Apparently sermons on sin and judgement are really unpopular. I'm guessing therefore that blog posts on these subjects are even more unpopular! At least when you're in church and the preacher announces the theme of his or her sermon you actually have to get up and physically leave - whereas when it comes to something on the internet something else is only a click away.
Last Sunday, as we continued our series on Joshua we came to the story of Achan. You'll find the full story in Joshua 7. But by way of summary:
When God had given the Israelites victory over the city of Jericho, one of God's instructions was that everything in the city was to be devoted to God. But Achan, it turns out, saw some things he wanted - and so he took them for himself and hid them in his tent. As a consequence of this sin God's anger 'burned against Israel' and when they went up against the next city Ai they were defeated.
It was revealed that someone had sinned and the following morning the people were called forward tribe by tribe, then clan by clan, then family by family. And so Achan was exposed and to cut the story short, Achan, his family and all his possessions were destroyed.
This story shows us various things about sin - one of which is the seriousness of sin. The consequences of his actions were drastic.
When we come into the New Testament the seriousness of sin is demonstrated by the cross. God's love was demonstrated for us on the cross - as Jesus paid the price for our sin.
At that point where we were called forward tribe by tribe, then clan by clan, then family by family - as it came to our turn to step forward, Jesus steps in instead, and takes our punishment in order that we might live.
I don't know about you but I'm thankful for the cross and that I live in the light of the New Testament.
