The Sin of Achan
We all remember the story of Achan. How he sinned and it cost him his life, the life of his family, and his livestock, and his animals, and all his possessions, and the lives of 36 men killed in Ai. When we sin, we never hurt just us, we hurt others as well, on purpose, or inadvertently.
Now just like Achan’s, our sin starts with the eyes; it always starts with the eyes. Achan saw the garment and the wedge of gold and the silver, then he coveted them, then he took them, then he tried to cover his sin by hiding them. But just like Achan, we can't hide our sin from God. Oh be careful little eyes what you see, oh be careful little eyes what you see; for the Father up above He is looking down with love, oh be careful little eyes what you see. Oh be careful little ears what you hear, oh be careful little ears what you hear; for the Father up above He is looking down with love, oh be careful little ears what you hear. When we look or listen, it creates an appetite, which we need to satisfy. (That is why we need to look and listen to the right things, because our wicked hearts can justify anything. Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?) And we will satisfy our desires no matter who likes or dislikes it. Remember Adam and Eve? When Eve spoke to the devil, I don’t think it was the first time she spoke to him. I don't believe she saw a flying snake one day and just decided to go talk to it. She looked at it repeatedly until she decided that it would not hurt just to see what it wanted. Besides, she could hang around it, she didn't have to join it. She didn't know about Proverbs 6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? When he mentioned the tree of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, I bet she already knew of it, because she had been looking at it and wondering. And she finally justified it in her heart, which gave her the opportunity to do it. I have worked with Christians in the past who spoke worse than the unsaved. Who sit around the break table listening to the dirty jokes, and laughing at them because they didn’t want to be mean. Sometimes we need to be mean, because we need to let others know whose side we are on.
They have no problem letting you know whose side they are on. God says you can’t serve God and mammon. You can’t love God and the world, it is like wanting flowers and weeds to grow together and look nice.
What about David. He saw Bathsheba bathing, he coveted her, and he sought out a way to have her. All David wanted was a few days off from the battle. We are in a battle today against principalities, and powers. A spiritual battle. And because we don't learn from others mistakes we want to take a break from reading our Bible, and prayer, and devotions, and meditations. And just like David, we will fall. It all starts with what we see and hear.
When we sin, we sin against God. Joshua 7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
Did Achan know what God had said, about keeping nothing? Yes he did. But you see when presented with the opportunity to take what was Gods, he looked to the left and to the right, but he didn’t look up or down. Even if Joshua hadn’t told him, ignorance is no excuse of the law. Try telling a cop you didn't know what the speed limit was and see if he still writes you a ticket.
When we sin, we hurt more than ourselves.
Joshua 22:20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
Not only did Achan lose his life because of his disobedience, but so did his family, and so did the soldiers that went to Ai to fight the enemy. Their death was the direct results of Achan’s sin. And when you and I sin, we don’t know who is going to suffer because of it. Our families, their families… the Bible says in in Ex 20:5 for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
You say “I don’t hate God”. We don’t love Him when we break His law, and His heart. I wonder how many tears God has shed over you because of a broken heart.
We will be known for something. What will you be known for? Good or evil? 1 Chronicles 2:7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed. Achan was known as a troubler of Israel. I’ll bet his parents weren’t too proud of that, or his family, or his preacher. What about you? What are you known for? What will people say about you when you are dead and gone. Will they remember your good or bad? Remember, one oh-oh, wipes out a whole bunch of atta-boys. What do they know you for now? Being godly, or devilish. If God were still writing the Bible, what would He say about you and me? We still have time to change. We have sown wickedness so we must reap it, but we can replant righteousness if we want to. It isn’t too late. Let’s choose to be a righteous man or woman.
Now just like Achan’s, our sin starts with the eyes; it always starts with the eyes. Achan saw the garment and the wedge of gold and the silver, then he coveted them, then he took them, then he tried to cover his sin by hiding them. But just like Achan, we can't hide our sin from God. Oh be careful little eyes what you see, oh be careful little eyes what you see; for the Father up above He is looking down with love, oh be careful little eyes what you see. Oh be careful little ears what you hear, oh be careful little ears what you hear; for the Father up above He is looking down with love, oh be careful little ears what you hear. When we look or listen, it creates an appetite, which we need to satisfy. (That is why we need to look and listen to the right things, because our wicked hearts can justify anything. Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?) And we will satisfy our desires no matter who likes or dislikes it. Remember Adam and Eve? When Eve spoke to the devil, I don’t think it was the first time she spoke to him. I don't believe she saw a flying snake one day and just decided to go talk to it. She looked at it repeatedly until she decided that it would not hurt just to see what it wanted. Besides, she could hang around it, she didn't have to join it. She didn't know about Proverbs 6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? When he mentioned the tree of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, I bet she already knew of it, because she had been looking at it and wondering. And she finally justified it in her heart, which gave her the opportunity to do it. I have worked with Christians in the past who spoke worse than the unsaved. Who sit around the break table listening to the dirty jokes, and laughing at them because they didn’t want to be mean. Sometimes we need to be mean, because we need to let others know whose side we are on.
They have no problem letting you know whose side they are on. God says you can’t serve God and mammon. You can’t love God and the world, it is like wanting flowers and weeds to grow together and look nice.
What about David. He saw Bathsheba bathing, he coveted her, and he sought out a way to have her. All David wanted was a few days off from the battle. We are in a battle today against principalities, and powers. A spiritual battle. And because we don't learn from others mistakes we want to take a break from reading our Bible, and prayer, and devotions, and meditations. And just like David, we will fall. It all starts with what we see and hear.
When we sin, we sin against God. Joshua 7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
Did Achan know what God had said, about keeping nothing? Yes he did. But you see when presented with the opportunity to take what was Gods, he looked to the left and to the right, but he didn’t look up or down. Even if Joshua hadn’t told him, ignorance is no excuse of the law. Try telling a cop you didn't know what the speed limit was and see if he still writes you a ticket.
When we sin, we hurt more than ourselves.
Joshua 22:20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
Not only did Achan lose his life because of his disobedience, but so did his family, and so did the soldiers that went to Ai to fight the enemy. Their death was the direct results of Achan’s sin. And when you and I sin, we don’t know who is going to suffer because of it. Our families, their families… the Bible says in in Ex 20:5 for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
You say “I don’t hate God”. We don’t love Him when we break His law, and His heart. I wonder how many tears God has shed over you because of a broken heart.
We will be known for something. What will you be known for? Good or evil? 1 Chronicles 2:7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed. Achan was known as a troubler of Israel. I’ll bet his parents weren’t too proud of that, or his family, or his preacher. What about you? What are you known for? What will people say about you when you are dead and gone. Will they remember your good or bad? Remember, one oh-oh, wipes out a whole bunch of atta-boys. What do they know you for now? Being godly, or devilish. If God were still writing the Bible, what would He say about you and me? We still have time to change. We have sown wickedness so we must reap it, but we can replant righteousness if we want to. It isn’t too late. Let’s choose to be a righteous man or woman.