To Each His Own - NOT!

Is it of any consequence that Israel enjoyed such unprecedented military superiority (as seen in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading) following their purging themselves of the likes of Achan?  Has ever a story more inspired us to follow God and His ways purging ourselves and our community of sin?

 

It is a recorded Biblical fact that Israel as a whole (at God's notice about Achan's sin) refused to adopt the idea of "to each his own" and, subsequently reaped great blessing in the form of military victory and material acquisition.  In God's eyes, what Achan did was not "his own business" but was in fact the business of Israel as a whole.

 

It is no wonder then that the church today, living in a society ravaged by sinfulness, is powerless!  God has never allowed Himself to dwell in the midst of sin and He never will - His holiness has not changed.  God's power on behalf of His people will not manifest in the presence of sin.  The church can make all the noise it wants to, but until it has purged itself and its community of sin in the camp, powerlessness and defeat will be the order of the day.  It will not 'get better' but only worsen as time progresses!

 

Only when Israel obeyed God to rid themselves of Achan and his entire family did they once again realize victory - and according to today's OYCB reading, what a victory it was!

 

By the way, Israel did not simply 'say' they changed their minds and therefore everything magically became good... No, they were proactive, first to obediently exterminate Achan, then to obediently proceed to conquer Canaan against insurmountable odds (as they were grossly outnumbered).

 

Argue the Jesus must be factored in if you will, and indeed factored in He must be, but never doubt for a moment that God cannot tolerate sin and will not dwell in its midst!

 

Father, I realize this society in which I live has very much become a "to each his own" society and, as such, has left true justice as a remnant thought of days long past.  I can also see that Your manifest power on our behalf is but wishful thinking as long as we sit in apathy and complacency.  Forgive me first as I have harbored sin in my heart.  Then help me to live proactively in opposition to sin, presenting Jesus, and fostering revival.