Joshua 7:13–15, 19–21, 25–26; 8:1

Bible Studies for Life
Adjunct Professor of Biblical Perspectives, Samford University

Move Beyond Failure

Joshua 7:13–15, 19–21, 25–26; 8:1

Children’s book heroine Anne Shirley declared, “That’s the good thing about me — I never make the same mistake twice.” I wish I shared her plucky self-confidence. Unfortunately I find myself learning the same lesson over and over again, and I don’t think I’m alone. It’s been said that every writer only has one book in her, and she keeps writing to try and find her way to her elusive subject. I sometimes wonder whether that’s true of our own lives — there’s one lesson we keep trying to learn all our lives. A good friend once told me, “Being honest with ourselves is a lifelong process.” Much of life is about that — failing, owning up to it and moving beyond it. The familiar story of Achan’s sin reflects a similar reality.

Identify the reason for failure. (13–15)

God gave specific instructions about the way in which the Israelites were to conquer Canaan. They were to destroy everything in the land (Josh. 6:17–19). Nothing was to be spared, lest the Israelites’ hearts turn away from God. When Achan kept some of the devoted things for himself, he violated God’s command (Josh. 7:1). If the book of Joshua teaches anything about sin, it is this — the sin of the one impacts the many. Among the Israelites, there was no such thing as individual sin affecting only the individual. Moreover the book of Joshua depicts God not in a disinterested, casual way. Rather, Yahweh, the personal deity of the Israelites, functions as a national patron. He is interested in this nation and called them long ago through their ancestor Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3). It is through this particular nation that all other nations will be blessed. The Israelites are to be a “light” to the nations (Isa. 42:6; 49:6). In the face of an invisible deity, they were to be the face of God to the nations. Any act of disobedience on their part marred that image. Therefore Achan’s sin was to be dealt with in a serious way.

Admit and confess any sins and mistakes that led to the failure. (19–21)

The Hebrew term for “sin” refers to something that “misses the mark.” It implies a specific target and anything that does not exactly hit that target falls short of God’s standard. When Achan sinned (Josh. 7:20), he missed the mark of God’s command. Joshua told him not to “hide” what he did (Josh. 7:19). How tempting it is to cover up our mistakes. The Bible is replete with examples of hiding sin from God. Typically attempting to do so leads to even greater sin and even more grievous consequences (2 Sam. 11–12). Hiding from God began in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:9–10), and humankind has been hiding ever since. “Being honest with ourselves is a lifelong process,” and while it is painful to admit our mistakes, ultimately that honesty sets us free. It enables us to live fully and freely before the face of Christ.

Deal appropriately with the cause of failure and refocus on God’s plan. (25–26; 8:1)

Even though Achan confesses, his sin is still dealt with in a serious way. He reaps the consequences for his actions. God cleanses the Israelite camp so they can refocus on God’s plan. In the life of the believer, it’s important not to allow fear of failure to prevent us from moving forward with God’s plan. Fear can provoke paralysis in a believer’s life. And while it is wise to move forward cautiously after a failure, we are still called to move forward and to trust that God is bigger than our mistakes. Confession and repentance means a change of direction. It begins in the mind and heart and comes to fruition in the will. And it involves moving back into a relationship with God built on love, not fear. More than anything else, the love of God allows us to refocus on God’s plan. (1 John 4:18).