A Passage of Scripture I'm Not Fond Of

So, today I was reading Joshua 7. It's the one that talks about Achan and how he was killed for lying, stealing, etc. etc. His sin cost him his life and cost Israel a victory in battle. Yeah...it's not one of my favorite passages of scripture! It's one that makes me cringe when I read it. No warm fuzzies.

Ready for MORE honesty?! I have reason not to like this passage. I've seen it used within the church as proof to judge and punish someone who has sinned. In fact, I've personally been on the 'receiving' end of that position. It's no fun. Yep. Not one of my favorite passages of scripture.

ALL the more reason for me to read it and to ask God his opinion on the passage. It can be really easy to skip over difficult passages of scripture. It can be easy to just skim them and not ponder them at all. But it is still God's word. I want to know why he said what he said. Soooo, I took it to the Lord in all my glorious honesty this morning. I walked right up to him with my big, stinking pile of questions...and asked him to explain it to me. Here's some of what He shared with me:

...My word, yes even the hard words in the Old AND New Covenant, are a rock for your feet….not a stone to throw at your brother. This is where much error has happened in my body. They take the sword of truth and stab and wound one another. They take that which should be bedrock and throw it in righteous indignation…self righteous indignation…but many of them not knowing it. Many are sincere thinking they are doing what is right. Do not fault them, child.

...Achan tried to take things that belonged to me…things that were to be dedicated to me for use in my holy temple. During that day, child, the tabernacle was still around and many of the things in it were used for treasury in Israel. It was actually for their good to bring things into the storehouse. I could see down the road. I knew that one day Solomon would build his temple. If they would bring things in NOW, they would have apart to play THEN, in future generations…in one of the greatest things to ever be built. The gold and silver and jewels were to be used in my house for Me…but also to be used to glorify my name in all the earth….and in so doing, exalting Israel above all other nations. You see, they wouldn’t need to steal or beg or borrow…nations would flock to them! They would see that there is no God like the God of Israel…much like they did in Solomon’s day. Think of the Queen of Sheba. See how she flocked to him. See how the nations feared Israel. This was my plan from the start. If my people, like Achan, would trust me when the gold is not yet dedicated for a holy purpose, if they could see beyond themselves, then they could be a part of the great picture, the big picture that I was to do in the earth. Their reward then, would not be seen right then and there...it would be for future generations. This is a hard choice for many because they want to live in the right now. I want ‘right now’ blessings for all my children, child. They are part of my plan. But blessed is the man who can look for the ‘not yet’ and know that his prize is greater. Yes! Much like Abraham. He looked to a day to come, for a city not yet, who’s builder an d maker was ME. And he is blessed among men, is he not?

Yes, Lord J. The Father of our FAITH.

 Yes, this really is the issue at hand here with Achan. Faith. Faith to trust. Faith to see

...Child, buried among my people are many, many treasures that are given for the purpose of glorifying me. This is the same story as the talents. It is the exact same child. In the old covenant, Achen stole the treasure because they were not yet given by the outpouring of my Spirit. In the New Covenant, the talents are freely given to all because my Spirit has been out poured and he gives good gifts to all of my children…not just a select few. Still, the issue of heart is the same.  Both men who received punishment in the stories buried their treasure. They hid it among the people. You see child, buried among the body of Christ are many, many treasures. This is one reason why I told you you must have an excavators spirit…to dig things out of the earth that have been hidden. Many people, though, will stand before me in that day and I will tell them plainly that they buried, stole, hoarded the gifts that I gave them…the things that were to be dedicated for my holy purpose. It will be a day of great weeping and gnashing of teeth…a day of great loss, child. Rewards will be given to those who had eyes to see the future and not just the today.