ACCURSED THING
Joshua 7

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Exodus 20:17) Not to covet is among the Ten Commandments that were given by God. In all of the Ten Commandments, there is none that can, or should, be taken very lightly, because the consequences are far too much to tolerate. God has given His word and He will never lower the standard of expectation from His children. The children of Israel had just delivered a great blow of defeat over Jericho; they were on a roll, with wars of conquest and expansion because the Lord was on their side. In their attempt to fight the people of Ai, their spying report suggested that Ai was going to be a walk over and there would not be a need for huge number of men for war. “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.” (Joshua 7:4-5) The children of Israel had violated God’s command; they have failed to obey what the Lord had told them not to do. Joshua inquired from God and God responded, “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..” (Joshua 7:11) Covetousness will cause a man to touch or take an accursed thing; accursed things will lead to stealing and deception. God says do not covet, when you covet you will regret. “When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.” (Joshua 7:21) Are you consciously or unconsciously coveting? It is clear that a silent sin will deliver a loud consequence. The offender did it silently, but it brought a loud defeat upon all the children of Israel. As a result of the sin of covetousness, “…The children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.” (Joshua 7:12) Do not sin, so you do not loose the presence of God.
 
Prayer for today: Daddy I ask that you deliver me from every conscious and unconscious way of disobeying your word, in Jesus name. Amen.