Achan's Sin

Last week during Sunday School, I asked my 2^nd and 3^rd grade students what “thing” did they want in the whole world. Some students said a Ninetendo DSi or an Xbox 360, but I had one who said that they wanted the whole Toys R Us Store and another student, spurred on by that line of thought, said, the whole Walmart store. With that, I led into the story of Achan.

You see, the Israelites had just got done conquering the city of Jericho, in which the Lord told them to spare no one – except for Rahab and her family, burn everything else, except the gold, silver, iron and bronze which would be the Lord’s. I told the students to imagine that they had to go in and destroy any Xbox, Nintendo DSi that they found and burn down ToysRUs and Walmart. Would that be hard to do? Of course. Achan did just that. He stole a beautiful robe from Babylon, some gold and some silver for himself and hid them under his tent. Because of his sin, it cost him his life, his families’ lives, and the lives of 36 innocent Israelite soldiers. Read the story for yourself in Joshua 6 and 7.

Achan’s treasure was worldly possessions. It is easy for us to treasure worldly possessions as well. Many times it feels like we humans would rather pay a tithe to vacations, cars, houses, campers and clothes, than to the Lord. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He doesn’t need our money. He didn’t need Jericho’s wealth either. He does, however, desire our worship and obedience. Offering time is a time of worship to show where our hearts are. Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Please consider where your heart is today and adjust it accordingly.