laying plans without seeking counsel from God or assurance that He would be with them. The defeat came because Achan's covetous theft of the devoted spoil of Jericho caused God to withdraw His presence and His unseen armies who were the strength of Israel, so He did not give success in battle. One man's hidden sin brought guilt, rebuke and weakness upon the whole camp, discomfited the entire army and cost thirty-six lives, showing that concealed wrongdoing hinders God's blessing and harms all. His blessing could not rest on the people again until the accursed thing was searched out, confessed and put away and the evil purged from among them.
Setting and Defeat at Ai
The verse records the first attack on Ai soon after the fall of Jericho, against a small town among the ravines a few miles west of the Jordan valley which the spies reported had few inhabitants and could be overthrown with a small force. About three thousand men went up expecting an easy victory, advanced nearly to the gate, met determined resistance, panicked at the numbers and thorough preparation of the enemy, and fled in confusion down the steep descent while the Canaanites pursued. Their going up and fleeing before the defenders exposed a defeat brought by one man's taking what was devoted to destruction, by which Israel was beaten and weakened.
Israel acted in self-confidence from the great victory God had gained for them at Jericho and from the promise of Canaan, exalting their own strength, despising their foes, and laying plans without seeking counsel from God or assurance He would be with them. They went up in full confidence in their own power and trusted their own strength rather than advancing with assurance of God's help, which left them disheartened and exposed their need for divine guidance. That self-reliant advance without God showed His displeasure and left the lesson that selfishness, indolence, and avoidance of responsibility in God's cause can bring defeat and destruction.
Only thirty-six were slain, yet the repulse brought humiliation upon all Israel before its enemies, melted the hearts of the people as water, disheartened the whole congregation, and raised fear about the greater conflicts ahead. Joshua did not know the hidden sin but knew God's presence had left, so he lay prostrate in humility and laid the case open before God with great sorrow because God's name would not be magnified before the people. When he prostrated himself asking what it meant that Israel fled before its enemies, the answer was that an accursed thing was in the camp and His blessing could not rest on the people until these things were cleansed from them.
The attack belonged to the march from Gilgal for the overthrow of Jericho and the conquest of Ai, and Gilgal is where Achan met the penalty for his sin. After Achan was punished and God's anger against Israel was turned away, Joshua was commanded to gather the fighting men and advance against Ai again, when God's armies fought for Israel and the enemy fled.
God Withdrew His Help
The flight of about three thousand men before Ai came because one man's hidden sin caused the Spirit of God and His unseen armies, who were the strength of Israel, to withdraw their help, so that defeat came in place of success for a sin the people did not know. God did not give success and did not bless them while the concealed sin remained in the camp, He withdrew His presence from the army and permitted the enemy to triumph, and He could not help them in battle. The repulse brought humiliation upon all Israel before its enemies with thirty-six slain, while one account states that thousands died in the battle, showing judgment upon the whole community for one person's transgression. Joshua did not know the hidden sin but knew God's presence had left, so he lay prostrate in humility and laid the case open before God with great sorrow because God's name would not be magnified before the people. When he asked what it meant that Israel fled before its enemies, God told him an accursed thing was in the camp, that spoil had been taken with robbery and dissembling, and that His blessing could not rest on the people until these things were cleansed from them.
The rebuke of God rested on the whole nation and camp on account of Achan's sin, and God would not be with them any more except they destroyed the accursed thing from among them. His displeasure, disfavor, anger and guilt rested on His people while sin remained among them, He would not manifest His power in their midst while wrongs were hidden and fostered, and Israel was made weak before its enemies and left without His protection and blessing. The presence of people with corrupt hearts brought that disfavor on the community and hindered the progress of His work, for hidden dishonesty and disobedience could bring danger to all Israel. Defects of character in any member or minister are charged to the whole church if the church makes light of them, so that to place a man known to be in weakness and darkness over the flock makes his defects the church's own and brings the whole church under God's rebuke and loss of His presence to its ruin and detriment. Knowing the evil and hiding the eyes from it while walking contrary to God's will dishonors God and lowers the standard of righteousness until the evil is put away.
