THE SIN OF ACH: GREED SELFISHNESS, GREED AND DISOBEDIENCE
Joshua 7:1-24
New International Version
Achan's Sin and Its Consequences
1 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to consecrated things. Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zimri[a], the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took possession of some of them. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
2 It came to pass that Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and commanded them, “Go up and spy out the region.” The men went up and spied on Ai.
3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “It is not necessary for everyone to advance against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to attack it. Do not weary the whole army, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men attacked the city; but the men of Ai put them to flight, 5 killing thirty-six of them. They pursued the Israelites from the city gate to Sebarim[b], and wounded them on the way down. At this the people were completely discouraged.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes with the elders of Israel, fell on his face before the ark of the LORD, covering his head with earth, and remained there until evening. 7 Then Joshua said, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did you bring this people across Jordan? Was it to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites and destroy us? If only we were content to continue on the other side of Jordan! 8 What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has been defeated by their enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the rest of the land will know about this, and they will surround us and eliminate our name from the land. What then will you do for your great name?”
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you prostrate there? 11 Israel sinned. You have violated the covenant I commanded you. He took possession of consecrated things, stole them, hid them, and placed them with his possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot resist their enemies; flee from them because they have become worthy of their destruction. I will no longer be with you, unless you destroy from among you that which was consecrated to destruction.
13 “Go, sanctify the people! Say to them: Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: There are things devoted to destruction among you, O Israel. You will not be able to resist your enemies until you withdraw them.
14 “Report in the morning, one tribe at a time. The tribe the Lord chooses will come forward, one clan at a time; the clan the Lord chooses will come forward, one family at a time; and the family the Lord chooses will come forward, one man at a time. 15 Whoever is caught with the consecrated things will be burned in the fire with everything that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and committed madness in Israel!”
16 The next morning Joshua commanded the Israelites to come forward according to his tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and he chose the Zerahites. He made the clan of the Zerahites come forward, family by family, and the chosen one was Zimri. 18 Joshua brought the family of Zimri forward, man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.
19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, to the glory of the Lord, the God of Israel, tell the truth. Tell me what you did; don't hide anything from me."
20 Achan replied, “It is true that I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did: 21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak made in Babylon[c], four pounds of silver, and a six-hundred-gram bar of gold[d], I lusted after them and took possession of them. They are hidden on the floor of my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 Joshua sent men who ran to Achan's tent; there were things hidden, with the silver underneath. 23 They took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the Israelites, and they laid them before the LORD.
24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, the great-grandson of Zerah, and his silver, his cloak, his bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had. belonged to the valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this disaster on us? Today the Lord will bring you disgrace[e].” And all Israel stoned him, and afterward they stoned his also, and burned all and all of them with fire. 26 Over Achan they built a great heap of stones, which exists to this day. Then the Lord turned away from the fire of his wrath. That's why the name of the valley of Achor was given to that place, a name that remains to this day.
The “Achan Syndrome”
And he said to them, Beware and beware of covetousness; because the life of any man does not consist in the abundance of what he has (Luke 12:15 — Almeida Corrigida, Faithful to the Original Text, 2007).
Increasing wealth becomes a craze[1] for some. —Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 490.
Additional Study: Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 493-498 (chapter 45: “The Fall of Jericho”); Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, pp. 489-495 (chapter 44: “Dishonesty in the Church”).
Biblical Year: Leviticus 8-10
1. THE CAUSE OF THE CURSE
A • Once Achan finally confessed his crime, after being identified by God as the culprit in Israel, how did Joshua act? Joshua 7:22 and 23.
Josh 7:22, 23 — Then Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and everything was hidden in his tent, and the silver was under the cloak. 23 They took those things from the middle of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the Israelites, and they laid them before the Lord.
B • Why was it so important that such sins be revealed? Proverbs 26:2.
Prov 26:2 — As a bird wanders, as a swallow flies, so the curse without cause will not come.
Achan well understood the meaning of what he had withheld, and that the gold and silver treasures he coveted belonged to the Lord. —Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 269.
Achan's sin brought disaster to the entire nation. For one man's sin, God's displeasure will rest upon his church until the transgression is discovered and removed. The influence to be most feared by the church is not that of open opponents, infidels, and blasphemers, but that of those who incoherently profess Christ. These are the ones who hinder the blessing of the God of Israel and bring weakness to his people.
