Stoning Your Sin in the Valley of Achor
The death of Achan is one of the more gory tales of the Bible. The harsh punishment meted out, not only on the man, but also on his whole family, may seem at least primitive, if not excessive. But as you ponder this story, don’t overlook Joshua’s threefold strategy to fight sin.
The Story of Achan
For those who are rusty on the story of Achan, let’s do a quick review. The Israelites, led by Joshua, have just crossed into the promised land. Jericho, the ancient and powerful city, fell (literally) to their legions. Now Joshua sends a small ‘strike-force’ out to conquer the tiny village of Ai. When his army returns, Joshua is shocked – they have been completely routed. He cries out to God, who says, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned…”
Joshua soon finds the perpetrator – Achan, the son of Carmi. When he asks what he did, Achan confesses that, rather than destroy everything as commanded, he took three things from the city of Jericho – a beautiful Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold that weighs 50 shekels. This would be the ancient equivalent of a custom-tailored suit, over $1000 worth of silver, and a chunk of gold worth over $21,000!
Joshua sends a messenger who finds the goods buried in the ground under Achan’s tent. The punishment is speedy and severe: “Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.”[1]
First Strategy: Be Ruthless
Joshua’s strategy toward sin in the camp was not one of forgiveness, but ruthlessness. He could not tolerate it. It wasn’t because Joshua was vindicative, but because the success of the entire nation depended on purity. One sinner, like Achan, could prevent God from blessing the people, and result in military disaster – or worse! Joshua did not give Achan a second chance. He dealt with the offender swiftly.
Second Strategy: Leave No Trace
Joshua left no trace of disobedience in the camp. Not only was Achan, the direct perpetrator, executed, but so was his whole family. They were indirectly guilty, because (we may assume) he would not have been able to dig a hole under his tent without their knowledge. Their silence about his sin made them accomplices.
Achan, and everything that he had, was entirely exterminated. Not only was he stoned, but afterward his remains were burnt with fire, and huge stones covered him. Not a trace of his sin was to remain. Nothing could pollute the camp of Israel, which was dedicated to the cause of the Lord.
Third Strategy: Remember the Effects
Achan was not forgotten. His story lived on in three ways. First, the valley that he was executed in was named ‘Achor,’ or ‘trouble,’ because he had troubled the nation of Israel. From that point on, the valley was a constant reminder of the trouble that one man’s sin had caused.
Achan was buried beneath a huge pile of stones. Anyone who passed by would see those stones, and remember who was buried beneath them, and why. It was a powerful deterrent.
And of course, the story of Achan was recorded in the book of Joshua for all future readers. We still remember how much trouble he caused his nation. Achan’s sin did not just affect himself. It had profound consequences.
The Old and the New
When we shift into the New Testament, we see an unfolding of God’s plan for the world. In the case of Achan, no substitute was held up for sin. Today, there is a substitute held up for sin – Jesus Christ! Without him, every sin against God would result in the sinner, personally, receiving the same judgment as Achan. Praise God for a substitute!
In the New Testament, we realize that God is not working on a single nation, but in his people all throughout the world. Perhaps the Old Testament focus was purity in the camp; now it is purity in one’s life. The story of Achan is not a call to stone sinners, but a call to deal with personal sin. It is a reminder that sin will destroy our lives and eternal souls, just as it threatened to destroy the nation of Israel. Joshua’s strategy is as real today as ever: a call to deal with sin in our own lives ruthlessly, to leave no trace of it, and to always remember its deadly effects.
[1] Joshua 7:24-26
Great observations, thanks for this. Also reminds me of Phinehas when he struck down Zimri and Cozbi for the sake of holiness before God. These old testament stories are so inspiring.
Very insightful. I’ve not considered the fact that the family was a part of the sin by concealing and not exposing it for the Bible says that he that knows what is good and doesn’t do it, it becomes sin
Very eye opening. The covering of the sin by Achans family directly caused the deaths of the group that went to Ai, robbing the camp of able bodied fighters in Gods plan. Also robbing their families of sons and brothers, but most importantly shaking the faith of the people. Sounds brutal when you first encounter this but it makes me appreciate the grace of our saviour even more.
Thank for the guidance for one’s life through the Old and New Testament of God’s will for our life. I’m researching Joshua and this fits my question to the answer. This also makes me think about how precious life is in the LORD.
Thank you for pointing out Truth in this chapter. Very humbling and convicting.
Our Saviour, Jesus Christ; to Him we bow with thanksgiving!
Thank you so much ,am extremely humbled and totally blessed, any sin leading to God’s army fleeing required zero tolerance, used to view it as too brutal but now I rest my case, thank you Jesus for saving me from being an Achan!
Thank you. I am reading Joshua. I thought it was brutal but when you explain it, it make sense. The part about Jesus that really make sense and made me go Amen, because if Jesus had not came down to take our sins majority of us including me would be Achan.
After reading the story of Achan and the Valley of Achor I am so glad for Jesus and His forgiveness. Without Him I’d be stoned like Achan and his family. I have to praise the Lord…over and over again.