Joshua 7a

1December 13, 2009

God warnedwarned them against taking anything for themselvesthemselves from this city.

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God gavegave them victory, and yet one disobeyeddisobeyed His

Word.

Joshua 7 1 But the children of Israel com-mitted a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.

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Not just against Achan;God's anger was against the whole nation.

Some would saysay that God doesn't get angrydoesn't get angry with His children.

Psalms 85 (NIV) 4 Restore us again, O God our Savior, and put away Your displeasuredispleasure toward us. 5 Will You be angryangry with us forever? Will You prolong your angeranger through all generations? 6 Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us Your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation.

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1 Samuel 15 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. …

Psalms 7 11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

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Achan disobeyeddisobeyed God and brought God's anger upon the entireentire nation of Israel.

2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they they are butare but fewfew.

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What's missing? What did they fail to do?

Proverbs 16 (TLB) 1 We can make our plans, but the final outcome is in God’s hands.

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Proverbs 16 (NIV) 9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

Proverbs 16 18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

We can get everythingeverything we ever thoughtthought we wanted, and our life can still be emptyempty and worthlessworthless.

1 Peter 5 7 Casting all your care upon Him; for HE careth for you.

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We must have the humility to admitadmit that we can'twe can't take care of ourselves,

And then callcall on the Lord, Who canWho can and willwill take care of us.

Joshua failedfailed to pray, and his army was routedrouted.

4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fledthey fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty thirty and six menand six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

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NeverNever before had they met strong resistance;

GodGod had always fought their battles.

He had taken care of their every needevery need.

They went to battleThey went to battle without without God's helpGod's help..

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There was sinsin in the camp.

There was rebellionrebellion against God's Command.

There was pridepride and independenceindependence.

There was a stubbornstubborn determination to get wealth.

6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

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Proper ResponseUntil our sinour sin breaks our heart, and we grievegrieve

becausebecause we have sinned,

We can not truly repent.

Psalms 34 18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

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Their heart is broken and their spirit crushed, becausebecause they have sinned.

Because of their stubbornnessstubbornness and rebellionrebellion against GodGod and His WordHis Word.

Because of their pridepride and independenceindependence.

A broken heart and a crushed spirit leads to true repentancetrue repentance,

and repentance brings brings deliverance.deliverance.

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To truly repentTo truly repent is to confess our sin as sinas sin,

And turnturn from sin unto righteousness.

Anything less is Anything less is hypocrisy.hypocrisy.

What led to the defeat at Ai?

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Achan defieddefied the Commandment of God not to touch the accursedaccursed thing at Jericho.

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Does a person have to say, "I defy God." in order to defy Him?

No. All willful disobediencewillful disobedience is defiance.

The second thing that brought defeat at Ai:

They failed to praypray before they went.

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Had Joshua sought God's FaceGod's Face, God would have revealedrevealed the sin in the camp to him.

He could have dealtdealt with sin,

And God's angeranger would have turned from Israel.

The third thing that brought defeat at Ai:

PridePride and thoughts of Self-sufficiencySelf-sufficiency

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We won't even need the whole army;

(much less God).

We must avoid these three mistakesthree mistakes, if we would live good, blessed, lives.

God wants only the bestbest for His children.

All we need to do is humblehumble ourselves under His Mighty Hand and live our lives His WayHis Way.

Cast all our care upon Him, and allow Him to care for us.