Though by His mighty power God had done a great and glorious work for Israel, this sin committed in their midst, which God knew all about and was offended by, barred His way so that He could not do what He wanted to do for them. The sin must be hated while the sinner is loved, called by its right name, and put away, and the way cleared by discipline and surrender, so God can work.
Nature of Achan's Sin
Achan's covetousness did not spring up at once but grew gradually until cherished desire became fixed habit, and that habit weakened his power to resist temptation until it ruined him and brought disaster on the whole people, though he would once have been horrified at the thought of bringing such calamity upon Israel. He had heard the charge to keep away from the accursed thing of Jericho appointed to destruction and to consecrate all its silver and gold to the treasury of the Lord, yet he coveted devoted spoil and secretly took and kept it for himself, knowingly acting against God's command. What he stole included the golden wedge and the Babylonish garment, and his hiding of devoted goods brought God's opposition and displeasure upon the whole army so that Israel fled before Ai.
His sin was covetousness, theft and embezzlement, the appropriating to his own use of money dedicated to God, carried out with robbery and dissembling under an appearance of innocence even through searching examination. The history was given to show God's estimate of all such sins, to teach Israel to fear and honor Him, and to expose how little those who claim to keep God's commandments estimate the grievous character of sin when they indulge it. The same judgment rests on professed Christians who steal and embezzle the Lord's goods, appropriating to themselves and their families means that should be rendered back to be put into His treasury while cloaking their sins under professed righteousness. One man's taking what was devoted to destruction was enough to cause Israel to be beaten when about three thousand went up and fled before the enemy.
Selfishly appropriating money from God's treasury is that same serious sin and brings divine judgment. Appropriating institutional means for personal use because others receive higher wages is the sin of Achan, being selfishness and covetousness, double-dealing and wisdom above what is written, and robbery of God's treasury. God regards it as He regarded Achan's theft, withdraws His presence from such a man, sees that he cannot give the right mold to the work nor supply the needs of laborers in hard fields, and will pass judgment upon him.
Achan knew that his hidden sin had caused the defeat, yet after Israel was repulsed he felt no distress or remorse. He did not reason from cause to effect that his theft was the reason, did not ask whether his wrong had brought the reverse, and had no thought of making his wrong right by confession of sin and humiliation of soul. Sinners who hide their wrongs and refuse voluntary confession until they are searched out burden the whole church, and they go on until hardened so that conscience no longer condemns them, instead of relieving the church by humbling their proud, rebellious hearts before God and putting away their wrongs. The failure shows that apparent security did not protect Israel from stumbling and defeat, warning that temptation must never be underestimated, that a person who thinks himself secure may be in great danger, and that no one can meet and resist temptation in his own strength.
Corporate Guilt and Cleansing
One man's transgression discomfited the entire army at Ai and brought disaster, defeat and death upon the whole nation, with thirty-six lives lost in the flight before the men of Ai. A wrong course 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, requiring tenderness of feeling and discrimination, enlarged hearts, noble sympathy, largeness of soul and disinterested benevolence, with study of Isaiah's fast and close self-examination to discern whether the principles needed to receive the promised rich blessings are present, for as long as selfishness dries up kindly sympathy and tender thoughtful love for brethren every virtue will be corroded. That one man's sin was covetousness, theft and embezzlement in appropriating to his own use money dedicated to God and dissembling under an appearance of innocence through searching examination, showing God's estimate of all such sins and how little those who claim to keep God's commandments estimate sin's grievous character when they steal and embezzle the Lord's goods for themselves and their families while cloaking sin with professed righteousness. One account holds that Israel's men went up against Ai in confidence but fled because God did not bless them while Achan's concealed sin remained in the camp, and that one person's transgression brought judgment on the whole community in which thousands died in the battle, warning that hidden sin can hinder God's work and bring serious consequences to others.
Hidden sin in a person or household brings guilt upon the whole people, so that God does not give success against enemies and His blessing is hindered and kept from the work and people connected with them. Achan's transgression brought suffering on the whole congregation, and he and his family perished because of it. The presence of people with corrupt hearts brings God's disfavor on the community and hinders the progress of His work, and sin entering the camp must be removed from the community so it does not harm others. Concealed sin can bring consequences on the whole community, with defeat and death to many showing that sin hidden within the community affects the whole people.
