Joshua Chapter 7:6-26

God's going, get up.

Get off your face. What's Joshua doing? Joshua's on his face praying. And you know what God is in essence saying? Get up. You got to do something.

Now see, this is interesting to me. Joshua didn't pray before he went and did something. And now when Joshua should be doing something, what does he do? He's praying. And God's going, you know what? You got to find the balance here, Joshua. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee.

David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Often we pray when we should be doing something, and we do something when we should be praying. David McGee discusses getting the order right today as he continues his study in the book of Joshua chapter 7. But first, have you ever experienced a time when you felt spiritually drained? Well, the Bible holds the cure that will bring joy and vitality back into your life. That's why we want to send you a copy of Pastor David McGee's video message, A Checkup from the Neck Up. In this inspiring teaching, you'll find biblical truths that can restore your spiritual health. A Checkup from the Neck Up is our way to thank you for your gift this month to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life.

So please visit crossthebridge.com to get your copy of A Checkup from the Neck Up. Now here's David McGee with part three of his teaching, Avoiding the Losses. Turn with me to Joshua chapter 7, Joshua chapter 7 verse 1. See, and it starts out with kind of a, you know, an ominous looking word on it, but, but the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things.

For Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel. Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Avon on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them saying, go up and spy out the country. So the men went up and spied out Ai. And they returned to Joshua and said to him, do not let all the people go up, but let about two or 3000 men go up and attack Ai. Do not worry all the people there, for the people of Ai are few. So about 3000 men went up there before the, from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.

So they all went up the hill and then the guys of Ai chased them back down the hill. Verse five, and the men of Ai struck down about 36 men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Sheparim and struck them down on the descent. And therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water. And verse six, then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord, until evening he and the elders of Israel and they put dust on their heads. And Joshua said, alas Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us, all that we had been content and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan.

So there's a little bit of residual stuff from the wandering in the desert. Doesn't that kind of sound like, why don't we just keep us in Egypt, why don't you bring us out in the desert to kill us? Verse eight, oh Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies? For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it and surround us and cut off our name from the earth.

Then what will you do for your great name? Verse 10, so the Lord said, I love this verse, so the Lord said to Joshua, get up, why do you lie to us on your face? You got to love this. I mean, here's Joshua and now he's willing to pray. And don't miss this guys, do you understand what's going on? God's going, get up, get off your face. What's Joshua doing? Joshua's on his face praying. And you know what God is in essence saying? Get up, you got to do something.

Now see, this is interesting to me. You know why? Because Joshua didn't pray before he went and did something. And now when Joshua should be doing something, what does he do? He's praying. And God's going, you know what? You got to find the balance here, Joshua. See, oftentimes, and here's the next life lesson, often we pray when we should be doing something and we do something when we should be praying.

Often we pray when we should be doing something and we do something when we should be praying. Verse 11, Israel has sinned and they have also transgressed my covenant, which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things and have both stolen and deceived.

And they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore, the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turn their backs before their enemies because they've become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore unless you destroy the accursed from among you. Get up, sanctify the people and say, sanctify yourselves for tomorrow because thus says the Lord God of Israel, there is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel.

You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you. Verse 14, in the morning therefore you shall be brought according to your tribes and it shall be that the tribe which the Lord takes shall come according to families. The family which the Lord takes shall come by households.

The household which the Lord takes shall come man by man. Then it shall be that he who is taken with the accursed thing shall be burned with fire. He and all that he has because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel. So, God's desire is to find out, well, let me back.

God's desire, God already knew. God's desire is to show Joshua who had caused these problems, which tribe, which family and which man. Verse 16, so Joshua rose early in the morning, brought Israel by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was taken. He brought the clan of Judah and he took the family of the Zahrites and he brought the family of the Zahrites man by man and Zabdi was taken. Then he brought his household man by man and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah was taken. Now, let's get this in our heads. That was a, that was just a couple of verses, but that was a long process.

That was a long process identifying one out of 12 tribes, then identifying the family of that tribe that was responsible. Then we're getting close to the man. Why do I point that out? Because all along this process, Achan could have repented. He could have said, you know what, enough with this. I know what the deal is. This is the deal, but he didn't do that. Let me ask you a question. Did he think about doing it? Oh, you betcha.

