patriarchs and prophets-第102部分

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defile　the　earth。　And　both　love　and　justice　demanded　the　prompt　execution　of
these　rebels　against　God　and　foes　to　man。

How　easily　the　armies　of　heaven　brought　down　the　walls　of

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Jericho；　that　proud　city　whose　bulwarks；　forty　years　before；　had　struck
terror　to　the　unbelieving　spies！　Thy　Mighty　One　of　Israel　had　said；　〃I　have
given　into　thine　hand　Jericho。〃　Against　that　word　human　strength　was
powerless。

〃By　faith　the　walls　of　Jericho　fell　down。〃　Hebrews　11：30。　The　Captain　of　the
Lord's　host　communicated　only　with　Joshua；　He　did　not　reveal　Himself　to　all
the　congregation；　and　it　rested　with　them　to　believe　or　doubt　the　words　of
Joshua；　to　obey　the　commands　given　by　him　in　the　name　of　the　Lord；　or　to
deny　his　authority。　They　could　not　see　the　host　of　angels　who　attended　them
under　the　leadership　of　the　Son　of　God。　They　might　have　reasoned：　〃What
unmeaning　movements　are　these；　and　how　ridiculous　the　performance　of
marching　daily　around　the　walls　of　the　city；　blowing　trumpets　of　rams'
horns。　This　can　have　no　effect　upon　those　towering　fortifications。〃　But　the
very　plan　of　continuing　this　ceremony　through　so　long　a　time　prior　to　the
final　overthrow　of　the　walls　afforded　opportunity　for　the　development　of
faith　among　the　Israelites。　It　was　to　be　impressed　upon　their　minds　that
their　strength　was　not　in　the　wisdom　of　man；　nor　in　his　might；　but　only　in
the　God　of　their　salvation。　They　were　thus　to　become　accustomed　to　relying
wholly　upon　their　divine　Leader。

God　will　do　great　things　for　those　who　trust　in　Him。　The　reason　why　His
professed　people　have　no　greater　strength　is　that　they　trust　so　much　to
their　own　wisdom；　and　do　not　give　the　Lord　an　opportunity　to　reveal　His
power　in　their　behalf。　He　will　help　His　believing　children　in　every
emergency　if　they　will　place　their　entire　confidence　in　Him　and　faithfully
obey　him。

Soon　after　the　fall　of　Jericho；　Joshua　determined　to　attack　Ai；　a　small　town
among　the　ravines　a　few　miles　to　the　west　of　the　Jordan　Valley。　Spies　sent
to　this　place　brought　back　the　report　that　the　inhabitants　were　but　few；　and
that　only　a　small　force　would　be　needed　to　overthrow　it。

The　great　victory　that　God　had　gained　for　them　had　made　the　Israelites
self…confident。　Because　He　had　promised　them　the　land　of　Canaan　they　felt
secure；　and　failed　to　realize　that　divine　help　alone　could　give　them
success。　Even　Joshua　laid　his　plans　for　the　conquest　of　Ai　without　seeking
counsel　from　God。

The　Israelites　had　begun　to　exalt　their　own　strength　and　to　look　with
contempt　upon　their　foes。　An　easy　victory　was　expected；　and　three　thousand
men　were　thought　sufficient　to　take

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the　place。　These　rushed　to　the　attack　without　the　assurance　that　God　would
be　with　them。　They　advanced　nearly　to　the　gate　of　the　city；　only　to
encounter　the　most　determined　resistance。　Panic…stricken　at　the　numbers　and
thorough　preparation　of　their　enemies；　they　fled　in　confusion　down　the　steep
descent。　The　Canaanites　were　in　hot　pursuit；　〃they　chased　them　from　before
the　gate；　。　。　。　and　smote　them　in　the　going　down。〃　Though　the　loss　was　small
as　to　numbersbut　thirty…six　men　being　slainthe　defeat　was　disheartening
to　the　whole　congregation。　〃The　hearts　of　the　people　melted；　and　became　as
water。〃　This　was　the　first　time　they　had　met　the　Canaanites　in　actual
battle；　and　if　put　to　flight　before　the　defenders　of　this　little　town；　what
would　be　the　result　in　the　greater　conflicts　before　them？　Joshua　looked　upon
their　ill　success　as　an　expression　of　God's　displeasure；　and　in　distress　and
apprehension　he　〃rent　his　clothes；　and　fell　to　the　earth　upon　his　face
before　the　ark　of　the　Lord　until　the　eventide；　he　and　the　elders　of　Israel；
and　put　dust　upon　their　heads。〃

