Let us then inquire of the Lord, " Wherefore he contendeth with us ? " Let us set ourselves diligently to search out our iniquities ; and let us beg of God to discover them to us, that no one sin may remain unrepented of and unmortified.
If in any thing we have been overcome by our spiritual enemies, let us not reflect upon God, as though he had tempted us to sin; nor, on the other hand, let us distrust him, as though he were either unable or unwilling to deliver us : but let us humble ourselves before him, remembering that he is still full of compassion and mercy ; and relying on that gracious invi- tation, " Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings, and love you freely."]
achan's guilt and punishment.
Josh. vii. 19, 20. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make con- fession unto him; and tell me noiv tvhat thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done.
THE rise, and progress, and termination of sin, afford as interesting a subject, as any that can be presented to our view. It is exhibited to us by St. James in few words, and with remarkable precision : " Man is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed : then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin ; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death a." Here we see the whole process : the inward corruption of the heart is first drawn forth by some enticing object ; the desire of gratification is then formed, and the determination to attain it fixed. Then comes the act whereby it is attained ; and then death, the bitter consequence of sin, inevitably fol- lows. On this passage the history before us is an instructive comment. Achan saw a goodly Babylo- nish garment, with two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, and coveted them : then he took them, contrary to the divine command ; and then the penalty of his transgression was inflicted on him.
In discoursing on this event, we would call your attention to,
a Jam. i. 14, 15.
250.] achan's guilt and punishment. 575
I. His guilt —
This act of his had been perpetrated with so much caution, that it was unperceived by any human being. The consequences of it were felt in the divine dis- pleasure ; but what evil had been committed, or by whom, no one knew. How then was it detected ? How was the offence brought home to Achan ? His guilt must be proved, before he can be punished : nay, there must be two witnesses, or testimony equivalent to that of two witnesses, before he can be put to death b. Behold then by what means his guilt was ascertained : it was proved,
1. From unquestionable testimony—
[Though the matter was altogether hidden from man, it was known to the omniscient, omnipresent God. " The darkness is no darkness to him ; but the night and the day are both alike." God's eye was upon him, whilst he thought that no eye could see him : and God himself gave the information against him. He declared to Joshua what the true reason was of his displeasure, and of Israel's defeat. But though he revealed the fact, he did not name the person that had committed it, but left that to be discovered in a way more impressive to the nation, and more merciful to the offender, (inasmuch as it gave him time for repentance and voluntary acknowledgment,) summoning the whole nation, as it were, before him, first, by their tribes, that he might point out to which tribe the offender belonged ; then, by their families ; then, by their households ; and lastly, by their individual per- sons : and thus by four successive lots he fastened upon Achan as the guilty person. Never was there a more striking com- ment than this on those words of David, " Evil shall hunt the wicked man to overthrow himc." The offender was out of sight ; but his steps were traced with unerring certainty : the first lot shewed, that his scent, if I may so express myself, was found ; and, when found, was followed with undeviating steadi- ness, and irresistible rapidity ; till at last the criminal was seized, a lawful prey, a just victim to the divine displeasure.]