Joshua 7

Joshua 7

Joshua 7 is one of the biggest chapters in the Bible that really baffles me deeply.  I can understand why he gets stoned to death, but why his family?  I have struggled with that for years.  A few weeks ago I discovered something that brought some insight into this, but hasn't fully brought me peace yet.

Go back to chapter 1 of Joshua.  After God has spoken to Joshua about how God would be faithful to him and his people, then Joshua spoke words to his people.  Start with me at v.16 - Then they (Joshua's people...better yet, God's people) answered Joshua, whatever you have commanded us with, we will do and wherever you send us, we will go.  Just as we fully obeyed the Lord with Moses (really?) we will do so with you.  WHOEVER REBELS against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death.  Ummm, it is quite possible that standing in the crowd that day was Achan, with a hearty "yes and amen."  His family is probably with him, but he disobeyed the Lord and Joshua.  So death is commanded and death is followed out.  So I get why it happened, but I still don't get the family.  So I have to leave it there and realize that God has a desire for us to get it right.  We continued to struggle from then on and so God had to give us something amazing, beautiful, and holy and so He gave us Jesus.  Jesus is our answer.  Jesus is Achan's answer.  Jesus is mankind's answer.  Jesus is the answer!  I am no different than Achan...i am a sinner who deserves to be taken out to Trail of Tears, pushed off the cliff and stoned to death (morbid I know) but it is the TRUTH.  It is the truth for all of us and yet there is MERCY.  Mercy is Jesus withholding what we deserve and taking it Himself.  Be thankful today friends...we are loved beyond anything that we could ever imagine.

"O blessed Jesus...show Yourself to us.  Let us now see Your blessings.  O let us now taste Your grace and see Your mighty arm that saves us." - George Whitefield