〃Alas；　O　Lord　God；〃　he　cried；　〃wherefore　hast　Thou　at　all　brought　this
people　over　Jordan；　to　deliver　us　into　the　hand　of　the　Amorites；　to　destroy
us？　。　。　。　O　Lord；　what　shall　I　say；　when　Israel　turneth　their　backs　before
their　enemies！　For　the　Canaanites　and　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　land　shall
hear　of　it；　and　shall　environ　us　round；　and　cut　off　our　name　from　the　earth：
and　what　wilt　Thou　do　unto　Thy　great　name？〃

The　answer　from　Jehovah　was；　〃Get　thee　up；　wherefore　liest　thou　thus　upon
thy　face？　Israel　hath　。　。　。　transgressed　My　covenant　which　I　commanded
them。〃　It　was　a　time　for　prompt　and　decided　action；　and　not　for　despair　and
lamentation。　There　was　secret　sin　in　the　camp；　and　it　must　be　searched　out
and　put　away　before　the　presence　and　blessing　of　the　Lord　could　be　with　His
people。　〃Neither　will　I　be　with　you　any　more；　except　ye　destroy　the　accursed
from　among　you。〃

God's　command　had　been　disregarded　by　one　of　those　appointed　to　execute　His
judgments。　And　the　nation　was　held　accountable　for　the　guilt　of　the
transgressor：　〃They　have　even　taken　of　the　accursed　thing；　and　have　also
stolen；　and　dissembled　also。〃　Instruction　was　given　to　Joshua　for　the
discovery　and　punishment　of　the　criminal。　The　lot　was　to　be　employed　for　the
detection　of　the　guilty。　The　sinner　was　not　directly　pointed　out；　the　matter
being　left　in　doubt　for　a　time；　that　the　people　might

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feel　their　responsibility　for　the　sins　existing　among　them；　and　thus　be　led
to　searching　of　heart　and　humiliation　before　God。

Early　in　the　morning；　Joshua　gathered　the　people　together　by　their　tribes；
and　the　solemn　and　impressive　ceremony　began。　Step　by　step　the　investigation
went　on。　Closer　and　still　closer　came　the　fearful　test。　First　the　tribe；
then　the　family；　then　the　household；　then　the　man　was　taken；　and　Achan　the
son　of　Carmi；　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　was　pointed　out　by　the　finger　of　God　as
the　troubler　of　Israel。

To　establish　his　guilt　beyond　all　question；　leaving　no　ground　for　the　charge
that　he　had　been　unjustly　condemned；　Joshua　solemnly　adjured　Achan　to
acknowledge　the　truth。　The　wretched　man　made　full　confession　of　his　crime：
〃Indeed　I　have　sinned　against　the　Lord　God　of　Israel。　。　。　。　When　I　saw　among
the　spoils　a　goodly　Babylonish　garment；　and　two　hundred　shekels　of　silver；
and　a　wedge　of　gold　of　fifty　shekel's　weight；　then　I　coveted　them；　and　took
them；　and；　behold；　they　are　hid　in　the　earth　in　the　midst　of　my　tent。〃
Messengers　were　immediately　dispatched　to　the　tent；　where　they　removed　the
earth　at　the　place　specified；　and　〃behold；　it　was　hid　in　his　tent；　and　the
silver　under　it。　And　they　took　them　out　of　the　midst　of　the　tent；　and
brought　them　unto　Joshua；　。　。　。　and　laid　them　out　before　the　Lord。〃

Sentence　was　pronounced　and　immediately　executed。　〃Why　hast　thou　troubled
us？〃　said　Joshua；　〃the　Lord　shall　trouble　thee　this　day。〃　As　the　people　had
been　held　responsible　for　Achan's　sin；　and　had　suffered　from　its
consequences；　they　were；　through　their　representatives；　to　take　part　in　its
punishment。　〃All　Israel　stoned　him　with　stones。〃