The whole church bears God's rebuke and suffers want and defeat until that sin is hunted out and dealt with according to its grievous character, for the repulse at Ai where about three thousand went up and fled with thirty-six slain and humiliation before enemies came because of a sin the people did not know that caused God's Spirit and His unseen armies who were Israel's strength to withdraw their help. His blessing could not rest on the people until the accursed thing taken with robbery and dissembling was cleansed from them, and the same robbery and dissembling practiced in God's work still keeps His help and blessing away until put away. This sin barred His way so that He could not do what by His mighty power He had done and wanted to do for Israel, and though God searches out guilt, failure to discover sin among them brings His rebuke and shows that vigilance in dealing with sin matters. The sin of Achan did not stop with Achan but brought defeat and kept God's blessing from the whole church until the evil was purged, its influence corrupting minds and spirits beyond the one who cherished it, and blessing could not return while those who would not repent and change their course remained; therefore sin within the community must be dealt with promptly so others will fear God and the camp will be cleansed.
The sin must be hated while the sinner is loved, called by its right name, and put away, with the way cleared by discipline and surrender so God can work. Remembering God's rebuke for lack of vigilance in discovering and dealing with sin among the people should lead to prompt action afterward, though not by going too far and suspecting brethren without first learning the facts. Those who do wickedly and refuse admonition and repentance deceive others and threaten the community, and like Achan bringing guilt and danger upon Israel they are not to be retained in the church but are to be disfellowshipped, for to retain them is an insult to the God of heaven. Defects of character in any member or minister are charged to the whole church if the church makes light of them, so that placing a man known to be in weakness and darkness over the flock makes his defects the church's own and brings the whole church under God's rebuke and loss of His presence to its ruin and detriment, and knowing evil and hiding the eyes from it while walking contrary to God's will dishonors God and lowers righteousness until the evil is put away.
Those who stand in high positions of trust bear responsibility to guard the principles of righteousness and judgment, to not become careless and pass by sin and transgression in their midst, and to work diligently to separate the Achans from the camp. God holds those who know the truth equally responsible with those guilty of open transgression if they leave things to drift and hold their peace while God is dishonored by deception, falsehood and moral corruption, for He has not changed but is the same in the gospel as in ancient Israel and will not tolerate sin but by His Holy Spirit will point out wrongdoers, so hidden sins must not be allowed to cause loss of His favor.
Warnings for Today
Hidden covetousness, selfishness, love of money and love of the world steals upon the heart imperceptibly, so that those who cherish it are unaware of it, destroys the spirit of sacrifice, dries up sacrifice, takes the sacrifice from God's altar, loves the world and its gain and increase, and calls means lent by God as stewards their own to hoard up. Unless this evil is rooted out by God's Israel arising to renew strength in God and renew and keep covenant with Him, with entire change through sacrificing for God and denying self for truth's sake, destruction will be as sure as Achan's. Hoarded means will be snatched away in a moment when God's prospering hand is removed, and those who cling to it will perish with the world when human loftiness is brought down and pride is humbled. The flight before Ai shows self-reliant strength fails when deceptive acts and vitality-destroying, defiling habits of flesh and spirit are cherished, for every such act is marked. It requires cleansing from all filthiness and giving up what destroys vitality in eating, drinking, and dressing to glorify God, or separation, because with an accursed thing in the midst His people cannot stand before their enemies.
A wrong course by one toward his brother turns God's light from His people until the wrong is searched out and the cause of the oppressed is vindicated. This calls for tenderness of feeling and discrimination, enlarged hearts, broad and deep feelings, noble sympathy, largeness of soul, and disinterested benevolence, with study of Isaiah's fast and close self-examination to discern whether the principles needed to receive the promised rich blessings are present. As long as selfishness is allowed to dry up kindly sympathy and tender thoughtful love and interest for brethren, every virtue will be corroded. Selfishness, indolence, and avoidance of responsibility in God's cause can likewise bring defeat and destruction, for hidden sin is seen, searched out, and judged.
