Context No. 4189 of 4322 · Joshua

Joshua 7:10-15: in context

10The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that? 11Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff. 12Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for the LORD, the God of Israel, says, “There is a devoted thing among you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.” 14In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which the LORD selects shall come near by families. The family which the LORD selects shall come near by households. The household which the LORD selects shall come near man by man. 15It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the LORD’s covenant, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

After Israel's shocking defeat at Ai, Joshua lies before God in dismay, and God tells him plainly why: Israel has sinned; someone has taken what was devoted to destruction and hidden it, and until that sin is dealt with, Israel cannot stand before their enemies. Get up, God says; there is a hidden thing among you, and you cannot stand until you remove it.

One man's hidden sin had brought defeat on the whole community. There is a sobering truth here about hidden sin. Achan's theft was secret; no one knew but him. Yet it did not stay contained; it sapped the strength of the whole nation, so that they could not stand before their enemies. Hidden, unconfessed sin has real effects, on the sinner and often on those around them. And God will not simply overlook it; he says plainly, you cannot stand until you deal with it. We can carry hidden sin, thinking it concealed and contained, but it does not stay contained; it saps our spiritual strength and hinders our walk with God. The way forward is not to hide the sin further, but to bring it into the light, confess it, and remove it.

Is there hidden sin sapping my spiritual strength, which I have kept concealed, thinking it contained, and will I heed God's word that I cannot stand until I deal with it, bringing it into the light and removing it rather than hiding it further?

Sources

Joshua 7:11: "Israel has sinned... they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived."
Joshua 7:13: "You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you."
Joshua 7:10: "The LORD said to Joshua, Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that?"