Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-12-13

Before proceeding against Jericho,
God. through his servant Joshua. had
given strict injunctions as regards the
taking OF anything from the city for
selfenrichment. oh. 6:17, rs. II was
necessary at the outset OF this cam.
paigr to safeguard Israel against any
such motives. The fruits of their vic
tories must in no way seem TO be the
rewards OF. nor to be dependent upon.
the efforts OF their own hands. Spir.
itual victories are. as we learned last
week. won by means and upon prin.
ciples utterly foolish and inadequate
IN the view OF human wisdom. Nor
Is the Christian dependent upon the
principles OF human thrift for his sus-
;enance or enrichment That does not
mean the enforcement Of the Chris.
tian from those principles.
The story OF Achan is an illustra-
tion. While his sin was indiyidualstic
vet 4 was national in its results ~. H.
after the fall OF Jericho. Joshua sent
"A detachment of 1000 or 1000 men 10
take possession OF the small town OF
Al literally. ruins The task was
seemingly an unimportant and an easy
one. but the result was that the expe-
dition was turned into a miserable
rout tvv l.6l.
Achan's Sins Revealed.
The stages OF the sin OF Achan are
wonderfully revealed in the confession
". 2D which was finally wrung from
- saw coveted
took they are hid"
!. Joshua's error, w. 60. II was
right and proper for Joshua to bring
his difficulty TO God but it was not
right for him to lay upon him the
blame for his defeat Moses before
him had made that same mistake Elk.
5:22. 23). and II would seem that
Joshua should have proflted thereby
In this. however he Is supremacy hui
man. We of today with far greater
light are constantly making this same
mistake OF accusing God instead OF
finding out and judging our sin
There Is. however. an underlying note
OF the master passion of Joshuas
heart. that note which had so gov.
erned the heart of his predecessor
Moses II is expressed in the last note
of his complaint. What wilt thou do
FOR thy great name?" v. O. This com.
plant and petition sounds very much
like those OF the preceding generation
uttered in the wilderness For us TO
wish ourselves to be content to dwell
beyond Jordon." when the testing
times OF our Christian life come, when
the calls come for an advance. Is to
doubt his wisdom No wonder Joshua
was amazed when he saw Israel turn
its oack upon its enemies " 50. We
must beware lest we. too. be dismayed
wher se see the church of today give
way before the world and the devil
il he cause Of defeat. w. 1912.
Joshuas petition is answered by the
voice OF Jehovah In terms of rebuke.
strong. yet tender. In verse two we
are told that Joshua sent mer TO view
Al Why? Because In the language OF
verse one the children OF Israel com
mitted trespass In the accursed
thing Joshua wanted the people to
know that the sin OF Achan and its
results Was the sin OF the whole ma.
lion God brings the essential one
ness OF the nation before us in verse
eleven: for an illustration. see !. Cor.
5:l-7 and l2:l2.14. l6.
Gods instructions.
~. The victory Of defeat, w 1915. |
II Is a testimony as to the spiritual
condition OF this nation that the fraud |
was so soon located. The early Chris. |
tian church had a parallel incident In |
the case OF Ananias and Sapphire. Acts |
5:1.li. In each case the evil was
quickly judged and reveals the close.
ness OF God to his people In the pro-
cess OF years Israel passed from that
condition; has the church of today so |
passed. God had given explicit in |
structions as to the spoil tch. CHS X.
W. God commands Joshua not 10 |
cry unto him. but TO 'sanctify the PEG
pie" The church OF Christ. as well !
as the individual. needs to Judge its |
sin and TO set itself apart unto God,
II was a stern judgment and the
query arises what sort of bonfire |
would the church have today were all |
sinfully acquired property to suffer
similar destruction. II Is noticeable.
however that there is no suggestion
Of any confession on the pars OF Achan
until the narrowing circle OF Judge
ment had closed upon him. He con.
fessed only when there was no pos.
sible escape. This seems like stern.
hard process. but yet God was deaf.
ing In mercy with the whole people
W. The Golden Text. The words OF
this text were uttered by Moses TO the
two and half tribes who settled ON
the east OF Jordan. that in case they
refused to come to the help Of their
brethren in the conflict necessary 10
the possession OF Canaan. their sin
would discover them This lesson war
rants the application OF this principle.
A sin against God results in injury %
your neighbor II rs sin not 10 help
your neighbor and conversely 10 In.
dulge IN any act which resultf In
the defeat moral or otherwise, of