The spirit that took possession of Achan still works in men in important positions as a living, unrepented thing without restoration made and without falling on the Rock and being broken. Left there it brings deceptions enveloped in mist and fog blacker than velvet so men stumble without knowing at what they stumble, proves that men who ought to know God and Jesus Christ do not know them, and leaves earnest prayer with humble, broken hearts neglected lest they perish. There is no hope for God's institutions unless leading men let the Word of the Lord into the mind, humble themselves, and receive special training under the divine theocracy, for otherwise God will humble them. Students and those on whom responsibility is placed will certainly feel wrath as Israel did at Ai when duty is left undone and youth are not brought out of laxness and lying. Tolerating lies, making nothing of a lie, and letting oneself down to a cheap level instead of standing against wrong leaves professed followers overcome by the enemy, while faithfulness requires everyone to do his work and rightly represent Christ.
Concealed dishonesty among God's people brings loss, danger, and dishonor to God, especially when sacred work is involved, and hidden disobedience can leave all without protection. The sin was covetousness, theft and embezzlement, appropriating to personal and family use money dedicated to God that should be rendered back into His treasury, with robbery and dissembling under an appearance of innocence and a cloak of professed righteousness, and one man's sin cost thirty-six lives. The same robbery and dissembling practiced in God's work still keeps His help and blessing away until put away, and those who indulge it little estimate sin's grievous character. Repentance must include restitution. The defeat at Ai serves as an acted symbol for people whose wrongdoing and disregard of God's light bring loss and disappointment to others, and explains failures such as lack of success in Wellington. Its influence did not stop with the sinner but corrupted minds and spirits beyond the one who cherished it and kept blessing from the whole church until the evil was purged, and backbiting and malicious reports are worse in that influence because as a root of bitterness they defile many and must be removed before God can bless the church.
About three thousand men went up against the small town of Ai soon after the fall of Jericho expecting an easy victory, but they met determined resistance and fled in confusion down the steep descent while the Canaanites pursued. They had acted in self-confidence from the great victory at Jericho, exalting their own strength and laying plans without seeking counsel from God or assurance that He would be with them. The defeat came because Achan's covetous theft of the devoted spoil of Jericho caused God to withdraw His presence and His unseen armies who were the strength of Israel, so He did not give success in battle. One man's hidden sin brought guilt, rebuke and weakness upon the whole camp, discomfited the entire army and cost thirty-six lives, showing that concealed wrongdoing hinders God's blessing and harms all. His blessing could not rest on the people again until the accursed thing was searched out, confessed and put away and the evil purged from among them.
Setting and Defeat at Ai
The verse records the first attack on Ai soon after the fall of Jericho, against a small town among the ravines a few miles west of the Jordan valley which the spies reported had few inhabitants and could be overthrown with a small force. About three thousand men went up expecting an easy victory, advanced nearly to the gate, met determined resistance, panicked at the numbers and thorough preparation of the enemy, and fled in confusion down the steep descent while the Canaanites pursued. Their going up and fleeing before the defenders exposed a defeat brought by one man's taking what was devoted to destruction, by which Israel was beaten and weakened.
Israel acted in self-confidence from the great victory God had gained for them at Jericho and from the promise of Canaan, exalting their own strength, despising their foes, and laying plans without seeking counsel from God or assurance He would be with them. They went up in full confidence in their own power and trusted their own strength rather than advancing with assurance of God's help, which left them disheartened and exposed their need for divine guidance. That self-reliant advance without God showed His displeasure and left the lesson that selfishness, indolence, and avoidance of responsibility in God's cause can bring defeat and destruction.
Only thirty-six were slain, yet the repulse brought humiliation upon all Israel before its enemies, melted the hearts of the people as water, disheartened the whole congregation, and raised fear about the greater conflicts ahead. Joshua did not know the hidden sin but knew God's presence had left, so he lay prostrate in humility and laid the case open before God with great sorrow because God's name would not be magnified before the people. When he prostrated himself asking what it meant that Israel fled before its enemies, the answer was that an accursed thing was in the camp and His blessing could not rest on the people until these things were cleansed from them.
