失敗的原因和補救
約書亞記七章1至11節
1以色列人在當滅的物上犯了罪；因為猶大支派中，謝拉的曾孫，撒底的孫子，迦米的兒子亞干取了當滅的物；耶和華的怒氣就向以色列人發作。
2當下，約書亞從耶利哥打發人往伯特利東邊、靠近伯亞文的艾城去，吩咐他們說：你們上去窺探那地。他們就上去窺探艾城。
3他們回到約書亞那裡，對他說：眾民不必都上去，只要二三千人上去就能攻取艾城；不必勞累眾民都去，因為那裡的人少。
4於是民中約有三千人上那裡去，竟在艾城人面前逃跑了。
5艾城的人擊殺了他們三十六人，從城門前追趕他們，直到示巴琳，在下坡殺敗他們；眾民的心就消化如水。
6約書亞便撕裂衣服；他和以色列的長老把灰撒在頭上，在耶和華的約櫃前俯伏在地，直到晚上。
7約書亞說：哀哉！主耶和華阿，你為甚麼竟領這百姓過約但河，將我們交在亞摩利人的手中，使我們滅亡呢？我們不如住在約但河那邊倒好。
8主阿，以色列人既在仇敵面前轉背逃跑，我還有甚麼可說的呢？
9迦南人和這地一切的居民聽見了就必圍困我們，將我們的名從地上除滅。那時你為你的大名要怎樣行呢？
10耶和華吩咐約書亞說：起來！你為何這樣俯伏在地呢？
11以色列人犯了罪，違背了我所吩咐他們的約，取了當滅的物；又偷竊，又行詭詐，又把那當滅的放在他們的家具裡。
信息分享
我們先前查考約書亞記的經文，看見以色列民凡事都遵從神的吩咐而行，所以，他們順利渡過了約旦河，又在吉甲行了割禮和守了逾越節，再成功攻陷耶利哥城。可是，來到這一章，他們卻連一個小城也不能攻破，而且，更慘敗得落荒而逃。究竟是何原因？約書亞和眾長老只有俯伏在神的面前，求神讓他們知道究竟出了甚麼問題。
以色列民之所以失敗，首先是因為他們過分自信。當他們知道艾城只是個小城，便心存輕視，認為只要出動三千民就能將它攻破。他們之所以估計錯誤，可能是因為他們認為自己連耶利哥城也能攻破，便以為自己很有實力；但他們卻忘了，他們能取得耶利哥城，完全是出於神的能力，與他們無關。
其次，他們在進攻艾城之前，似乎沒有尋求神的帶領。他們若尋求神的心意，神或許會讓他們知道有人犯了罪。他們若先處理罪的問題，便不會落得慘敗。
第三，也是最重要的原因，就是他們當中有人犯罪。我們可以從經文中得知事件的詳情。一個人犯罪，結果連累了全民。神在第11節說：「以色列人犯了罪」；換言之，在神眼中，犯罪的不僅是一人，而是所有人。一個人犯罪，往往會連累大家。
亞干究竟犯了甚麼罪呢？我們從第21節看到，他因為看見敵人的財物，而起了貪念，於是便違背了神的命令，私自把財物取去。
亞干後悔已經太遲了。他的罪已導致全民大敗，36個同胞無辜犧牲。一個人的自私行為，禍延了他人。人若違背神的命令，故意犯罪，就只能承受當得的刑罰。
把罪隱藏，只會帶來失敗；只有認罪和除罪，才會有得勝的可能。這是一個不變的真理。但感謝神，因祂給予信徒一個寶貴的應許：「若有人認自己的罪，神是信實的，必赦免那人的罪。」(約壹一9)
DEFEAT - ITS CAUSE AND CURE
Joshua 7:1-11
1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel.
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the country.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.”
4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord GOD, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!
8 O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies?
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”
The Sin of Achan
10 So the LORD said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?
11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.
Message
Did you notice the first word in this chapter? 'But' - that one word almost tells the whole story. So far the Children of Israel had been wonderfully victorious. They had crossed the flooded Jordan River. They had stopped at Gilgal and observed the Passover over again. They had conquered Jericho. BUT - now they were running for their lives from the gates of one of the smallest towns they ever faced. More than that, Joshua and the elders were down on their faces before God not knowing what had gone wrong.
What had happened? First of all they were full of self-confidence. 'We only need a few men to defeat this little place', they said. They were wrong if they thought that they had defeated Jericho by their own numbers and not by the power of God.
Secondly. There does not seem to have been any prayer for guidance. If they had prayed, God may have revealed the sin that was already in the camp. Then they would never have been defeated.
Thirdly, and worst of all, there was sin in the camp. You will find the whole story in the rest of the chapter. The actions of one man brought the whole camp to defeat. God said in verse 11, 'Israel has sinned'. No just one man - all were involved as far as God was concerned. One man's sin can easily affect others.
What was Achan's sin or perhaps it ought to be 'sins'? Look at verse 21. He coveted something that he saw. He took what he had seen, although God had said no-one was to take anything out of Jericho. Then he hid what he had taken.
Too late Achan repented of what he had done. The sin of disobedience had to be punished. Hidden sin brought defeated to all Israel and 36 men died. No-one lives to himself. What we do affects the lives of others.
Sin concealed brought defeated. Sin revealed brought conviction. Sin confessed and put away brought victory. It is still the same today. We are dealing with the same God. But his promise to us is wonderful. 'If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive.'