Memorial to the accursed thing. 5/25/14
In Arlington National Cemetery there is a tomb that has been erected. The tomb contains the body of an unidentified American soldier who died while fighting for this great land during WWI. Next to the tomb are the remains of unknown soldiers from WWII, the Korean conflict, and the Vietnam War. The tomb of the unknown soldier is there to memorialize all those who have given their lives for this country. We should never forget their great sacrifice.
Joshua 7:1-9, 19-26
INTRO: The first thing I thought of when I read this. 36 men dead......Go into it.
36 widows crying, the orphans of 36 men crying
And all because a man had looked upon something, coveted it, and then took it.
He may have thought it was a small thing but it costs the lives of 36 men.
In Verse 23 we find the accursed things brought to Joshua, the Children of Israel, and most importantly God. They are "laid out" where everyone can see them. The widows walking past the orphans of 36 men,……he died because of that.
Achan, the accursed things, his sons and daughters, his animals, and all of his possessions, were stoned and burned, and a great pile of stones were mounded up over them as a memorial to what sin had done to the Children of Israel. Every time someone would walk past that big pile of rocks they would be reminded of the price of sin.
(I) The beginnings of this tragic memorial all had it's beginnings when Achan "saw" these items there in the ruins of Jericho. A goodly babylonish garment, 200 shekels of silver, and the wedge of gold. He saw the beauty of these items. He probably ran his hands over the garment. nice soft material. He may have sifted his fingers through the silver shekels. He probably stared in disbelief at that big old chunk of gold. Wow, that's really heavy for something that size. HE SAW THESE THINGS BUT HE FAILED TO SEE WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE IF HE TOOK THEM.
So many today see the world and all that is has to offer. The devil can make things look so good. It reminds me of the T.V. ads. The RONCO SUPER AUTOMATED CALIBRATED MEGA MILLION DOLLAR SLICER/DICER ALL FOR $19.95. S&H BUT WAIT……
It doesn't show it falling apart after you use it two times. Rusting in the dishwasher.
Somehow sin can look so good. You can reach out and touch it and you think "What could be the harm?" Sin can seem so innocent.
I wish every single person before they take that first drag on a joint would be required to loooooook at before and after pictures of meth heads. Because that's where pot leads to.
I wish every single guy that turns on his computer, surfs to a porn sight, and loooooks at what comes up on his screen would realize the consequences of what he's doing and where it's gonna lead him.
SIN CAN SEEM SO INNOCENT, BUT THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY
(II) "then I coveted them" He probably felt the quality and texture of the garment. He may have begun thinking about how he would spend those 200 shekels of silver. He may have thought about putting the gold wedge back for a rainy day. We don't know what was going through his mind, but we do know he began to covet these items.
First of all, he knew that the garment was to be destroyed. READ 6:17,18
He probably justified taking this garment thinking it really couldn't hurt anything it was just going to be burned up in the fire. Besides, he longed for the garment. It was sooooo pretty. What a shame to destroy something so pretty.
Secondly, When he came upon the silver and gold this was a different situation. These were not to be destroyed but put into the treasury of the Lord. Read 6:19
He may have thought, "wow, I don't think I've ever seen that much money." "I sure would like to have it." He picked it up planning on turning it in to the treasury like he was supposed to. All the while coveting the items more and more.
Exodus 20:17 One of the ten commandments. " Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's."
I don't care what it is folks, it can be coveted. It might be someone else's car, house, boat, or maybe even their wife or husband. Coveting is a sin in itself, but it often leads to more sin.
James 1:13-15 says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
And so, as Achan looked at the beautiful babylonish garment, and he felt the weight of the silver and gold, he coveted these things, and took another step toward his memorial.
(III) "and took them"
Somehow the babylonish garment never made it to the burn pile. The silver shekels and gold wedge never made it to the treasury of the Lord. They wound up buried in the dirt under Achan's tent. He kept an accursed thing and stoled from the Lord. What happened next?
36 men died, the nation of Israel was shamed in the eyes of their enemies around them, and Achan's sin was found out. As he was being led away to the Valley of Achor he, no doubt, realized the cost of sin. His sons and daughters must have known what he had done because beside him they were led to their deaths. Can you imagine the pain he must have felt knowing he had led them astray. I believe he really understood the consequences of what he had done, but it was too late.
My friend "Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you far more than you want to pay."
As I set and studied this I was reminded of my past mistakes, my past failures, my past sins. Times when I should have kept my mouth shut. Times when I should have spoke up, but didn't. Times when I should have been a better husband and a better father. Maybe even a better son-in-law. Times when I should have asked for forgiveness and been quicker to forgive. I sometimes cringe when I think about these things and I realize I can't take them back. But then I realized I am a living memorial to the Grace of God. I was the wretch that the song Amazing Grace is talking about.
As I look around the sanctuary this morning I see a lot of memorials. Not memorials to people who were stoned to death for sin. But of people who have been saved from sin. I see alcoholics, drug addicts, felons, who have all been saved by the Grace of God. How about you? Would you like to be a Living Memorial of what God has done for you.
It was too late for Achan and his family, but it's not too late for you this morning. I'm telling you, if you'll give your heart to the Lord, you'll never be sorry.
