3/25/2021 Joshua 7:22-26

“Hate sin intensely”

SCRIPTURE
Joshua 7:26. He built a huge pile of stones on top of it, and it was there until today. When Jehovah stopped his fierce anger, he called it the Valley of Agol until today.

OBSERVATION

Summary
Joshua found the things Achan hid in his tent and burned all his children, livestock, and possessions. And Israelites stoned at Achan and his entire family,

Who is God
• God abhors sin intensely.
• God wants to remove the slightest sin in our lives.
• God is furious about sin.
• In the Valley of Agol, Jesus was executed like Achan.

APPLICATION

All that belonged to Achan were burned and stoned to kill. Then God’s fierce anger stopped. In fact, in a way, the sin committed by Achan may not seem to be such a great crime. It was just a Babylonian mink coat and some valuables. But God was still so angry and wanted to remove them.

How to deal with our sins? Should we go to the Valley of Agar like Achan and burn everything that belongs to us? Very gratefully, Jesus went to the valley of Agor and was killed miserably bearing our sins and stopped God’s fierce anger. I should learn to hate sin, which causes God’s fierce anger.

However, the Agol Valley was initially called the Valley of Pain but is later described as the land of rest and the gate of hope in the Bible. On the cross of suffering, Jesus took all our sins and died in the fury of God like Achan. But for those who come to Jesus and repent in His name, the cross symbolizes rest and hope.

Hate fiercely even a minor sin, confess for sure, and be forgiven in Jesus’ name and receive the life full of rest and hope. I pray that the Holy Spirit will give me a heart that hates even a minor sin in my heart, in my words and conducts. If I love Jesus, who died as miserably as Achan to forgive my sins, I should hate sin intensely.

• Sin to avoid: I repent that I do not hate intensely my sin that I consider insignificant.
• Promise to hold: If I confess sins in the name of Jesus, God will forgive me.
• Action to take place: Hate even the most minor sin, which could bring God’s fierce anger.

PRAYER
My God, you hate even the most minor sin. Jesus, you died miserably like Achan bearing my sin. Thank you for your infinite grace of forgiveness. Let me hate even the most minor sin I can think of. Please remind me of a bit of sin and help me throw it away immediately and surely.