He was a man of courage and faith. He did not cower before the battle and walked in faith and confidence of God’s deliverance. He was not an adulterer, or a murderer, or a liar. There is no indication that he sought other gods, crafted an idol, defiled the Sabbath, spoke ill of God, or dishonored his parents. He did not covet anything in his neighbor’s household. The soldier obeyed God’s command to kill the pagans of Jericho as well as their animals. Surely he assisted in the burning of the city. Yet he disobeyed in one point; he took for himself what belonged to God. Just like so many other believers throughout history he rejected God at one point. But that one point of rebellion was costly.
Why did God insist on Achan’s children, animals, and all his belongings meeting the same end as the violator? How was that the directive of a gracious God? What we don’t know is who Achan had told. It is possible that everyone in his house was fully aware of what Achan had done, and where he had hidden God’s treasures. (The Bible record doesn’t explain, but we should not rule out that possibility because of the absence of such testimony) I think since God acted in the way he did it is probable that Achan’s family were either co-conspirators in Achan’s rebellious deception or gave silent consent to his deeds.
The entire community felt the impact of his rebellion. Not only in the loss at Ai, but throughout all of their history there would be no inheritance for the family of Achan. The community of faith was forever changed because of one man’s act of rebellion. The church today is impacted in the same way when a believer turns his back on God’s grace. The church will feel the impact of such rebellion; never being the same community again.
Stuart
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