When the church is in trouble, when there is coldness and spiritual decline, giving way to the victory of the enemies of God, then, instead of folding their arms and lamenting their sad state, investigate the members if there is not an Achan in the camp. With humility and searching of heart, each one seeks to discover the hidden sins that exclude the presence of God. —Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 497.
Biblical Year: Leviticus 11 and 12
2. ACAN IS RESPONSIBLE
A • What did God direct the people to do with Achan? Joshua 7:24, 25. Why is his end a warning to us who live so close to the end of probation?
Joshua 7:24, 25 - Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the descendant of Zerah, and the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters, and his oxen, asses, and sheep. , and his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them into the valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua asked him, Why have you brought us disgrace? Today the Lord will bring disaster on you. And all Israel stoned him; they burned them in the fire and stoned them.
When a crisis finally comes, [...] and God speaks on behalf of His people, those who have sinned, who have been a cloud of darkness and an obstacle to God's work on behalf of His people, may even be alarmed that they have gone so far in grievances, and to have brought dismay to the cause. Like Achan, they may even recognize that they have sinned because of the terror they feel. But their confessions come too late, and are not of the kind that benefit them, even as they lighten the cause of God. These people do not confess because of a conviction of their true state and a sense of how offensive their conduct has been to God. —Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 271.
There are many at present who would regard Achan's sin as of little account, and would excuse his crime; but it is because they do not have an understanding of the character of sin and its consequences, of the holiness of God and His requirements. It is often said that God is not exacting as to whether or not we pay heed to his word, or whether or not we obey all the commandments of his holy Law; but the record of his dealings with Achan should be a warning to us. In no way will God exonerate the guilty. —The Review and Herald, March 20, 1888.
B • How and why was Achan's end to be kept in memory? Joshua 7:26. What should this mean for us?
Josh 7:26 - And they raised a great heap of stones over it, which remains to this day. And the Lord turned away from the fierceness of his wrath. That's why to this day that place is called the valley of Achor.
Have you ever considered why all who were connected with Achan also received divine punishment? It is because they had not been trained and educated according to the instructions given in the great standard of the Law of God. Achan's parents had educated their son in such a way as to make him feel free to disobey the Word of the Lord. The principles imprinted in his life led him to deal with his own children in such a way that it also corrupted them. Minds act and react with each other, and the punishment that included Achan's family reveals the fact that everyone around him was involved in the transgression. —The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 2, p. 998.
Biblical Year: Leviticus 13 and 14
3. THE SLUDGE OF GREED
A • What had drawn Achan to sin? James 1:13-15.
Jas 1:13-15 — When tempted, no one should say: I am tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and no one tempts. 14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire, having conceived, gives birth to sin; and sin, after being consummated, generates death.
Achan's covetousness was aroused by the sight of that costly Babylonian cloak; even when, for her sake, he was brought face to face with death, he called it “a good cloak” (Joshua 7:21). One sin had led to another, and he appropriated the silver and gold dedicated to the Lord's treasury—robbing God of the firstfruits of the land of Canaan.
The mortal sin which led to Achan's ruin had its root in covetousness, one of the most common of all sins, and the most lightly regarded. While other offenses face investigation and punishment, breaking the tenth commandment is seldom censured. The lesson of Achan's story represents the enormity of this sin and its dire consequences. —Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 496.
B • Explain how the sin of covetousness is a denial of faith. Hebrews 13:5.
Heb 13:5 — Let your life be free from greed, and be content with what you have; for he himself said: I will never leave you, I will never forsake you.
Greed is an evil of gradual development. Achan fed his greed for profit until it became a habit, binding him in chains that were nearly impossible to break. While harboring this evil, Achan would have been filled with horror at the thought that his actions would bring disgrace on Israel; but his perceptions were lessened by sin, and when temptation came, he fell an easy prey.
Are not similar sins still committed, notwithstanding such clear and solemn warnings? We are given as direct a prohibition on feeding covetousness as Achan was on misappropriating the spoils of Jericho. [...]
Everywhere the slimy trail of greed is seen. It creates discontent and disagreement in families; it stirs up the envy and hatred of the poor against the rich; encourages the tyrannical oppression of the rich against the poor. And this evil does not exist only in the world, but in the church. As is common to find in the community selfishness, avarice, excesses, neglect of the work of charity and theft from God in “tithes and offerings”. Among the church members “in good and regular standing” there are, unfortunately, many Achans. — Ibid., p. 496 and 497.
