Deceit, Fear And Payback

(All Bible references from NLT unless otherwise noted)

Recommended reading:  Joshua 6, 7 & 8

On February 1, 2025 I published an article titled “One Person’s Suffering.”  That article talked about Job and how one person’s goodness can radiate out to be blessings for many others; but, one person’s suffering and/or “issues” can do the same thing.  My article today somewhat follows along with that same idea.

Earlier this week, my morning Bible study had me reading in Joshua and in the commentary before the daily reading one thing that it said was:  “Sin never operates in isolation but always impacts the greater community.” *

In Joshua 6:18-19, when they were preparing to defeat the city of Jericho they were instructed:  “‘Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.  Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.’”  Those instructions seem pretty clearcut to me, so you would think everyone would have known what they could and could not take from the city.  

However, Joshua 7:1a,b gives us little heads-up: “But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites.”  (Take note of how the crime was specified as committed by “Israel”, then it’s stated that it was “a man”, but yet the the anger was against “the Israelites.”)  

After they conquered Jericho I am sure the Israelites were rejoicing and on a winners high.  Verse 27 even says:  “So the Lord was with Joshua, and his reputation spread throughout the land.”  They were likely very confident that other leaders and cities would be shaking in their boots if they learned that the Israelites are headed their way!  So they set their sights on their next target for conquest – the city of Ai.  Joshua sent some spies to scope it out and when they returned they insisted they only needed a small force to get the job done (Joshua 7:2-3).  But you know what they say about the best laid plans!  Yeah, their plan didn’t work out very well – verses 4-5 tell us they were soundly defeated with 36 of their men getting killed.  Verse 5b says:  “The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.”

There is no way to know this for sure, but I’m thinking that since God had been telling them repeatedly to be strong and of good courage and that He’d go before them to defeat their enemies, He may have thought they’d be able to figure things out for themselves when things went wrong.  Let’s see – things didn’t go well – why?  What had God told us to do and not do?  Oh!  Someone has messed up big time!  We’ve got to figure out who!  But that isn’t how it played out.  

Joshua and other leaders were VERY upset about this defeat.  They tore their clothes and threw dust on their heads and bowed down on the ground.  When Joshua finally cried out to the Lord, it seems to me that God was clearly frustrated with them.  Verses 10-12a,b: “But the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this?  Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.’”  Do you notice how God didn’t name the person that was at fault?  He could have – He knew who the culprit was  But, the blame is on Israel as a whole just as He’d told them it would be.  (Did you notice how He referenced “they” and “their”?)  He had clearly warned them back before they ever defeated Jericho and now the chickens have come home to roost! 

God then begins to lay things out for them and explains what they must do to rectify the issue – how they can determine where the fault lies.  Then in verse 14 God finally references “the guilty man”.  The next day they follow the directions God had given them and the guilty person was revealed – Achan, the guilty man, when confronted admits his deceit and sin (verse 20).  Consequently, he along with all his family and everything they own are destroyed and the guilt goes with them (verses 24-26).  The payback was fulfilled and the very end of verse 26 says:  “So the Lord was no longer angry.”   

We could not have a better example to help us see how the deceit and sin of one person can affect others – sometimes MANY others.  The Bible is a perfect guidebook to help us to know right from wrong; and, as Christians, we also have the benefit of the Holy Spirit to guide us, helping to convict us when we may be getting off course.  It would serve us well to ask in our daily prayers for a strong guidance on all decisions so that we can live the best life possible for the benefit not only of ourselves but also for others.    

Written by Karran Martin – March 28, 2025

[All bold emphasis is mine]
*The One Year Chronological Study Bible