Joshua 7

19–23 Joshua told Achan to give glory to the LORD (verse 19)—in other words, to tell the truth.“. . . give him the praise by confessing your sin.”

Then Achan fully confessed his sin (verses 20–21), and Joshua sent men to recover the devoted things that had been stolen³⁵ (verse 23).

The question arises: If Achan fully confessed, why wasn’t he forgiven in accordance with 1 John 1:9? The reason is this: Achan did not confess voluntarily; he only confessed after he was forced to, after he knew he had been discovered. His confession did not indicate true REPENTANCE; it was not from his heart (see Leviticus 5:5–6 and comment). Achan’s heart was hardened, and so he received no mercy.

24–26 Achan was a wealthy man; he owned cattle, donkeys and sheep (verse 24). He didn’t need what he stole. Now he was about to lose everything, including his life.

Then all Israel stoned him and the rest—that is, Achan’s sons and daughters and animals (verse 25). We may consider the execution of Achan’s children unjust; but, at the very least, they knew what their father had done and conspired to hide it. God knew their hearts; He never acts unjustly (see Exodus 20:4–6; Deuteronomy 24:16 and comments).

“All Israel”—that is, representatives from the whole nation—took part in the stoning,³⁶ in accordance with the people’s earlier promise to Joshua (see Joshua 1:18). That place became known as the Valley of Achor³⁷ (verse 26), because Achan had brought trouble on himself. After Achan and his children and possessions had been destroyed, the Lord turned from his fierce anger.

What do we learn from this grim chapter? First of all, we learn that the enemy within is far more dangerous than the enemy without. One treacherous Israelite had done more harm to Israel than the men of Ai could ever do.

Second, we learn that unconfessed and hidden sin cannot be allowed to remain in the covenant community of God. All sin violates our covenant with God; if such sin remains, the whole community’s relationship with God is jeopardized. Unconfessed sin is like a cancer: it spreads throughout the church, it hinders the Spirit’s work among us, it blocks our communion with God, it reduces our spiritual power. Christians do not stone people today, but they must not tolerate unconfessed sin in their churches; those members who continue in sin without repentance must be expelled (see 1 Corinthians 6:9–13).

But above all, as individuals, we must not tolerate sin within ourselves (Matthew 5:29–30). We are not fit to deal with the sin in other people’s lives until we have first dealt with the sin in our own (Matthew 7:1–5; John 8:7).