The Pain of Hidden Sin
Text: Joshua 6:18-19; 7:1
Introduction: Our text places us right in the middle of Israel’s greatest military conquest in their history. They have just witnessed the tremendous defeat of the city of Jericho. They find themselves still basking in the glow of tremendous event as we open to chapter 7. The first words in verse 1 indicate trouble - God is upset with the people. There was a problem stirring within the camp. Though Israel was under the impression that everything was all right, it simply wasn’t. Israel was busy envisioning themselves marching through the promised land gaining victory after victory. But, there was a problem in the camp. This problem had to be dealt with before they went any further. Failure to deal with it would generate extended problems for the entire nation of people.
The same still holds true today. As members of one body, problems plaguing one member eventually become problems for the entire body. Your own personal spiritual temperature has a deep effect on the entire body of Christ. You are not an island unto yourself. What you do affects the entire church body. As we proceed further on, you will begin to see this truth more fully illuminated.
My desire today is that each of you will search your heart and examine your life. If there is anything in your life that you have hidden away, anything that you think is covered and gone, I want you to deal with that thing today. I want you to get that thing settled with the Lord before you leave this building. You can do it and this message will tell you how.
Folks, sin causes problems. It not only hurts the sinner but tends to bring injury to everyone else around them. The fact is, most of us are guilty of being like Achan from time to time. When we allow sin into our lives then try to hide it and then attempt to cover it up, we bring pain and trouble into our lives. Yes, we are all Achans from time to time, and when we are, our sin causes aching in our lives. These verses tell us that God has a prescription for an Achan heart. Let’s look at these passages right now as the Lord gives liberty and help in this hour.
Achan’s Hidden Sin brought a:
1. PAINFUL DEFEAT
A. We begin by seeing that Israel had become a confident people
1. vv. 2-3 - "Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and told them, Go up and scout the land. So the men went up and scouted Ai. After returning to Joshua they reported to him, Don’t send all the people, but send about 2,000 or 3,000 men to attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, don’t wear out all our people there."
2. Israel found themselves basking in the glow of their Jericho victory - Ai was a little town - no problem.
3. Israel found themselves living in the midst of one of the most dangerous times of life.
a. The time right after a great spiritual victory is a dangerous time.
b. Overconfidence sets in and we become vulnerable.
c. Some of our greatest defeats happen right after a major victory.
4. Confidence is a good thing as long as our confidence is in the right place.
a. It must be placed in the Lord if we want to continue to walk in victory.
b. If we place our confidence in our own flesh and abilities, we are destined to eventual defeat.
B. Israel’s confidence in themselves brought defeat
1. vv. 4-5a - "So about 3,000 men went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. The men of Ai struck down about 36 of them and chased them from outside the gate to the quarries, striking them down on the descent."
2. Israel suffered a tremendous defeat at Ai - 36 of their men were killed.
3. We can see several mistakes that Israel made in this venture:
a. They failed to seek God’s will in the matter - they didn’t even pray before they went forth.
- You and I often find ourselves guilty of jumping ahead of the Lord and His will. We rush headlong into life and trust the Lord to bail us out of the messes which we fall into. It is far better to consult God before we make the mistake than it is to expect Him to clean up the mess afterwards.
b. They didn’t take the Ark of the Covenant into the battle. The Ark symbolized the presence and power of God. They went into the battle in their own strength and they failed!
- We cannot live the Christian life, fight the flesh and struggle with the devil in our own power. We will fail every time. We must take the time to strengthen our walk with God! When we are walking with the Lord and in His Word, He will go with us into the battle and confront our enemies on our behalf.
c. They put their faith in themselves and not in the Lord.
- We often suffer defeat because we believe we are capable within ourselves and that we can get the job done. If we are to walk in spiritual victory in our lives, we must learn to trust the Lord.
C. Israel’s defeat brought dismay
1. v. 5b - "As a result, the people’s hearts melted and became like water."
