The Accursed Thing

THE ACCURSED THING

by Pastor Jim May

Joshua Chapter 7

Joshua 7:1, "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."

Achan - a man whose name is translated as “one who troubles”, has been associated with a great sin against God for over 3,400 years. His sin may not have seemed so great to him. In fact, to most of us it may seem to be such a small thing. But Achan’s sin proved to be a sin that was so very costly in the end. Achan’s sin brought God’s judgment upon Israel and it cost the lives of 36 of his friends in battle. Achan’s sin cost the lives of every one of his own family. All of his sons, his daughters, his wife and everything he owned was utterly destroyed because of Achan’s sin. And, his sin brought one of the greatest defeats in battle that the Children of Israel ever suffered. From that day until now, wherever, and whenever, the name Achan is spoken, it is always spoken in sadness and sorrow at the remembrance of what happened to him, for he sin in The Accursed Thing.

How many of you remember this story of what Achan did to bring such a terrible judgment upon himself, his family and the people of God? Perhaps you can quote this story to me because it has been taught about, preached about and spoken of times without number, and by much greater preachers of the Gospel than I could ever claim to be.

But with all of this teaching and preaching on Achan’s sin, I wonder how many of God’s own people are still committing this sin today and taking of The Accursed Thing? I wonder how many more of God’s people will be destroyed, how many more defeats the church will have suffer, or how many more people will destroy their own brothers and sisters in Christ by partaking of The Accursed Thing?

Don’t be fooled or blinded my friends. There are still a lot of Christians who fall into the same trap that Achan fell into. There are still a lot of people who are numbered among the Children of God, who go to church week after week, who fight in the battle against the devil right along side of the Faithful, and who are recognized by all of us as being a part of the Chosen People of God, but they are also partaking of The Accursed Thing and bringing a reproach, bringing defeat, bringing God’s wrath, and even bringing about the death and destruction of those very people that they think they are trying to help.

As I was seeking God, asking Him to show me what the church needed to hear from His Word this morning, I began to sense that God wanted to speak to someone, or maybe more than one, about partaking of The Accursed Thing.

I know that God’s Word will speak to you this morning. Perhaps, for some of you this message will only serve as a reminder, as a teacher, or as a Word of Exhortation. You are not guilty of taking of The Accursed Thing. For you I say, Thank you Lord.

Thank you for those who are fighting the battle with us today. Thank you Lord for giving us some faithful warriors who will lift up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and carry that sword faithfully into the battle, helping us to drive back the forces of Hell. It is you who are faithfully living your life, to the best of your ability, in holiness and purity, while you are faithfully supporting the work of the Kingdom of God, faithfully giving of your finances and your service to the church and faithfully obeying and following the Holy Spirit as He leads you through life.

But there is someone, and maybe more than one, for I don’t really know your heart. Only God can really know, and you will know before this message is through, whether God is speaking to you or not. I have no doubt that there is someone who will hear this message today and know that God is aiming this arrow from His Word directly at your heart and life. For you I pray that you will hear and heed this warning and learn from the example of Achan, and repent of the sin of partaking of The Accursed Thing, before God has to bring you into judgment.

I do not want to see anyone, especially one of our own brothers and sisters in the Lord, a member of the Family of God, face the wrath of God for partaking in The Accursed Thing.