In the book of Joshua, we learned how Achan began to confess his sin of taking the accursed thing by saying, “then I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it”, and in chapter seven and verse twenty-three of the book of Joshua, we learn how, “they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua” where we read,
And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua,
and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.
The verse reads, “And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and they took them” which means “and they, the envoys, removed them, the garment, gold and silver” “out of the midst of the tent” or “from the middle of Achan’s temporary dwelling place”, “and brought them unto Joshua” which means “and carried them, the garment, gold and silver, to Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation”. Joshua or the writer shared how the envoys he dispatched removed the garment, gold and silver from Achan’s temporary dwelling place and carried them to “Joshua”.
The verse continues, “… and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “and unto the children of Israel” which means “and to the offspring and progeny belonging to Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob”, “and laid them out” or “and cast down and displayed them, the garment, gold and silver” “before the LORD” which means “in front and in the presence of Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God”. Joshua or the writer said the envoys also carried the “accursed objects” to the offspring of “Israel” where they displayed them in the presence of Jehovah God.
When we think through the words in this verse, we see how the envoys carried the garment, gold and silver back to Joshua and the offspring of Israel, and they displayed them in the presence of Jehovah God. In other words, the evidence of the violation of God’s command was now before all the people of “Israel”. Sin was openly shown, and everyone in “Israel” knew about it. We can only imagine the shame and guilt “Achan” had during this moment, and perhaps, we too can relate to this embarrassment either in our imaginations or in reality. God knows we are sinners, and He loves us and cares for the damage sin causes in our lives. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and He raised Him from the dead three days later so when we yield our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life, cleanse us from all unrighteousness and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth so our “sin” not only acknowledged, but also removed..
Next time we learn how “Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan … to the valley of Achor”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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