2. The people of Israel were overcome by fear.
3. Sin will defeat you and leave you feeling lost, helpless and hopeless.
4. Nothing is ever right in the life of a believer while there is sin in his midst!
Achan’s Hidden Sin brought a:
2. PAINFUL DISCOVERY
A. Joshua’s response is to go to prayer
1. vv. 6-9 - "Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell before the ark of the LORD with his face to the ground until evening, as did the elders of Israel; they all put dust on their heads. Oh, Lord GOD, Joshua said, why did You ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan! What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do about Your great name?"
2. After the fact, Joshua finds himself before the Lord in prayer.
B. As Joshua prays, he begins to hear God speaking to him
1. vv. 10-15 - "The LORD then said to Joshua, Stand up! Why are you on the ground? Israel has sinned. They have violated My covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put the things with their own belongings. This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from you what is set apart. Go and consecrate the people. Tell them to consecrate themselves tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ’There are among you, Israel, things set apart. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove what is set apart. In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the LORD selects is to come forward clan by clan. The clan the LORD selects is to come forward family by family. The family the LORD selects is to come forward man by man. The one who is caught with the things set apart must be burned, along with everything he has, because he has violated the LORD’s covenant and committed an outrage in Israel."
2. God reveals the problem - SIN - Sin is a hindrance - Seek out the source and destroy it.
3. Most often, the greatest problems confronting the church come from within rather than from without.
a. It’s not the water on the outside of the boat that causes the problem, it’s the water on the inside!
b. The same is true for the church.
c. The world on the outside really can’t do a lot of damage to the church on the inside, but let someone inside the church get out of line and you have tremendous problems!
d. More often than not, when there are defeats and troubles inside the church, you can bet that there is someone inside that church who is out of God’s will!
Achan’s Hidden Sin brought a:
3. PAINFUL DEATH
A. The root of the problem is discovered
1. vv. 16-18 - "Joshua got up early the next morning. He had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the Zerahite clan was selected. He had the Zerahite clan come forward by heads of families, and Zabdi was selected. He then had Zabdi’s family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected."
2. God knew who the guilty party was.
3. God already knows your sins - Remember: Nothing is hidden from Him.
B. The offender is confronted
1. vv. 19-21 - "So Joshua said to Achan, My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you, tell me what you have done. Don’t hide anything from me. Achan replied to Joshua, "It is true. I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Babylon, 200 silver shekels, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and took them. You can see for yourself. They are concealed in the ground inside my tent, with the money under the cloak."
2. Note that Joshua addresses Achan with compassion. He knows Achan is condemned, but he still cares for this man.
3. God hates sin with His entire being, but He still loves the sinner. Even though man in his sinful state is at odds with God, God still wants him to repent and to come to Him for salvation.
4. Once he knew he was caught, he finally confessed his sin.
5. Don’t wait until you’re caught to purge your life of hidden sin. Confess, repent and be free today.
C. Judgement falls on the sinner
1. vv. 22-26 - "So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there was the cloak, concealed in his tent, with the money underneath. They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out in the LORD’s presence. Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his ox, donkey, and sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor. Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? Today the LORD will trouble you! So all Israel stoned him to death. They burned their bodies, threw stones on them, and raised over him a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day."
2. Achan and all that he had was taken out and stoned to death by the people of Israel.
3. Unconfessed of and repented of sin destroys.
4. If you have unconfessed, unrepented sin in your heart and life, you need to know that your life is not only a problem to you but it can be a hindrance to this church.
Conclusion: The prophet Hosea mentioned the Valley of Achor many years later. He said, "There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt." The promise is that this place of trouble could become a door of hope. The same is true concerning your sins. If you will bring them before the Lord, those sins that are going to cause you lots of trouble can be taken care of. This altar can literally become a door of hope for you right now, if you will come to Jesus for the cleansing you need. If you have an Achan kind of heart today, there is help in Jesus if you will come to Him right now.
Disclaimer: Portions of this sermon may have been gleaned from other sermons or messages. Please feel free to use this sermon as God leads.
