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The Lesson of Ai

Joshua 7:1-5, NIV

1 But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD's anger burned against Israel.
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, "Go up and spy out the region." So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, "Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there."
4 So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,
5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

After miraculously crossing the Jordan River, the Israelites attacked Ai, riding on the momentum gained by their victory over Jericho, which they thought was impossible. Ai was a very small city compared to Jericho. However, Israel?셲 attack on Ai failed, and the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

1. Achan?셲 sin.
The reason for the failure in their attack was because Achan disobeyed God?셲 command. God commanded Israel to offer Him all the plunder of Jericho (Jos 6:17). However, Achan disobeyed God?셲 command and secretly hid a beautiful robe from Babylonia and silver and gold. Achan?셲 sin caused suffering to all the people of Israel (Ro 5:12, 19). There should be no dishonesty before the Lord. The reason our minds are painful and oppressed is because of our sin, because we do not live according to the Word (Jas 2:22) but for our own profit (Col 3:5). We should burn the Achan in our minds with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Overcoming sin every day, we need to march forward toward the Land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey.

2. Joshua?셲 carelessness and pride.
Joshua?셲 carelessness and pride contributed to the failure of the attack on Ai. When Israel conquered Jericho, they woke up early in the morning to pray and marched around Jericho for a week, obeying God?셲 Word. However, when they went to attack Ai, they did not pray or obey the Word or wake up early in the morning. According to his judgment, Joshua sent spies into Ai and acted according to their opinions. Their minds became arrogant (1Co 10:12). When we forget the grace of God, we become arrogant. However, when we remember God?셲 grace, we become humble (1Co 15:9-10). A crisis may come up after experiencing victory, revival, grace, and blessing (1Co 10:12). We should rise up from the seat of pride and go toward the seat of humility in order to experience continuous grace, blessing, and victory.

3. A leader who prays to God.
Joshua did not despair. He got up from the place of failure and bowed down before God to pray (Jos 7:6). When we need help while we are in despair, sorrow, failure, and guilt, we should bow down before the Cross of Jesus. Prayer is the path of blessing which helps us experience God?셲 grace to solve problems and to recover (Jer 33:3). Through prayer, Hannah received Samuel, Hezekiah?셲 life was extended, and Paul and Silas were freed from prison. Let us be the children of God who experience God?셲 mercy and compassion through the prayer of humility and tenacity (Ps 34:18; 51:17).

4. God gives us a second chance.
God gave Joshua, who repented of his sin and held fast to the Lord, a chance to conquer Ai and a concrete plan to win (Jos 8:1-7). Obeying the Word, Israel gained a great victory. God wants us, the people of the Lord, to get up and gain victory and glory. When we fail, we should not fall into disappointment but start again. If we do not give up but make a fresh start, God will give us a crown of victory.

Do you want to turn failure into success? I pray that you will repent and eliminate the Achan in your mind, and start a new life in the name of the Lord (1Jn 1:9).