Biblical Year: Leviticus 15 and 16
4. ESCAPE FROM THE TRAP
A • What warnings are repeated to us against coveting anything that does not belong to us? Luke 12:15; 1 John 2:15-17. How does this sin hinder God's work?
Lk 12:15 — And he said to the people, Beware! Avoid all kinds of covetousness; for the life of man does not consist in the multitude of things he possesses.
1Jo 2:15-17 — Do not love the world or anything in it. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in goods, is not from the Father, but from the world. 17 Now the world is passing away, and so are its desires; but he that does the will of God abideth forever.
It is this growing devotion to earning money—the selfishness that the desire for profit breeds—that removes God's favor from the church and weakens its spirituality. When head and hands are constantly occupied in planning and working for the accumulation of wealth, the claims of God and humanity are forgotten. —Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 82.
Instead of giving our all to Christ, many of us have taken a part of the gold and a good Babylonian cloak, hiding these things in the camp. If the presence of one Achan was enough to weaken the entire camp of Israel, are we surprised at how little success our efforts achieve when every church and nearly every family has its Achan? — Ibid., vol. 5, p. 157.
B • What other sins related to covetousness does God especially hate? Proverbs 6:16-19. How does God see us when we feed these sins?
Prov 6:16-19 — Six things the Lord hates, even seven He abhors: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are quick to do evil; 19 a false witness who speaks lies and who sows enmity among brothers.
Various sins which are cherished and practiced by professing Christians bring the displeasure of God upon the church. In the day when the record book of Heaven is opened, the Judge will not express man's guilt in words, but will cast a penetrating and convincing look, and every act and transgression of life will be vividly recorded in the memory of the wrongdoer. A person will not need to be sought from tribe to family as in Joshua's day, but his own lips will confess his shame, selfishness, covetousness, dishonesty, dissimulation, and fraud. His sins, hidden from the knowledge of man, will be proclaimed, as it were, from the housetops.
The influence most to be feared by the church is not that of open opposers, of infidels and blasphemers, but of the inconsistent followers of Christ. These are the ones who take away the divine blessings from Israel and bring weakness to the church; a shame that is not easily eliminated. — Ibid., vol. 4, p. 493.
The Spirit [of God] is offended by the pride, extravagance, dishonesty, and fraud to which some who claim to be godly indulge. All these things bring God's displeasure upon his people. — Ibid., p. 491.
Biblical Year: Leviticus 17-19
5. TRADE TRANSPARENCY
A • What understanding can help us put God and our neighbors ahead of our natural desire for secular gain? Proverbs 15:3; Colossians 3:1-3.
Prov 15:3 - The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.
Col 3:1-3 - Since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things; 3 for you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
The worldly custom of cheating in business is no example for Christians. They must not deviate from perfect integrity, even in the smallest things. Selling an item for a price greater than its real value, taking advantage of the buyers' ignorance, is fraud. Illegal gain, little business tricks, exaggeration, competition, offering a lesser amount to a brother who is trying to do an honest business—these things are corrupting the purity of the church and ruining its spirituality.
The business world is not outside the bounds of God's government. Christianity is not merely to be shown on the Sabbath and displayed in the sanctuary; it's for every day of the week and everywhere. Its demands must be recognized and obeyed in the workplace, in the home, and in business dealings with the brethren and with the world. —Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 494.
The first Christian church did not have the privileges and opportunities that we have. They were poor people who felt the power of truth. The goal before them was enough to encourage them to invest everything. They felt that the salvation or damnation of the world depended on their doing their part. That's why they donated everything and were willing to come or go according to the will of the Lord.
We always say that we are governed by these same principles, that we have the same spirit. Let us individually set out to the work of encouraging others by our example of disinterested benevolence. — Ibid., vol. 5, pp. 156 and 157.
Biblical Year: Leviticus 20-22
FOR YOU TO REFLECT
1. What else hinders God's blessing and weakens his people?
2. How can I influence youth the way Achan influenced his children?
3. How can I avoid giving in to the initial roots of greed?
4. What danger surrounds us, especially when we buy or sell something used?
5. How can I escape the common trap of lusting after secular gains?
SOURCE: https://crescermais.org/artigos/ler/licao6-1-2019
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