Covet, Catch, and Conceal

To go along with yesterday's post, I think the story of Achan teaches us a valuable lesson about the secret sin in our lives.

"19 Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me."

20 Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD. " - Joshua 7:19-23

Achan stole that which was sacred, or devoted, to the Lord. He coveted, stole, and then hid it. That is the pattern in our lives too often. What could have Achan done?

The answer was to uncover what was so secret in his life. Bring it out of hiding, come clean. Humble voluntary repentance would have been the high road for Achan to take. But he was forced to confession by Joshua's revelation from God.

What is the principle? When a transgressor owns the sin, the sin won't own the sinner.

"I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." - Psalm 32:5

We tend to covet, catch, and conceal. I can't help to think that even though Achan slept near his treasures and ate with them under his feet, he would have traded them for peace of mind. Yet he kept them even though they were worthless buried. For Achan, the item that once had so great a value was reducing to nothing but heavy burdens. Driven by the need to cover his transgressions, he buried his treasures under the dirt.

"He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." - Proverbs 28:13

It's time to come clean this Christmas...Jesus paid the price.

Much love,

pcraig