MeaghanMcGann

Dr.Graves
OldTestament
14June2013

LessonsfromtheOldTestament
Joshua7:13
Go,consecratethepeople.Tellthem,Consecrateyourselvesinpreparationfortomorrowfor
thisiswhattheLORD,theGodofIsrael,says:Thatwhichisdevotedamongyou,OIsrael.You
cannotstandagainstyourenemiesuntilyouremoveit.
ThroughouttheOldTestamenttheIsraelitesgothroughaconstantcycleofsin,
repentanceanddeliverance.Thiscycleoccursallthroughouttheirwildernesswanderingswith
MosesandJoshuaintothetimeoftheJudgesandbeyond.InthebookofJoshua,theLORD
deliversJerichointotheIsraeliteshands,demonstratingwhatapowerfulandawesomeGodHe
is,whenalmostimmediatelytheyfallintosinagain.TheLORDhadcommandedthatallthe
plunderfromthecityofJerichowastobesacredtotheLORDandmustgointoHis
treasury(Joshua6:19),butanIsraelitenamedAchandisobeyed.Hetooksomeoftheplunder
fromthecityofJerichoandhiditamonghisownpossessions.SowhentheIsraeliteswentto
attackAi,aboutthreethousandmenwentupbuttheywereroutedbythemenofAi(Joshua
7:4).ForthisonemanssinallofIsraelsufferedamilitarydefeat,includingsomedeaths.
Furthermore,theywouldnotbeinGodsfavoragainuntilAchanconfessedandwaspunished
beforethewholeassembly.
InclasswhenwelearnedaboutAchanIrememberthinkinghowharshitwasthatGod
punishedalltheIsraelitesforonemanssin.Ididntunderstandwhyitwassuchabigdealtothe

wholeentirecommunitythatonemanhadtakenandhiddensomeplunderfromacitythathehad
helpeddefeat.Whydideveryonehavetosuffersoharshlyforsomemissingloot?
LateronthatweekIhadaconversationwithmybrother(whoisaUnitLeaderthis
summer)abouthisHoneyRockexperience.Hetalkedabouthowhewishedthatduringhistime
herehehadtakentheopportunitytobemorevulnerablewithinthiscommunity.Hetoldmethat
opennessandvulnerabilityarereallyhardtocomeby,butthattheyarevitaltothegrowthand
successofcommunity.Heencouragedmetotakefulladvantageofthisrareopportunitytodo
lifewithacommunitythathasacommongoalandtobeopensothatIcanbeaccountable.
Istartedthinkingabouthowharditistobevulnerable.Mostpeople,especiallyin
Americanculture,doeverythingtheycantoavoidvulnerability.Independenceishighly
esteemedandvulnerabilityandopennessappearweak.Sooften,whenIhavetoopportunityto
sharelifeinawaythatwillmakemevulnerable,Ihesitateorclampup.Mypridegetsintheway
andcausesmetocloseanyopendoorstheremighthavebeen.This,Ivebeguntorealize,isnot
atallconducivetotheprosperityofeffectivecommunity!Itisextremelydifficulttogrowfrom
mistakesifmoreeffortisputintohidingthemthantocorrectingtheerror.Inclasstheotherday
youstatedthatsoofteneveryoneisactingforeachotherandthatkillscommunity.Im
learningthatpartofthebeautyofcommunityislivingoutandworkingthroughthehardand
uglythingsinlifetogether.Ratherthanhideourimperfectionsandfaultsweshouldbringthem
outintotheopensothatwecankeepeachotheraccountable.Accountabilityissuchanecessary
factorforgrowth,butitisimpossibletoremainaccountablewhenweareunawareofeach
othershurtsandhangups.
IhadbeenthinkingthroughallthisforacoupleofdayswhenIrememberedthestoryof

Achan.IrealizedthatAchanhadbeendoingwhatIknowIsooftendo.Hehaddirectly
disobeyedGodscommandmentandthen
hiddenhissin
fromtheIsraelitecommunity.Thatis
whytheIsraelitescannotstandagainsttheirenemies....Iwillnotbewithyouanymoreunlessyou
destroywhateveramongyouisdevotedtodestruction(Joshua7:12).Achanshiddensinwas
literallydestroyingtheIsraelitecommunity.Theywouldnotwininbattleuntilthewhole
communityhadcomecleanbeforetheLORD.Becauseonemansinned,thewholecommunity
hadtobeconsecrated.Whenwesin,wedontjustaffectourselves,weaffectthewhole
community.Hidingsiniskindofliketellingourselvesitsnotthatbigofadeal.Wetrick
ourselvesintothinkingthatwecancontinuedoingthissinbecausetherearenoconsequencesas
longasnoonefindsout.Byhidingoursinweareactuallymakingitawholelotworsebecause
weleavenoroomforrepentanceandgrowth.
Partofvulnerabilitywithincommunityisbringingoursinsoutintotheopen.Achanhid
hissinandindoingsocausedsufferingwithinthewholeIsraelitecommunity.Mysinswillhurt
otherswhetherIrealizeitornot.IhavetheawesomeopportunityatHoneyRocktobeopen
aboutmystrugglesandtriumphsandtohavepeoplesupportmeandholdmeaccountable
throughthem.Ihavetwochoices:Icaneitherhidemysinsandcontinueplayactingforthis
community,orIcantakethischancetobevulnerableandgrowinpursuitofacommongoalhere
withmybrothersandsistersatHoneyRock.ItismyhopeandprayerthatGodwillprovideme
withthecouragetochoosethelatter.