What is the meaning of Joshua 7:20? It is true, Achan opens with a straightforward admission of fact. He no longer tries to hide or excuse what happened. • Genuine confession begins with honesty (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9). • God desires “truth in the inner being” (Psalm 51:6), and Achan finally meets that demand. • The contrast between secrecy and open acknowledgment shows why Israel’s earlier defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:5) could not be reversed until the lie was exposed. Achan replied, His answer comes only after Joshua’s direct appeal (Joshua 7:19). • Leadership sometimes must confront sin for the sake of the community (Matthew 18:15). • Achan’s response mirrors David’s when Nathan confronted him: “I have sinned” (2 Samuel 12:13). • Unlike Ananias and Sapphira, who doubled down on deception (Acts 5:8-10), Achan finally speaks, revealing the importance of timely confession. I have sinned against the LORD, Achan identifies the true offended party. • Every transgression, even one that harms people, is foremost rebellion against God (Psalm 51:4). • The prodigal son’s confession—“I have sinned against heaven” (Luke 15:18)—echoes the same priority. • Recognizing sin as personal guilt before the LORD leads to repentance rather than mere regret (2 Corinthians 7:10). the God of Israel. By naming the covenant title, Achan acknowledges he violated a holy relationship. • This God had redeemed Israel from Egypt (Exodus 20:2); betrayal is especially grievous within covenant love. • Israel’s later judges period shows what happens when people forget “the LORD, the God of their fathers” (Judges 2:12). • Achan’s words remind the community—and us—that sin endangers collective blessing (Joshua 7:11-12; 1 Corinthians 5:6). This is what I did: Now he details the offense (Joshua 7:21). • Scripture requires specific confession and restitution (Numbers 5:6-7). • Listing the deed drags it “into the light” (John 3:20), breaking sin’s power. • James 5:16 links such openness with healing—spiritual and sometimes communal. summary Joshua 7:20 captures the essential elements of biblical confession: truthful acknowledgment, responsive submission, recognition of sin’s offense against God, awareness of covenant responsibility, and concrete detailing of the wrong. Achan’s words come too late to spare him, yet they illustrate the path every sinner must take—honesty before the LORD, who alone can restore both individual and community when sin is brought into the light. |
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