The attack belonged to the march from Gilgal for the overthrow of Jericho and the conquest of Ai, and Gilgal is where Achan met the penalty for his sin. After Achan was punished and God's anger against Israel was turned away, Joshua was commanded to gather the fighting men and advance against Ai again, when God's armies fought for Israel and the enemy fled.
God Withdrew His Help
The flight of about three thousand men before Ai came because one man's hidden sin caused the Spirit of God and His unseen armies, who were the strength of Israel, to withdraw their help, so that defeat came in place of success for a sin the people did not know. God did not give success and did not bless them while the concealed sin remained in the camp, He withdrew His presence from the army and permitted the enemy to triumph, and He could not help them in battle. The repulse brought humiliation upon all Israel before its enemies with thirty-six slain, while one account states that thousands died in the battle, showing judgment upon the whole community for one person's transgression. Joshua did not know the hidden sin but knew God's presence had left, so he lay prostrate in humility and laid the case open before God with great sorrow because God's name would not be magnified before the people. When he asked what it meant that Israel fled before its enemies, God told him an accursed thing was in the camp, that spoil had been taken with robbery and dissembling, and that His blessing could not rest on the people until these things were cleansed from them.
The rebuke of God rested on the whole nation and camp on account of Achan's sin, and God would not be with them any more except they destroyed the accursed thing from among them. His displeasure, disfavor, anger and guilt rested on His people while sin remained among them, He would not manifest His power in their midst while wrongs were hidden and fostered, and Israel was made weak before its enemies and left without His protection and blessing. The presence of people with corrupt hearts brought that disfavor on the community and hindered the progress of His work, for hidden dishonesty and disobedience could bring danger to all Israel. Defects of character in any member or minister are charged to the whole church if the church makes light of them, so that to place a man known to be in weakness and darkness over the flock makes his defects the church's own and brings the whole church under God's rebuke and loss of His presence to its ruin and detriment. Knowing the evil and hiding the eyes from it while walking contrary to God's will dishonors God and lowers the standard of righteousness until the evil is put away.
Though by His mighty power God had done a great and glorious work for Israel, this sin committed in their midst, which God knew all about and was offended by, barred His way so that He could not do what He wanted to do for them. The sin must be hated while the sinner is loved, called by its right name, and put away, and the way cleared by discipline and surrender, so God can work.
Nature of Achan's Sin
Achan's covetousness did not spring up at once but grew gradually until cherished desire became fixed habit, and that habit weakened his power to resist temptation until it ruined him and brought disaster on the whole people, though he would once have been horrified at the thought of bringing such calamity upon Israel. He had heard the charge to keep away from the accursed thing of Jericho appointed to destruction and to consecrate all its silver and gold to the treasury of the Lord, yet he coveted devoted spoil and secretly took and kept it for himself, knowingly acting against God's command. What he stole included the golden wedge and the Babylonish garment, and his hiding of devoted goods brought God's opposition and displeasure upon the whole army so that Israel fled before Ai.
His sin was covetousness, theft and embezzlement, the appropriating to his own use of money dedicated to God, carried out with robbery and dissembling under an appearance of innocence even through searching examination. The history was given to show God's estimate of all such sins, to teach Israel to fear and honor Him, and to expose how little those who claim to keep God's commandments estimate the grievous character of sin when they indulge it. The same judgment rests on professed Christians who steal and embezzle the Lord's goods, appropriating to themselves and their families means that should be rendered back to be put into His treasury while cloaking their sins under professed righteousness. One man's taking what was devoted to destruction was enough to cause Israel to be beaten when about three thousand went up and fled before the enemy.
Selfishly appropriating money from God's treasury is that same serious sin and brings divine judgment. Appropriating institutional means for personal use because others receive higher wages is the sin of Achan, being selfishness and covetousness, double-dealing and wisdom above what is written, and robbery of God's treasury. God regards it as He regarded Achan's theft, withdraws His presence from such a man, sees that he cannot give the right mold to the work nor supply the needs of laborers in hard fields, and will pass judgment upon him.
