What consequences arise from disobeying God's command in Joshua 6:18? God’s Warning in Joshua 6:18 “ ‘But keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest you set yourselves apart for destruction. If you take any of the devoted things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster upon it.’ ” (Joshua 6:18) Immediate Consequences for Israel • Defeat at Ai: “And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them… So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.” (Joshua 7:5) • Loss of God’s favor: “I will not be with you anymore unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted to destruction.” (Joshua 7:12) • National shame and fear: the people’s morale collapsed; enemy nations learned Israel could be beaten. Personal Consequences for Achan • Exposure of hidden sin (Joshua 7:16-21) • Execution of Achan and his household: “And all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the others, they burned them.” (Joshua 7:25) • Erasure of legacy: the Valley of Achor (“trouble”) named as a perpetual reminder (Joshua 7:26) Wider Spiritual Consequences • Corporate accountability: one man’s sin endangered the entire nation (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:6, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump”). • Interruption of God’s mission: conquest paused until sin was judged. • Diminished witness: Israel’s God-given reputation for victory (Joshua 2:9-11) was momentarily tarnished. Biblical Echoes of the Same Principle • Genesis 3: disobedience brings death and exile. • Deuteronomy 28:15: national curses follow covenant unfaithfulness. • 1 Samuel 15:22-23: “Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice… rebellion is like the sin of divination.” • Proverbs 14:34: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Timeless Lessons for Today • Hidden sin never stays hidden; God sees and will address it. • Disobedience affects more than the individual—it harms families, churches, and communities. • God’s presence and power are linked to obedience; willful sin forfeits blessing. • Swift repentance and removal of sin restore fellowship and forward momentum (Joshua 7:13). |
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