The True Value of Sin
Posted by: Asn <Asn@...>
silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle,
donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.
Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will
bring trouble on you today." Then all Israel stoned him, and after they
had stoned the rest, they burned them. Joshua 7:24-25 NIV
A great miracle had happened at Jericho. It was the first time in
biblical history that anyone had conquered a fortified city, and Jericho
was certainly that. The city wall was so thick, people actually lived
in it (Joshua 2:15). The Israelites went to battle with the weapons of
obedience and praise and God delivered Jericho into their hands (Joshua
6). The gold, silver, and articles of bronze and iron were to be
devoted to the Lord's treasury; everything else was to be destroyed.
However, Achan "saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two
hundred shekels of silver (5 pounds; about 2.3 kilograms) and a wedge of
gold weighing fifty shekels (about 1 1/4 pounds; about 0.6 kilogram),"
he "coveted them and took them" (Joshua 7:21). Because of Achan's sin,
the Lord's anger burned against Israel. Where they should have taken Ai
easily, they retreated in defeat, losing 36 fighting men in the battle.
The robe, the silver, and the gold must have seemed of great value to
Achan when they lay among the rubble at Jericho; yet how worthless they
must have been when compared with losing his life, his sons and
daughters, his livestock, and all that he had. Sin is like that; it
always presents itself as lovely and enticing. Yet, no matter how sweet
it appears, the wages of sin will always be death (Romans 6:23). Achan
lost it all because of the glitter of a few fine things.
Father, there have been times the "glitter" of this world has drawn me
away from obedience to You. Yet, what appeared so priceless becomes so
worthless in the light of truth. I repent of chasing after anything
except You, and I ask your forgiveness, Father. This world has nothing
to offer that can compare to Jesus Christ. I love you, Lord. Amen.
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