It had been such an amazing victory.  They had marched around the city of Jericho seven times that day, and as they came around the seventh time the trumpets blew and the people shouted and the walls fell down.  What an amazing sight.  The people inside were so afraid and confused that they attacked each other.  The people with Joshua hardly had to lift a hand.

God had given them one piece of instruction, however, that would prove most difficult, at least for one man.  Everything in the city was to be destroyed except for Rahab and her family.  This, however, was easier said than done.  The Hebrew people had been homeless for 40 years.  Now here they were ready to settle down and here was everything they needed free for the taking.  It was easy that day to wonder if maybe God had not meant what He said.  Maybe He did not mean everything.  Besides, would it be good stewardship to destroy everything?

For one man the temptation to doubt what God said proved too much and he kept for himself some items from Jericho.  They really weren't much, just a few small items that didn't really make a difference.  But how big does disobedience have to be before its consequences are felt?

Achan was the man who disobeyed God, and he was to discover just how much a little disobedience mattered.   Joshua next led the people against the city of Ai.  This city was not as big as Jericho and would be no problem, but it was.  It was clear that God was not with them in this battle.  As they lay licking their wounds, they wondered why this happened and they were informed that it was because of the "little" sin of Achan.  It had not gone unnoticed by God and it did matter.

This little sin cost Achan his life, and in doing so led to his missing out on the real blessing of God.  After the people cleansed themselves from Achan's sin, they once again attacked Ai.  This time God went with them and they were successful.  Not only were they successful, but this time God honored their faithfulness and told them that the resources of Ai would be theirs to keep.

If only Achan had trusted God.  Not only would he have survived, but he would have had far more than the few items he took in disobedience to God.  What a lesson to be learned.

I wonder how often we say, "God didn't really mean it."  This little thing in my life does not matter.  It's just a little thing.  So what if my language isn't the best.  So what if I have a bad habit or two.  It doesn't really matter if I lie a little, everyone does it.  Holding a grudge is not that big a deal either.  And this tithing thing, God couldn't really mean that, He understands my situation.  And speaking of an understanding God, He understands about this relationship as well.

But what if God does mean what He says when He calls us to be holy as He is holy?  Could it mean that we will miss out on the great blessings of God because we settled for a cheap imitation?  Was what we traded the blessings of God for really worth it? 

God Bless You,

Pastor Mark