The Sin of Achan
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.” (v.1)
Joshua commanded the nation in Joshua 6:18 that they should not take of any of the accursed things, those things that were associated with the demonic and debasing worship and practices of the Canaanites. The wars fought by Israel in Canaan were not to be plundering wars of personal gain; they were an unusual, sacred instrument in God’s hand, used for judgment against a society ripe for judgment. Israel could not be defeated by the Canaanites, but they could defeat themselves by alienating themselves from God’s plan and power. The sin of Achan was not only disobedience, but that he valued silver and gold more than God. As the consequences of sin never stop with just us, many died as a result of his greed and lust for riches (v.5).
Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day.” So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them (the stolen articles) with fire after they had stoned them with stones. Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.Like a pebble dropped into a pool of water, the ripple effect of our sin goes out and affects those around us as well (vv.22-26).
Achan’s sons and daughters had specific knowledge of the sin because it is unlikely that he could bury so much under their tent without their knowledge. At the same time, they were not necessarily stoned with Achan. Instead of being killed with their father, Achan’s children were probably brought forward to witness the judgment against their father. Notice the use of the singular in Joshua 7:25 and 7:26 (you…. you…. him…. him), in reference to a person being stoned. The use of the plural in Joshua 7:24-25 (them…. them…them) probably has reference to Achan’s possessions, not his children. Like a pebble dropped into a pool of water, the ripple effect of our sin goes out and affects those around us as well. Even though Achan's family was not killed, they suffered. A sobering thought for all of us.
However, thanks to the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross, we no longer live under the condemnation of law but under grace. Thus, through repentance, we can be washed by His blood and do not pay with our own. This does not stop the ripple effect of sin but does cleanse us from it.
The Truth: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)