Then　there　was　raised　over　him　a　great　pile　of　stonesa　witness　to　the　sin
and　its　punishment。　〃Wherefore　the　name　of　that　place　was　called；　The　valley
of　Achor；〃　that　is；　〃trouble。〃　In　the　book　of　Chronicles　his　memorial　is
written〃Achar；　the　troubler　of　Israel。〃　1　Chronicles　2：7。

Achan's　sin　was　committed　in　defiance　of　the　most　direct　and　solemn　warnings
and　the　most　mighty　manifestations　of　God's　power。　〃Keep　yourselves　from　the
accursed　thing；　lest　ye　make　yourselves　accursed；〃　had　been　the　proclamation
to　all　Israel。　The　command　was　given　immediately　after　the　miraculous
passage　of　the　Jordan；　and　the　recognition　of　God's　covenant　by　the
circumcision　of　the　peopleafter　the　observance　of　the

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Passover；　and　the　appearance　of　the　Angel　of　the　covenant；　the　Captain　of
the　Lord's　host。　It　had　been　followed　by　the　overthrow　of　Jericho；　giving
evidence　of　the　destruction　which　will　surely　overtake　all　transgressors　of
God's　law。　The　fact　that　divine　power　alone　had　given　the　victory　to　Israel；
that　they　had　not　come　into　possession　of　Jericho　by　their　own　strength；
gave　solemn　weight　to　the　command　prohibiting　them　from　partaking　of　the
spoils。　God；　by　the　might　of　His　own　word；　had　overthrown　this　stronghold；
the　conquest　was　His；　and　to　Him　alone　the　city　with　all　that　it　contained
was　to　be　devoted。

Of　the　millions　of　Israel　there　was　but　one　man　who；　in　that　solemn　hour　of
triumph　and　of　judgment；　had　dared　to　transgress　the　command　of　God。　Achan's
covetousness　was　excited　by　the　sight　of　that　costly　robe　of　Shinar；　even
when　it　had　brought　him　face　to　face　with　death　he　called　it　〃a　goodly
Babylonish　garment。〃　One　sin　had　led　to　another；　and　he　appropriated　the
gold　and　silver　devoted　to　the　treasury　of　the　Lordhe　robbed　God　of　the
first　fruits　of　the　land　of　Canaan。

The　deadly　sin　that　led　to　Achan's　ruin　had　its　root　in　covetousness；　of　all
sins　one　of　the　most　common　and　the　most　lightly　regarded。　While　other
offenses　meet　with　detection　and　punishment；　how　rarely　does　the　violation
of　the　tenth　commandment　so　much　as　call　forth　censure。　The　enormity　of　this
sin；　and　its　terrible　results；　are　the　lessons　of　Achan's　history。

Covetousness　is　an　evil　of　gradual　development。　Achan　had　cherished　greed　of
gain　until　it　became　a　habit；　binding　him　in　fetters　well…nigh　impossible　to
break。　While　fostering　this　evil；　he　would　have　been　filled　with　horror　at
the　thought　of　bringing　disaster　upon　Israel；　but　his　perceptions　were
deadened　by　sin；　and　when　temptation　came；　he　fell　an　easy　prey。

Are　not　similar　sins　still　committed；　in　the　face　of　warnings　as　solemn　and
explicit？　We　are　as　directly　forbidden　to　indulge　covetousness　as　was　Achan
to　appropriate　the　spoils　of　Jericho。　God　has　declared　it　to　be　idolatry。　We
are　warned；　〃Ye　cannot　serve　God　and　mammon。〃　Matthew　6：24。　〃Take　heed；　and
beware　of　covetousness。〃　Luke　12：15。　〃Let　it　not　be　once　named　among　you。〃
Ephesians　5：3。　We　have　before　us　the　fearful　doom　of　Achan；　of　Judas；　of
Ananias　and　Sapphira。　Back　of　all　these　we　have　that　of　Lucifer；　the　〃son　of
the　morning；〃　who；　coveting

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a　higher　state；　forfeited　forever　the　brightness　and　bliss　of　heaven。