You betcha. He was sitting there going, oh my goodness. Oh, I know what this is about. I know where this is leading, but he didn't step forward. He didn't step forward. He had the opportunity to repent and he did not repent. That's important because if you don't see that, then you get to the end of the chapter and he goes, well, that seemed kind of, that seems kind of harsh and judgmental. He's judged because he doesn't repent. Understand, God will give you many chances to repent. And if you don't take that chance, mercifully, God may expose your sin. I say mercifully because you know what, if God doesn't expose your sin, that's worse. That's worse because you might continue in your sin rather than have it out and deal with it.

So he sits there during this time and he doesn't do anything. Do you understand too, and this, boy, this is a hard thing. As leaders of this church, do you understand we are called upon by scripture, by God to occasionally do this? This is not an enjoyable part of the ministry, but occasionally what we have to do is we have to go to someone and say, you know what, this is a problem. And I want you to know, we're aware of it. I'm aware of it.

And I prayerfully want to help you, but you've got to deal with this. And that part of expose, we don't do that to expose weaknesses. And we don't, we don't, they don't become sermon fodder. You know, you know what I'm talking about sermon, you know, I don't stand up and go, oh, look at him.

He's, boy, he's struggling with this and that and the other and never, oh, we had no idea. You can't do that, but you expose so that repentance can come in. That's, that's the desire. That's what we're supposed to be doing.

See, because this is the deal. If you wait until you're exposed and let's be honest, then it's, it, it can be mixed. What I mean by that is you might be sad you got caught or busted or whatever the event was when you had the opportunity to repent before that happened. Now I understand there's a difference between being regretful and being repentant. We have several examples. King Saul would be one of them. Judas would be another. Matthew 27, three and four says, then Judas is betrayer, seeing that he had been condemned was remorseful and brought back to 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying, I've sinned by betraying innocent blood. People sometimes ask, well, is Judas in heaven?

I don't think so. He didn't repent. He was remorseful that what his actions led to, but he did not truly repent.

And you can go deep into the Greek and most scholars will agree with this. He, he was sad he got caught. He was sad that he was hoping that somehow he would be a part of this political takeover, but he wasn't repentant. Jesus in Matthew chapter three, verse eight says, therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance. This is a really important subject to the body of Christ because in Luke 13, three says, I tell you no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. We have to repent. We have to repent. Now, cool thing is when we do repent, Luke 15, 10 says, likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. What is repentance? Well, when you go back to the, the word used in the Greek means to change your mind, to change your mind. Now that might not be what you've heard before, but repentance is when you turn to God and away from your sin.

It's, it's a twofold action, but it's, it's singular if you will. In other words, you can't turn towards God and not turn away from your sin. It's, as you do one, you do the other. And what happens sometimes is we emphasize the turning to God and we don't talk about the repentance or we, you know, we talk about the repentance and we don't talk about turning to God. It has to go hand in hand because if you just, you know, if you just change your actions, you can still wind up in an eternity without God. Then somehow we've gotten as Christians, we think, well, that's, that's, you know, repentance doing, doing the right thing. We, we tend to think if Christianity is, you can't define Christianity like that, doing the right thing.

Not many do that. Many say, well, yeah, being a Christian is about being good. That's what being Christian is.

Really? That's totally unbiblical. Has nothing to do with it.

Being a Christian is being able to admit that you're a sinner. You're doing wrong. You can't earn your way.

It's not working that way. See religion and world religions, especially talk about how man can reach up to God. Christianity is different because it talks about how God has already reached down the man.

There's a real difference there. You're listening to pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge. He'll be back with more powerful insight from God's word in just a moment. But first, your enemy, the devil doesn't want you to experience the life giving truths of God's word.

He wants to rob you of the full life God wants for you, but you can overcome his attacks because there is supernatural power in the word of God. That's why we want to send you pastor David McGee's video message called a checkup from the neck up. This powerful resource will show you how to revitalize your spiritual health and grow in your faith daily by meditating on God's powerful word. A checkup from the neck up is our way to thank you for your gift this month to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life.