Achan knew that his hidden sin had caused the defeat, yet after Israel was repulsed he felt no distress or remorse. He did not reason from cause to effect that his theft was the reason, did not ask whether his wrong had brought the reverse, and had no thought of making his wrong right by confession of sin and humiliation of soul. Sinners who hide their wrongs and refuse voluntary confession until they are searched out burden the whole church, and they go on until hardened so that conscience no longer condemns them, instead of relieving the church by humbling their proud, rebellious hearts before God and putting away their wrongs. The failure shows that apparent security did not protect Israel from stumbling and defeat, warning that temptation must never be underestimated, that a person who thinks himself secure may be in great danger, and that no one can meet and resist temptation in his own strength.
Corporate Guilt and Cleansing
One man's transgression discomfited the entire army at Ai and brought disaster, defeat and death upon the whole nation, with thirty-six lives lost in the flight before the men of Ai. A wrong course 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, requiring tenderness of feeling and discrimination, enlarged hearts, noble sympathy, largeness of soul and disinterested benevolence, with study of Isaiah's fast and close self-examination to discern whether the principles needed to receive the promised rich blessings are present, for as long as selfishness dries up kindly sympathy and tender thoughtful love for brethren every virtue will be corroded. That one man's sin was covetousness, theft and embezzlement in appropriating to his own use money dedicated to God and dissembling under an appearance of innocence through searching examination, showing God's estimate of all such sins and how little those who claim to keep God's commandments estimate sin's grievous character when they steal and embezzle the Lord's goods for themselves and their families while cloaking sin with professed righteousness. One account holds that Israel's men went up against Ai in confidence but fled because God did not bless them while Achan's concealed sin remained in the camp, and that one person's transgression brought judgment on the whole community in which thousands died in the battle, warning that hidden sin can hinder God's work and bring serious consequences to others.
Hidden sin in a person or household brings guilt upon the whole people, so that God does not give success against enemies and His blessing is hindered and kept from the work and people connected with them. Achan's transgression brought suffering on the whole congregation, and he and his family perished because of it. The presence of people with corrupt hearts brings God's disfavor on the community and hinders the progress of His work, and sin entering the camp must be removed from the community so it does not harm others. Concealed sin can bring consequences on the whole community, with defeat and death to many showing that sin hidden within the community affects the whole people.
The whole church bears God's rebuke and suffers want and defeat until that sin is hunted out and dealt with according to its grievous character, for the repulse at Ai where about three thousand went up and fled with thirty-six slain and humiliation before enemies came because of a sin the people did not know that caused God's Spirit and His unseen armies who were Israel's strength to withdraw their help. His blessing could not rest on the people until the accursed thing taken with robbery and dissembling was cleansed from them, and the same robbery and dissembling practiced in God's work still keeps His help and blessing away until put away. This sin barred His way so that He could not do what by His mighty power He had done and wanted to do for Israel, and though God searches out guilt, failure to discover sin among them brings His rebuke and shows that vigilance in dealing with sin matters. The sin of Achan did not stop with Achan but brought defeat and kept God's blessing from the whole church until the evil was purged, its influence corrupting minds and spirits beyond the one who cherished it, and blessing could not return while those who would not repent and change their course remained; therefore sin within the community must be dealt with promptly so others will fear God and the camp will be cleansed.
The sin must be hated while the sinner is loved, called by its right name, and put away, with the way cleared by discipline and surrender so God can work. Remembering God's rebuke for lack of vigilance in discovering and dealing with sin among the people should lead to prompt action afterward, though not by going too far and suspecting brethren without first learning the facts. Those who do wickedly and refuse admonition and repentance deceive others and threaten the community, and like Achan bringing guilt and danger upon Israel they are not to be retained in the church but are to be disfellowshipped, for to retain them is an insult to the God of heaven. Defects of character in any member or minister are charged to the whole church if the church makes light of them, so that placing a man known to be in weakness and darkness over the flock makes his defects the church's own and brings the whole church under God's rebuke and loss of His presence to its ruin and detriment, and knowing evil and hiding the eyes from it while walking contrary to God's will dishonors God and lowers righteousness until the evil is put away.
