patriarchs and prophets-第114节

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and　its　punishment。　〃Wherefore　the　name　of　that　place　was　called；　The　valley
of　Achor；〃　that　is；　〃trouble。〃　In　the　book　of　Chronicles　his　memorial　is
written〃Achar；　the　troubler　of　Israel。〃　1　Chronicles　2：7。

Achan's　sin　was　committed　in　defiance　of　the　most　direct　and　solemn　warnings
and　the　most　mighty　manifestations　of　God's　power。　〃Keep　yourselves　from　the
accursed　thing；　lest　ye　make　yourselves　accursed；〃　had　been　the　proclamation
to　all　Israel。　The　command　was　given　immediately　after　the　miraculous
passage　of　the　Jordan；　and　the　recognition　of　God's　covenant　by　the
circumcision　of　the　peopleafter　the　observance　of　the

496

Passover；　and　the　appearance　of　the　Angel　of　the　covenant；　the　Captain　of
the　Lord's　host。　It　had　been　followed　by　the　overthrow　of　Jericho；　giving
evidence　of　the　destruction　which　will　surely　overtake　all　transgressors　of
God's　law。　The　fact　that　divine　power　alone　had　given　the　victory　to　Israel；
that　they　had　not　come　into　possession　of　Jericho　by　their　own　strength；
gave　solemn　weight　to　the　command　prohibiting　them　from　partaking　of　the
spoils。　God；　by　the　might　of　His　own　word；　had　overthrown　this　stronghold；
the　conquest　was　His；　and　to　Him　alone　the　city　with　all　that　it　contained
was　to　be　devoted。

Of　the　millions　of　Israel　there　was　but　one　man　who；　in　that　solemn　hour　of
triumph　and　of　judgment；　had　dared　to　transgress　the　command　of　God。　Achan's
covetousness　was　excited　by　the　sight　of　that　costly　robe　of　Shinar；　even
when　it　had　brought　him　face　to　face　with　death　he　called　it　〃a　goodly
Babylonish　garment。〃　One　sin　had　led　to　another；　and　he　appropriated　the
gold　and　silver　devoted　to　the　treasury　of　the　Lordhe　robbed　God　of　the
first　fruits　of　the　land　of　Canaan。

The　deadly　sin　that　led　to　Achan's　ruin　had　its　root　in　covetousness；　of　all
sins　one　of　the　most　common　and　the　most　lightly　regarded。　While　other
offenses　meet　with　detection　and　punishment；　how　rarely　does　the　violation
of　the　tenth　commandment　so　much　as　call　forth　censure。　The　enormity　of　this
sin；　and　its　terrible　results；　are　the　lessons　of　Achan's　history。

Covetousness　is　an　evil　of　gradual　development。　Achan　had　cherished　greed　of
gain　until　it　became　a　habit；　binding　him　in　fetters　well…nigh　impossible　to
break。　While　fostering　this　evil；　he　would　have　been　filled　with　horror　at
the　thought　of　bringing　disaster　upon　Israel；　but　his　perceptions　were
deadened　by　sin；　and　when　temptation　came；　he　fell　an　easy　prey。

Are　not　similar　sins　still　committed；　in　the　face　of　warnings　as　solemn　and
explicit？　We　are　as　directly　forbidden　to　indulge　covetousness　as　was　Achan
to　appropriate　the　spoils　of　Jericho。　God　has　declared　it　to　be　idolatry。　We
are　warned；　〃Ye　cannot　serve　God　and　mammon。〃　Matthew　6：24。　〃Take　heed；　and
beware　of　covetousness。〃　Luke　12：15。　〃Let　it　not　be　once　named　among　you。〃
Ephesians　5：3。　We　have　before　us　the　fearful　doom　of　Achan；　of　Judas；　of
Ananias　and　Sapphira。　Back　of　all　these　we　have　that　of　Lucifer；　the　〃son　of
the　morning；〃　who；　coveting

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a　higher　state；　forfeited　forever　the　brightness　and　bliss　of　heaven。　And
yet；　notwithstanding　all　these　warnings；　covetousness　abounds。

Everywhere　its　slimy　track　is　seen。　It　creates　discontent　and　dissension　in
families；　it　excites　envy　and　hatred　in　the　poor　against　the　rich；　it
prompts　the　grinding　oppression　of　the　rich　toward　the　poor。　And　this　evil
exists　not　in　the　world　alone；　but　in　the　church。　How　common　even　here　to
find　selfishness；　avarice；　overreaching；　neglect　of　charities；　and　robbery
of　God　〃in　tithes　and　offerings。〃　Among　church　members　〃in　good　and　regular
standing〃　there　are；　alas！　many　Achans。　Many　a　man　comes　statedly　to　church；
and　sits　at　the　table　of　the　Lord；　while　among　his　possessions　are　hidden
unlawful　gains；　the　things　that　God　has　cursed。　For　a　goodly　Babylonish
garment；　multitudes　sacrifice　the　approval　of　conscience　and　their　hope　of
heaven。　Multitudes　barter　their　integrity；　and　their　capabilities　for
usefulness；　for　a　bag　of　silver　shekels。　The　cries　of　the　suffering　poor　are
unheeded；　the　gospel　light　is　hindered　in　its　course；　the　scorn　of
worldlings　is　kindled　by　practices　that　give　the　lie　to　the　Christian
profession；　and　yet　the　covetous　professor　continues　to　heap　up　treasures。
〃Will　a　man　rob　God？　Yet　ye　have　robbed　Me〃　（Malachi　3：8）；　saith　the　Lord。

