Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The story of Achan is found in Joshua 7.

When the Israelites conquered Jericho after entering the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, God instructed them to utterly destroy everything in the city except the metals there (gold, silver, bronze, and iron), which were to go into the Tabernacle treasury.

In disobedience to that command, Achan took various items (a robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a fifty-shekel bar of gold) that he coveted, and buried them in the ground within his tent.

As a result of his disobedience (which Achan thought he had successfully concealed), God caused the Israelites to be subsequently defeated in battle. When Joshua inquired by lot as to the reason for the defeat, it was indicated that Achan was the guilty party.

Achan then confessed his sin, whereupon the Israelites stoned Achan, his children, and his livestock, and burned the bodies. They also burned Achan’s tent, the plunder he had taken, and “all that he had” in the Valley of Achor (i.e., the “Valley of Trouble”). A pile of stones was left there as a reminder of Achan’s sin and the high cost of not obeying the Lord.

May 12 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

I will address only Achan's sin. (I used to be a kleptomaniac before Jesus saved me--that's why this question interests me.) Achan’s first mistake was to look at these spoils a second time. He probably couldn’t help seeing them the first time, but he should never have looked again and considered taking them. A man’s first glance at a woman may say to him, “She’s attractive!” (Wiersbe)
"She's so pretty." (McGee)

But it’s that second glance that gets the imagination working and leads to sin (Matt. 5:27–30).--

Matthew 5:27–30
Lust

27 h“You have heard that it was said, i‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that jeveryone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 kIf your right eye lcauses you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into mhell. 30 kAnd if your right hand lcauses you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into mhell. --https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/matthew/5/27-30?_ga=2.27463036.15358229.1652539986-964175559.1555341686

If we keep God’s Word before our eyes, we won’t start looking in the wrong direction and doing the wrong things (Prov. 4:20-25).

I found in "Bible Poems and Lyrics: From Subjects of the Old Testament..." a poem about Achan and his sin:

And I have sinned the late reply 
Among the spoils a garment lay 
Goodly with wrought embroidery 
Fit for a monarch's festal day 
Precious in wealth the treasure there 
Shekels of gold and silver seen 

I looked I loved I hid them where 
My tent folds wrapt the scene 
Go take them from the covering earth 
Mourn o er the day of Achan's birth 

James 1:12-15
I love the resource, Charles Swindoll's One Step Forward, pp. 89ff. Chuck Swindoll is the past president of my alma mater, Dallas Theological Seminary.

About "Progression", he writes:

Desire -> temptation -> lust/sin -> habitual sin -> death

Trial -> faith -> obedience -> perseverance -> crown of life

Swindoll, You and Your Problems

Desire is where I, as a man, have to be really careful. A website I highly respect, covenant eyes, says this: " Desire — males have 10 times the testosterone as women and our sexual desire region of the brain is 2.5 times larger." So we men have to be really careful with what Jesus said in Mt 5:28-29. -- 28 But I tell you if you look at another woman and want her, you are already unfaithful in your thoughts. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body, than for your whole body to end up in hell.

May 15 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report