Those who stand in high positions of trust bear responsibility to guard the principles of righteousness and judgment, to not become careless and pass by sin and transgression in their midst, and to work diligently to separate the Achans from the camp. God holds those who know the truth equally responsible with those guilty of open transgression if they leave things to drift and hold their peace while God is dishonored by deception, falsehood and moral corruption, for He has not changed but is the same in the gospel as in ancient Israel and will not tolerate sin but by His Holy Spirit will point out wrongdoers, so hidden sins must not be allowed to cause loss of His favor.
Warnings for Today
Hidden covetousness, selfishness, love of money and love of the world steals upon the heart imperceptibly, so that those who cherish it are unaware of it, destroys the spirit of sacrifice, dries up sacrifice, takes the sacrifice from God's altar, loves the world and its gain and increase, and calls means lent by God as stewards their own to hoard up. Unless this evil is rooted out by God's Israel arising to renew strength in God and renew and keep covenant with Him, with entire change through sacrificing for God and denying self for truth's sake, destruction will be as sure as Achan's. Hoarded means will be snatched away in a moment when God's prospering hand is removed, and those who cling to it will perish with the world when human loftiness is brought down and pride is humbled. The flight before Ai shows self-reliant strength fails when deceptive acts and vitality-destroying, defiling habits of flesh and spirit are cherished, for every such act is marked. It requires cleansing from all filthiness and giving up what destroys vitality in eating, drinking, and dressing to glorify God, or separation, because with an accursed thing in the midst His people cannot stand before their enemies.
A wrong course by one toward his brother turns God's light from His people until the wrong is searched out and the cause of the oppressed is vindicated. This calls for tenderness of feeling and discrimination, enlarged hearts, broad and deep feelings, noble sympathy, largeness of soul, and disinterested benevolence, with study of Isaiah's fast and close self-examination to discern whether the principles needed to receive the promised rich blessings are present. As long as selfishness is allowed to dry up kindly sympathy and tender thoughtful love and interest for brethren, every virtue will be corroded. Selfishness, indolence, and avoidance of responsibility in God's cause can likewise bring defeat and destruction, for hidden sin is seen, searched out, and judged.
The spirit that took possession of Achan still works in men in important positions as a living, unrepented thing without restoration made and without falling on the Rock and being broken. Left there it brings deceptions enveloped in mist and fog blacker than velvet so men stumble without knowing at what they stumble, proves that men who ought to know God and Jesus Christ do not know them, and leaves earnest prayer with humble, broken hearts neglected lest they perish. There is no hope for God's institutions unless leading men let the Word of the Lord into the mind, humble themselves, and receive special training under the divine theocracy, for otherwise God will humble them. Students and those on whom responsibility is placed will certainly feel wrath as Israel did at Ai when duty is left undone and youth are not brought out of laxness and lying. Tolerating lies, making nothing of a lie, and letting oneself down to a cheap level instead of standing against wrong leaves professed followers overcome by the enemy, while faithfulness requires everyone to do his work and rightly represent Christ.
Concealed dishonesty among God's people brings loss, danger, and dishonor to God, especially when sacred work is involved, and hidden disobedience can leave all without protection. The sin was covetousness, theft and embezzlement, appropriating to personal and family use money dedicated to God that should be rendered back into His treasury, with robbery and dissembling under an appearance of innocence and a cloak of professed righteousness, and one man's sin cost thirty-six lives. The same robbery and dissembling practiced in God's work still keeps His help and blessing away until put away, and those who indulge it little estimate sin's grievous character. Repentance must include restitution. The defeat at Ai serves as an acted symbol for people whose wrongdoing and disregard of God's light bring loss and disappointment to others, and explains failures such as lack of success in Wellington. Its influence did not stop with the sinner but corrupted minds and spirits beyond the one who cherished it and kept blessing from the whole church until the evil was purged, and backbiting and malicious reports are worse in that influence because as a root of bitterness they defile many and must be removed before God can bless the church.