1. Joshua 6-7

2.  And the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given into your hand Jericho, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark; and on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets. (Joshua 6:2-4 RSV)

3.  And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him." (Joshua 6:5 RSV)

4.  But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction, and bring trouble upon it. But all silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are sacred to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD." (Joshua 6:18-19 RSV)

5.  But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things; for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel. (Joshua 7:1 RSV)

6.  Unexpected (vs.3)  Complete (vs. 4)  Humbling (vs. 8)  Needful (Vs. 10-13)

7.  Then Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord GOD, why hast thou brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! (Joshua 7:6-8 RSV)

8.  Desire (vs. 21)  Disobedience (vs. 1)  Detection (vs. 18)  Destruction (vs. 25)

9.  Israel was defeated at Ai.  At least 36 innocent men lost their lives.  Achan lost his life and everything he owned.  Achan’s family was destroyed.

10.  I cannot hide my sin from God. (Num. 32:23)  My sins can hurt other people including my family.  Past faithfulness does not guarantee success for the present.  Sin destroys my relationship with God. (Isa. 59:1,2)  God always keeps His Word.  My sin will always cost more than I can pay!

11.  Handfuls on Purpose – Volume 2 – Page 82- 84 – Smith-Lee  Keil and Deilitzch Commentary on Joshua  Tyndale Handbook of Bible Charts & Maps – 2001 – Map – Tyndale House Publishers