How does Joshua 7:15 connect with the concept of God's holiness in Leviticus?

Setting the Scene in Joshua 7

• After Israel’s victory at Jericho, Achan secretly seized items God had placed under a ban.

• Israel lost the next battle at Ai, and the Lord told Joshua that hidden sin was the reason (Joshua 7:10-12).

• The chapter illustrates how one person’s disobedience jeopardized the entire covenant community.

---

Key Verse: Joshua 7:15

“‘The one who is caught with the things devoted to destruction shall himself be burned with fire, together with all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the LORD’s covenant and committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

---

Holiness Defined in Leviticus

• God repeatedly says, “Be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7).

• Holiness means set apart, morally pure, and belonging exclusively to the Lord.

• Violation of holiness demands removal of impurity, often by sacrifice—or, in extreme cases, by the removal of the offender (Leviticus 10:1-3; 20:10-16).

---

Shared Themes: Holiness Requires Separation

• Leviticus lays out clean/unclean distinctions, symbolizing God’s absolute otherness.

• Joshua 7 enacts the same principle: the unclean (Achan’s sin) must be separated so God can remain among His people (Joshua 7:12-13).

---

Shared Themes: Sin Pollutes the Community

• Leviticus 4 shows that even unintentional sin defiles the sanctuary.

• Likewise, Achan’s private theft defiled the whole camp; Israel could not stand before enemies until sin was removed (Joshua 7:11-12).

---

Shared Themes: Covenant Treachery Meets Holy Justice

• In Leviticus 26:14-17 God warns that covenant violation brings defeat and disaster.

• Achan’s judgment—complete destruction—mirrors Leviticus’ warnings that those who profane God’s holiness “shall be cut off” (Leviticus 20:3).

---

Shared Themes: The Necessity of Removal and Atonement

• Leviticus prescribes sacrifices to purge sin so God’s presence can dwell in the camp (Leviticus 16).

• Joshua 7 removes the sinner entirely, achieving the same end: God’s wrath turns away and fellowship is restored (Joshua 7:26).

---

Living It Out Today

• Holiness is not optional; God’s nature has not changed (1 Peter 1:15-16 echoes Leviticus).

• Hidden sin still affects the whole body of believers (1 Corinthians 5:6-7).

• God’s justice against Achan points us to Christ, who bore the curse in our place (Galatians 3:13), allowing believers to be “a holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5).