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Defeat in the Land of the Victory

Defeat in the Land of the Victory. Joshua 7. Promised Land as “a land of hills and valleys” Topography vs Egypt Geography of the life of faith Peaks of victory Valleys of discouragements But: change from victory to defeat Joshua: experienced & gifted leader yet human & liable to error

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Defeat in the Land of the Victory

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  1. Defeat in the Land of the Victory Joshua 7

  2. Promised Land as “a land of hills and valleys” • Topography vs Egypt • Geography of the life of faith • Peaks of victory • Valleys of discouragements • But: change from victory to defeat • Joshua: experienced & gifted leader yet human & liable to error • Disobedient Soldier (7:1, 20-21) • The sinner (v. 1) • Achan or Achar meaning the trouble

  3. From the tribe of Judah (16) • The man who troubled Israel (25) • Because of him Israel was defeated • 36 soldiers were killed • Abraham concerning his wife • David’s unauthorized census causing the death of 70,000 (II Sam 24) • Jonah’s refusal & the ship (Jonah 1) • “Lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble” (Heb 12:15) • I Cor 5 • Israel, not Achan, that sinned (7:1,11) • Israel, one people in the Lord • God’s people, one body in the Lord • Belonging, needing, affecting (I Cor 12:12 ff) • The sin (20-21)

  4. The order: all spoils to be devoted to the Lord (6: 17-21, 24) • The first victory, firstfruits to the Lord (Prov 3:9) • Achan’s disobedience • “I saw… I coveted,…(I) took (7:2) • Eve (Gen 3:5) • Achan’s mistakes • He looked at the spoils second time • He reclassified the treaures & called them spoils (7:21) • He coveted • James 1: 14 • He thought he could get away with it • Be sure your sin will find you out (Num. 32:23)

  5. All things are naked to & open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Heb 4:13) • Matthew 6: 33 • Defeated Army (7:2-5) • Joshua surveyed • Assumed that God was pleased • Spiritual leaders must constantly seek His face & determine what His will for each new challenge • Self-confidence lead to presumption • Ai smaller than Jericho • Pride goes before destruction (Prov 16: 18) • God’s thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa 55: 8-9)

  6. Ai, 15 miles from Jericho • In the hill country, 1700 feet above the sea level • 36 soldiers died • Discouraged Leader (7: 6-15) • Remorse (7-9) • Joshua said, “ Oh that we stayed where we were” • “Joshua reproaches God” George H. Morrison • Unbelief is content to settle for something less than God’s best • Sometimes God allows us to experience the humiliating defeats in order to test our faith & reveal to us what’s really going on in our heart (Jer 17:9) • Repentance (8-9)

  7. Israel’s defeated God’s glory • Not Joshua’s fame or reputation, but the glory of God of Israel • Rebuke (10-15) • Israel had to deal with sin • Stolen what belonged to Him • Accursed – 6 times • Sin: to miss the mark (11) • Fall short of God’s standard • Transgression: to cross over • Stealing from God & lying about it (11) • Sanctify for morning assembly • A Discovered Sinner (7:16-26) • The investigation (16 – 18)

  8. “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doing (Jer 17:10) • Nobody can hide from God (Jer 23:24) • God’s approach was methodical • Judah > family of Zerahites > Household of Zabdi > Achan • Ephod or lot? • “My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me nor is their sin concealed from my eyes” (Jer 16:17) • The confession (19-23) • Achan sinned against people and God • “I have sinned” • Pharaoh, Balaam, King Saul, David, Shemei, Judas, the Prodigal Son • Evidence

  9. The judgment (24-26) • Achan’s whole family was guilty • Deut 24:16 • Nadab & Abihu (Lev 10) • Uzzah (II Sam 6:1-11) • Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) • A warning not to take God’s Word lightly • Valley of Achor (Isa 65: 10 & Hosea 2: 15) • Door of hope • Heap of stones: memorial & reminder that God expects His people to obey His Word • Gilgal (Josh 4: 1-8) • God is love (I John 4: 8,16) to bless & God is light to judge His people’s sin

  10. Trying two days for Joshua & his leaders • No defeat is permanent • Even the valley of trouble (Achor) becomes a door of hope

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