Achan's　sin　brought　disaster　upon　the　whole　nation。　For　one　man's　sin　the
displeasure　of　God　will　rest　upon　His　church　till　the　transgression　is
searched　out　and　put　away。　The　influence　most　to　be　feared　by　the　church　is
not　that　of　open　opposers；　infidels；　and　blasphemers；　but　of　inconsistent
professors　of　Christ。　These　are　the　ones　that　keep　back　the　blessing　of　the
God　of　Israel　and　bring　weakness　upon　His　people。

When　the　church　is　in　difficulty；　when　coldness　and　spiritual　declension
exist；　giving　occasion　for　the　enemies　of　God　to　triumph；　then；　instead　of
folding　their　hands　and　lamenting　their　unhappy　state；　let　its　members
inquire　if　there　is　not　an　Achan　in　the　camp。　With　humiliation　and　searching
of　heart；　let　each　seek　to　discover　the　hidden　sins　that　shut　out　God's
presence。

Achan　acknowledged　his　guilt；　but　when　it　was　too　late　for　the　confession　to
benefit　himself。　He　had　seen　the　armies　of　Israel　return　from　Ai　defeated
and　disheartened；　yet　he　did　not　come　forward　and　confess　his　sin。　He　had
seen　Joshua　and　the

498

elders　of　Israel　bowed　to　the　earth　in　grief　too　great　for　words。　Had　he
then　made　confession；　he　would　have　given　some　proof　of　true　penitence；　but
he　still　kept　silence。　He　had　listened　to　the　proclamation　that　a　great
crime　had　been　committed；　and　had　even　heard　its　character　definitely
stated。　But　his　lips　were　sealed。　Then　came　the　solemn　investigation。　How
his　soul　thrilled　with　terror　as　he　saw　his　tribe　pointed　out；　then　his
family　and　his　household！　But　still　he　uttered　no　confession；　until　the
finger　of　God　was　placed　upon　him。　Then；　when　his　sin　could　no　longer　be
concealed；　he　admitted　the　truth。　How　often　are　similar　confessions　made。
There　is　a　vast　difference　between　admitting　facts　after　they　have　been
proved　and　confessing　sins　known　only　to　ourselves　and　to　God。　Achan　would
not　have　confessed　had　he　not　hoped　by　so　doing　to　avert　the　consequences　of
his　crime。　But　his　confession　only　served　to　show　that　his　punishment　was
just。　There　was　no　genuine　repentance　for　sin；　no　contrition；　no　change　of
purpose；　no　abhorrence　of　evil。

So　confessions　will　be　made　by　the　guilty　when　they　stand　before　the　bar　of
God；　after　every　case　has　been　decided　for　life　or　death。　The　consequences
to　result　to　himself　will　draw　from　each　an　acknowledgment　of　his　sin。　It
will　be　forced　from　the　soul　by　an　awful　sense　of　condemnation　and　a　fearful
looking　for　of　judgment。　But　such　confessions　cannot　save　the　sinner。

So　long　as　they　can　conceal　their　transgressions　from　their　fellow　men；
many；　like　Achan；　feel　secure；　and　flatter　themselves　that　God　will　not　be
strict　to　mark　iniquity。　All　too　late　their　sins　will　find　them　out　in　that
day　when　they　shall　not　be　purged　with　sacrifice　or　offering　forever。　When
the　records　of　heaven　shall　be　opened；　the　Judge　will　not　in　words　declare
to　man　his　guilt；　but　will　cast　one　penetrating；　convicting　glance；　and
every　deed；　every　transaction　of　life；　will　be　vividly　impressed　upon　the
memory　of　the　wrongdoer。　The　person　will　not；　as　in　Joshua's　day；　need　to　be
hunted　out　from　tribe　to　family；　but　his　own　lips　will　confess　his　shame。
The　sins　hidden　from　the　knowledge　of　men　will　then　be　proclaimed　to　the
whole　world。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　46

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Blessings　and　the　Curses


After　the　execution　of　the　sentence　upon　Achan；　Joshua　was　commanded　to
marshal　all　the　men　of　war　and　again　advance　against　Ai。　The　power　of　God
was　with　His　people；　and　they　were　soon　in　possession　of　the　city。

Military　operations　were　now　suspended；　that　all　Israel　might　engage　in　a
solemn　religious　service。　The　people　were　eager　to　obtain　a　settlement　in
Canaan；　as　yet　they　had　not　homes　or　lands　for　their　families；　and　in　order
to　gain　these　they　must　drive　out　the　Canaanites；　but　this　important　work
must　be　deferred；　for　a　higher　duty　demanded　their　first　attention。

Before　taking　possession　of　their　inheritance；　they　must　renew　their
covenant　of　loyalty　to　God。　In　the　last　instructions　of　Moses；　direction　had
been　twice　given　for　a　convocation　of　the　tribes　upon　Mounts　Ebal　and
Gerizim；　at　Shechem；　for　the　solemn　recognition　of　the　law　of　God。　In
obedience　to　these　injunctions　the　whole　people；　not　only　men；　but　〃the
women；　and　the　little　ones；　and　the　strangers　that　were　conversant　among
them〃　left　their　camp　at　Gilgal；　and　marched　through　the　country　of　their
enemies；　to　the　vale　of　Shechem；　near　the　center　of　the　land。　Though
surrounded　by　unconquered　foes；　they　were　safe　under　the　protection　of　God
as　long　as　they　were　faithful　to　Him。　Now；　as　in　the　days　of　Jacob；　〃the
terror