Letting go of Devoted Things

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Joshua 7:10-26

 

Joshua 7:10-11

The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.

(ESV)

 

One of my favorite characters in the movie Up is the dog that is distracted by squirrels.  While we can laugh at this dog's distraction by squirrels, we all have squirrels in our lives that can captivate our attention and distract us from where our attention needs to be, God and His Word.  Unfortunately, when things of this world captivate our attention and distract us from God, it is not just us that suffers, but those around us.  Living for Christ is about letting go of sinful things devoted to destruction and devoting our lives to Christ. 

 

After the victory at Jericho, Israel has suffered an embarrassing defeat at Ai (Joshua 6-7:9).  So devastating was this defeat that Joshua fell on his face before the ark and questions why the Lord has brought Israel into the Promised Land (Joshua 7:6-7).  After hearing his complaint, it is now time for the Lord to speak and reveal the reason for Israel’s defeat to Joshua (Joshua 7:10-12).  Through a process of elimination, God reveals the source of Israel’s defeat, the sin of Achan (Joshua 7:13-18). 

 

Like the dog in the movie up, Achan allowed himself to become captivated by a cloak from Shinar, 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels.  These items represent squirrels in the life of Achan that captivated his attention, distracting him from being obedient to God who instructed Israel not to take any of the items in Jericho devoted to destruction (Joshua 6:18).  Achan fesses up to his sin but only after he is singled out by the Lord (Joshua 7:20).  In obedience to the Lord’s instruction Joshua sends men to uncover the devoted things in Achan’s tent and bring them out to him (Joshua 7:22-23).  Joshua and all Israel then bring Achan, the devoted things, Achan’s family, and his possessions to the Valley of Achor where the people are stoned and burned along with their possessions, and the devoted things (Joshua 7:24-26). 

 

Like the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11, we are faced with the question of whether God’s death sentence for Achan and his family was too severe.  For Ananias and Sapphira, the sin was believing they could receive the accolades of Barnabas by appearing to sacrifice the proceeds from the sale of a piece of property while keeping back some of the proceeds for their own use (Acts 5:2).  For Achan, the sin was becoming captivated by worldly things and allowing them to make him disobedient to God’s command not to take things devoted to destruction from Jericho (Joshua 6:18).  Achan, Ananias, and Sapphira have disobeyed God by hanging on to things of the world that are destined for destruction instead of devoting themselves to God and obedience to Him.  While they believed they could hide their sin, nothing is hidden from God with God revealing and dealing with their sin.  The severity of the sentence in both accounts is God demonstrating to Israel and the Church the consequences of disobedience to God at the beginning of their missions.    

 

All sin carries a death sentence (Romans 6:23) so the sentence issued by God on Achan, Ananias, and Sapphira was righteous and just.  Sin, however, has been not only destined for destruction with the promised Messiah (Genesis 3:15), but was destroyed on the cross (Colossians 2:13-14).  When we take possession of things destined for destruction by God, like sin, we subject ourselves to becoming objects of destruction (Joshua 6:18).  Sin has no power over the life of a believer unless they open the door and allow it in.  My prayer is that everyone reading this would search their hearts and rid themselves of any devotion to sinful things in their lives devoted to destruction and devote themselves to God through prayer, the study of God’s Word, service to God, and fellowship with other believers. 

 

The first step to this devotion is making a public profession of faith in Jesus as Savior who brought destruction to sin and its power over individuals.  Please pray with me now and make this profession,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

I encourage those that just prayed to follow through on their profession of faith by living a life of devotion to Jesus Christ and not going back and picking up the sin God has destroyed in their lives.  Follow through on your profession of faith by finding a church or Bible study so you can learn more about living a life pleasing to God.  May God bless everyone reading this post.