So please visit crossthebridge.com now to get your copy of a checkup from the neck up. Now back to today's message. Verse 19 now Joshua said to Achan my son I beg you give glory to the Lord God of Israel make confession to him and tell me now what you have done do not hide it from me. Verse 20 Achan answered Joshua and said indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and this is what I have done. When I fall among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment 200 shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels I coveted them and took them and there they are hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent with the silver under it. Is this a confession?

No. No it sounds like it has parts of a confession but it's not a confession because you know what he's saying well it was just so overwhelming. I just boy I just couldn't see and you know what and it's a small word but please notice family please pay attention. Verse 21 when I saw among the spoils wait a minute wait a minute God had declared that these weren't spoils that they belonged to God they weren't spoils of war that everybody was going to divvy up that they belonged to God. So he starts in his confession by saying the spoils instead of I took what belonged to God and you can see the parallel because some people go well I can't afford to give God my money, your money. It's God's money.

It's not that he asked for 10% he lets you keep 90% that's the amazing thing right. So he starts to justify his sin Achan does and understand guys justifying your sin I know this is a heavy subject but we need to understand this. Justifying your sin can never be part of your repentance. It can't and I don't know if you've ever uttered a confession like this or you've ever heard one. I've done it. I've done it.

I did it for years until I figured out it was wrong. You know I would apologize and repent like this. Well you know I'm sorry I lost my temper with you but you really shouldn't have said that. That's a heartfelt confession isn't it? That's not repentance. Repentance is you know what I shouldn't have said that and I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. Also in when you repent name the sin. You know name it to God if you don't name it to somebody else but name the sin. Don't pray these generic prayers. Oh God if I've ever sinned please forgive me. If you've ever sinned don't ever pray that prayer. Like God's up there going if you sin like God's up there going if you sin what happened? I didn't know about this.

What'd you do? You know I mean God knows everything and don't begin justifying it because that's not repentance. That's not confession. You see it throughout the book.

You see Achan doing it here and you know what look back in the garden. What Adam? God said what'd you do? It's that woman you gave me Lord. What I do? What'd you do?

You gave me her. That's what started the problem. We still do that. We still do that. We have all these answers. We have all the excuses. We have all these syndromes if you will.

Notice the first syllable of that. Oh I have a syndrome that makes me want to drink all the time or do drugs. That's just a syndrome that I have. It's a disease.

Well no no no no no. That's sin. That's your sin nature and the first part of being cured of that is to recognize that you have a problem. Oh Lord I have a problem with this.

God can intervene. But as long as you're getting oh no that's not a problem. Oh no no that's not a problem. That's not a problem. Not that any of us ever do that.

It's other people in other churches that have problems with that. That's what we do. That is what I do.

That is what you do. Let's be honest. So Achan has another chance. Achan could have just said to Joshua you know what I was wrong. I was wrong but dead. That's pretty much the way you repent. I was wrong. Now there's a picture in this verse.

It's kind of interesting. We see it says number one he saw. Number two he coveted.

I'm in New Living Translation. It says I wanted them so much that I took them. Number three he took them. Number four he hid them. What's interesting is how closely this parallels again in the garden.

You see coveted took hid. Genesis chapter 3 verse 6 through 8. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings and they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Sid coveted took I mean Saul coveted took hid. You see that in a lot of times. You see that when David fell.

Be careful as you see. I came across a quote and I thought it was pretty awesome I share with you. William Secker a minister in the 17th century said some have tears enough for their outward losses but none for their inward lust. They can mourn for the evil that sin brings but not for the sin which brings the evil. Pharaoh more lamented the heart strokes which were upon him than the hard heart that was within him and Esau mourned not because he sold his birthright which was his sin but because he lost his blessing which was his punishment. This is like weeping with an onion the eyes shed tears because it's smarts or it hurts. We should understand the subject of repentance with clarity with clearness and with the depth because it is important to us.

That's why I'm spending so much time on this tonight. Verse 22 so Joshua sent messengers and they ran to the tent and there it was hidden in his tent with the silver under and they took them from the midst of the tent brought them to Joshua to all the children of Israel and laid them out before the Lord. Again the they lost the battles because this guy took what was God he took the first fruits. And guys you know what if that describes you tonight and maybe you're sitting in here and go wow you know I feel bad about not tithing I guess I'm okay now. No repentance always leads to action and it's not enough for you to feel bad.

