Hi, Elijah here:
Joshua 7: (in part)
[1] But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, ... took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.
OK: Take note here that the Godhead used the Inspiration of the WHOLE of Israel as being responsible! It should have been stopped in its tracks, as it mentioned above. Family, and the Leadership would have been warned that something was wrong at the morning worship sacrifice site.
[2] And Joshua sent men ... for they are but few.
[4] So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
[5] And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
OK: God was not with Israel. That can clearly be seen. Yet, we see what took place when the Lord was (is) not considered in an required way by (us) leadership. Note Ex. 25:8. Note Joshua 9:14 in another instance. And Joshua 9:13-15.
[6] And Joshua 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.
[7] And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
[8] O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
[9] 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?
This is just part of the story. Joshua should have detected that the Lord had not been taken into 'full' consideration before they went out to battle! See Num. 9:15 on. Yet, from here we see the other part of the real issue clearly documented.
[10] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
[11]Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
Again we see the results of being a Partaker of sin. Even the USA laws see the driver of the get away car as guilty as the ones robbing the bank. Yet, realize that this was a hidden sin even. Also pay apt attention as to why we see today the Abomination of the earth ones recorded in Rev. 17:5.
[12] Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
OK: We say that we believe God. He says that He is the same today, tomorrow and forever. And we are living in the last of tomorrows of earth as we see it. And again.. over & over we read Rev. 17:5 that has the mother & daughters harlots which are the abomination of the earth ones. Do we believe it? Now: WHY are they such? And Rev. 18:4 finds us in membership with this, even OPENLY knowing that most of the doctrines are false. Do we believe that we are PARTAKERS??? If not, then we best understand that Matt. 25 is the MIDNIGHT CRY for us to WAKE UP! Got that?? NO? Well then, notice that the Door was shut!
The above verse states an Eternal Fact.. 'neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed thing from amoung you.' So one best come to gripes to who it is that is with these ones of Rev. 17:5!? See Rev. 3:9. Ask yourself that when Christ leaves, who now takes over? And seeing that they are powerless of Christ, that they all become in need of the power of Caesar to again execute Christ & His own. Heb. 6:6. We have NO KING but Caesar is the history to be repeated.
[13] Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
[14] In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
OK: We see several thoughts being brought forth here. First let us consider the 'next' day. (in the morning) The guilty party had a day to consider repenting. He knew full well what the consequences were to not do so. Not to just himself, but to the ones that he loved?? His wife, his children. Also notice next we see the tribe was chosen, then the family, and then the household, and ended by choosing the men & then the man. The point is: God gave him every opportunity to repent before he was singled out. He was unreachable! (as are the Rev. 17:5 ones at their climax)
...
[16] So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
...
[18] And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
[19] And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
[20] And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
[21] When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
[22] So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
[23] And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.
[24] And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
[25] And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
[26] And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
Again: At the final end of earth's history, every knee will acknowledge that they had sinned. Their probation is over as with Achan. His repentance was as Judas, it came not only late, but way to late, and with NO GODLY SORROW. Even while knowing what his families fate was to be. (Wow! That should make us think what we mom & dads let our kids do while we claim to love them)
And the Valley of Achor?? God states that He will give the Valley of Achor for a door of hope in. Hosea 3:15. How so?? Notice that the whole of Israel took part in this putting away sin. Then compare Christ's Words of Matt. 18:15-18 for the only hope that all the Rev. 17:5 ones once had! But instead they ALL end up as THE ABOMINATION OF THE EARTH instead. What is New? God asks. Eccl. 1:9-10 & Eccl. 3:15
But it is not all over yet, so what are you going to do with Rev. 18:4??? Remember Rev. 12:17's only Saved at this time are these.. 'Remnant' are keepers of the 'Testimony of Jesus' and 'which keep the Commandments OF GOD'!!
One day I am going to crack the Elijah Code :wink3
