Title: Failure in Ai Castle
Content 13. Failure in Ai Castle
Israel's temporary failure followed the fall of Jericho. We have to look at the risks behind success. When Uzziah was strong, his heart was proud and brought ruin (2 Chronicles 26:16). The seeds of pride and pride are sown in moments of joy and triumph and later become sources of sorrow. Achan's covetousness still resides in a corner of our hearts. If you do not fully serve God and have an attitude of devotion to God's glory, you are in danger. This is living evidence from numerous incidents. Sin always brings failure, but success sometimes brings terrible ruin. To be cut off from communion with Christ means to lose the power of witness for him. There are two things to seriously consider here.
1. Examine the shameful failure of Israel or the failure of believers
(1) It was unexpected.
they said “Do not let all the people go up” (v. 3), they were convinced of their success, and although they were proud, they did not see the exact face of their condition before God. There is no substitute for conviction and zeal for holiness in Christian ministry.
Our abilities are not in our past experiences. Whether our heart is in a proper relationship with God is an important factor for us.
What were the unexpected failures? It is also evidence that suggests that there is an evil element.
(2) Complete.
“They fled before the men of Ai” (verse 4). Why did they run away? The reason is simple. Because the LORD was not with them. The source of their power was God. But the God was not with them. This means that their source of strength has disappeared (John 15:5).
If you are asked, "Do you believe that your God is with you?", you should answer "Of course". But the past is not the present. They experienced the same power of God in Jericho. But now is not such a time.
All our efforts will be in vain unless the power and presence of God is with us. Just as we are the children of Israel, we do not always receive God's wonderful blessings just because we are Christians, just as we do not always receive God's help and win in battles. In order for us to become victorious people, we must have a holy attitude and an attitude of heart to do God's will. Without this attitude, we cannot expect the help of God's power.
(3) Be humble.
“Lord… … What shall I say?” (verse 8). Israel's defeat brought a disgrace to the God of Israel. Our posture should be prudent when we consider that our failure will disgrace our captain. When we fail, we have no choice but to put our heads on the ground like Joshua and humble ourselves, saying, “What shall I say?” The failures of the past teach us a lesson only when we know that God is the source of our true strength. Those who are prepared to fail never follow God's will. Such people cannot enjoy God's blessings under any circumstances, so they only drink the bitter cup of defeat.
And the Lord does not give them any power. When we humble ourselves before God and strive for His glory, God's great work of blessing takes place.
(4) There was a need.
“Why did you fall down like this? Has Israel sinned and broke my covenant, which I commanded them… … I will no longer be with you, unless I destroy the offering from among you” (verses 10-12). Many should grieve more for their sins, but rather care more about their defeat.
Jehovah sometimes does not use us because of our secret sins. Even if we do not know about the sin, God knows it all. Just because we do not know the sin does not mean that God takes it lightly. People must be held accountable before God for sins committed without knowing it. Cursed things must be removed and thrown away. Otherwise, the presence of God is lost. God is holy and does not work where there is sin. Rather, our defeat forces us to identify the cause. This is an important element in our religious life.
2. Achan is guilty
His story is very simple but very sad. You can see four things here.
(1) It is greed.
“I saw it and coveted it and took it” (verse 21). Sin sometimes starts with seeing. Eve saw the fruit, Lot saw the watery plain, Ahaz saw the Dan, and imitated it (2 Kings 16:10).
But Achan's sin did not begin with the sight of gold. He must have seen it because he could not avoid it, but it was a matter of “coveting” it. He cherished what was forbidden until his hand took it with lust. The love of sin always ignites lust from desire. Church members need more and more to examine their own hearts. Otherwise, you may not become a soldier of Christ, but rather become a sinner who hides the glory of Christ. Achan's sin shows the consequences of “covetousness”.
(2) It is disobedience.
“because they have taken the sacrifice” (v. God did not allow any place to touch the things that had been sacrificed to Israel. This was a solemn command from God (Joshua 6:18). Achan did not commit such a sin ignorantly, but deliberately committed such a sin. The fact that he stole and hid things shows that he knew his fault. Many people who forsook God and chose the world are still living their lives by deceiving themselves in front of people and pretending to be righteous. This is an abominable and ugly act. Achan's hypocrisy is a common crime today. Even among those who profess to be believers, this kind of sin is sometimes revealed. Although the Lord said, “Do not love the world,” there are too many people who love the world as believers. This is a state of disobeying God's basic will and living for one's own benefit.
(3) It is a discovery.
It should be known that “Achan was chosen” (v. 18), and sin must be revealed. Are we sinners? Or are you a holy saint? What you do will become evident over time. Achan was chosen from among the many Israelites. This is because nothing can be hidden from God, and even when sinners act in such a way, God must reveal them. What a terrifying and surprising event will happen when the hidden is revealed in front of everyone, and the truth is revealed. Man seeks to hide his sin, but God's will is to make it open before all men without repentance. Sin must be revealed. This shows how terrifying, solemn, and absolute the judgment of the Great Judge is.
He who conceals his own arbitrary sins cannot prosper and cannot receive the blessings of God.
(4) It is ruin.
“All Israel stoned him” (v. 25), and there is no escape. How to escape from such conditions? What a difference between Rahab's house and Gagan's house! One was saved and the other was destroyed. The belief of the former and the disbelief of the latter were very different. This is a good lesson from God to all people.
As a parent, do you wish to stand in Achan's position? Or do you want to stand in Rahab's position? Do you want salvation? Or do you want ruin?
There is a sin in the realm of the society we live in. Who was the cause of that sin? Now, through this lesson, God teaches us to “live the honest life of faith.”
“They were stoned and burned, and a great heap of stones was piled up on them” (verses 25-26), which shows the end of Achan, a man who disobeyed God's command and lived out of covetousness and the misery of his family.