That conviction needs to bring about a change in your life. So obviously and if you've got any questions about the clear teaching of this in scripture call us or email us and we'll explain it in further detail. It's something we're supposed to be doing and there's only one way to correct it and that's to do it. That's to do it and here they've lost the battle because of the loss of the first fruits. Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah the silver of the garment the wedge of gold his sons his daughters his oxen his donkeys his sheep his tent and all that he had and they brought them to the valley of Achor. And Joshua said why have you troubled us the Lord will trouble you this day. So all Israel stoned them with stones and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. I think to some degree the family was involved in this and the reason I say that is because in Deuteronomy it talks about the parent doesn't die for the sins of the children and the children don't die for the sins of the parents. So obviously there was some exchange and interplay with the family. I mean come on you don't you're coming from this battle and he's got a big arm load of silver and gold and buries it in the tent.

I mean that's not something that you what are you doing that oh nothing I'm just I'm gonna go work on the tent a little bit. That's they were aware and guess what guys you know that process of identifying Achan. They didn't come forward. Any of them could have said you know what I saw dad burying something in a tent that was silver.

They didn't do it. So the sin of Achan affected the whole family. That's the last life lesson. Your sin affects those around you. Doesn't just affect you and and how dare we say things like victimless vice. Victimless vice. There are no victimless vice.

There are no victimless crimes because when sin is engaged not only is that person engaged in sin but those around them are engaged in sin. If you have somebody that's addicted to gambling their family suffers. If you have somebody addicted to alcohol their family suffers. You have somebody addicted to pornography or sexual misconduct their family suffers. Sin affects those around us as parents. Man that should be a sobering thought because you see firsthand how your sin affects your children.

You see how they say things and they do things. I was driving down the road when Ashley was she's probably three years old or four years old or something. You know driving down the road and she may have been five or six and pulled out you know somebody pulled out in front of me I had to hit the brakes and she said idiot and I was like oh man Nora shouldn't say that. No she had heard that from me and it was very convicting.

Why? Because my sin had affected her. It had affected her. So they all paid the price verse 26 and they raised over him a great heap of stones still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of acorn to this day. Achan because he didn't confess and he didn't repent suffered the penalty that we endure if we don't repent. If we don't turn from our sin and turn to God then we will suffer the same penalty of death.

It is what we deserve but somehow Jesus Christ is willing to intervene and offer to us a chance to repent. The question is will we take it? Will we take it? During the meeting tonight nobody fell over dead.

Everybody's still breathing. You know what that means? God has given you another chance friend.

The question is will you take that? And what we see, what we will see next week is that because the sin was dealt with they win the next battle. Do you want to win the next battle?

Then deal with this tonight. Losing is not enjoyable. I know that whole thing about being a good sport but the reality is losing is not enjoyable and maybe perhaps some of us have become a little too accustomed to losing spiritual battles.

When have we dealt with our flesh? If we dealt with this issue we can have more victories. And is there anyone in here tonight that doesn't want more victories?

I think we all want more victories. Well this is how to have victory to surrender your life to Jesus Christ to repent. Friend do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking Him to help you to live for Him. Now God wants you to pray this prayer so much that He died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask Him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven. And I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life. And I've done wrong things. I have sinned and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus name.

Amen. Friend if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven. You've been born again.

So congratulations friend you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can call us toll free at 877-458-5508 to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Modern life just keeps getting busier and busier by the day. As a result a lot of Christians are missing out on the life-giving nourishment of daily time in God's Word. That's why Pastor David McGee wants to help revitalize your spiritual health by sending you his video message titled A Checkup from the Neck Up. This resource shows you how to meditate daily on God's Word so that His church can transform your life. A Checkup from the Neck Up is our way to thank you for your gift this month to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life. So please visit crossthebridge.com now to get your copy of A Checkup from the Neck Up.

You know each day comes with its share of stresses. So what better way to wake up than with an encouraging word from the Lord? Visit crossthebridge.com and sign up now for David McGee's email devotionals. Each devotion includes scripture and a message from the heart of David McGee. It's easy and it's free. Sign up today at crossthebridge.com and be sure to join us next time on Cross the Bridge as we continue in the book of Joshua. We'll see you then.