So much of our lives, we focus on the “big” things. As young adults we think about the job we will have or the person we will marry. We plan and dream of how it will be and sometimes in the process we neglect or skip some of the little things that get us to that point. I love to bake, and life is somewhat like a recipe. You can make a beautiful cake, but if you leave out the ½ teaspoon of salt, you have ruined the cake. You must be diligent to follow directions and do it correctly to get the wanted results. Even the smallest ingredients make the difference. In our spiritual lives, it is important that we follow God’s lead and pay attention to each step. There is great importance in everything God commands. In Joshua chapter 7, we find the little things do matter to God.
Joshua had just given instructions in chapter 6 to completely destroy all of Jericho. For 7 days they had done exactly what God had commanded. Now it was time to conquer Jericho. Joshua instructed them to destroy everything and keep nothing for themselves. The gold, silver, vessels of brass, and iron were to be consecrated unto the Lord and put into the treasury.
Joshua 6:18-19 “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.”
Now, in chapter 7, we will see the results of not doing the little things. God commanded that they take nothing for themselves, but Achan’s covetousness was indulged. He couldn’t resist grabbing a little of the treasure for himself. I’m sure he thought it was no big deal. There was plenty to take back to the house of God and no one would ever miss a little silver, gold, or a Babylonian garment. It was enticing, and in his reasoning, he could use this to get his start in the promised land they were getting ready to inhabit. No big deal, right? In chapter 7 verse 1, we see it was a “very big deal” to God. His anger was great against the children of Israel. One man’s disobedience caused the death of many. Sin always affects more than the one committing the sin. No one but God knew what had happened.
Joshua 7:1 “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.”
We see two distinct reasons for their defeat at Ai. First, Achan had kept back that which God had forbidden. Because of Achan’s sin, God instructed Joshua to find the one who had sinned and to kill them. It was Achan, and God had Achan and all his family stoned and burned. His disobedience had cost the lives of many of those that fought. God is serious about every instruction He gives. He’s not like us. We make rules, ramble, don’t keep commitments, and move on. God never speaks an idle word, if He says it, that’s the way it is, and it will do us well in every area of our lives to find His truths and follow them. We can’t pick and choose what we will obey. Joshua was feeling sorry for himself as their leader. He didn’t understand what had happened. God tells him to get us and take care of the sin or He will no longer be with them. This is serious business!
Joshua 7:10-12 “And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore, the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.”
The second reason they lost, was because of their confidence in themselves. They had always sought God and His direction for moving forward. He had given them strange instructions in the past, such as marching around Jericho, but when they obeyed, God won the battle for them. This time, their approach was that it was no big deal, and they could handle it. They told Joshua they didn’t need as many men as before. They took it upon themselves and they lost. Nowhere do we see Joshua or anyone else seeking God’s will in this situation until they lost.
Joshua 7:3-4 “And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.”
The price is always high for disobedience. Pride causes us to run ahead of God and God hates pride. If we will only stop and listen, we can save ourselves from so much in life that will hurt us. We need to rely on God for everything and obey especially when we don’t understand. Our disobedience will cost us, and those that we love the most. Sin, as always cost greatly, and the things we consider little are not little to God. The little things matter.
