IT was a day of victory among the armies of Israel. Jordan had been crossed, and the goodly land of Canaan reached. The stronghold of Jericho had fallen; its huge walls crumbling to dust at the blast of the trumpets of the priests of God, and Israel had marched into the captured city in triumph. Surely every heart would be glad, and overflowing with praise to God, for the great things His hand had wrought. But it was not so. There was one man there who had his eye on something else. Achan saw among the spoils of the city a wedge of gold, two hundred shekels of silver, and a Babylonish garment of beauty and worth, and his heart coveted them. He wanted to have them as his own, and disregarding the commandment of the Lord, that the silver and gold should be gathered into His treasury, and all else burned up with fire, Achan quietly wrapped them up and buried them in his tent. But God would not allow sin thus to remain unjudged. He caused a defeat to be given to His army, in order that they might search their ways, and Joshua was told by God that there was an accursed thing in their midst. Solemn it must have been to see the great company gathered before the Lord the following day, to make inquisition who was the guilty one. How Achan must have trembled, as nearer and nearer came the lot to him. First his tribe, next his family, then his household, and finally he himself was singled out from the vast congregation, and set up before them all. He was asked to tell what he had done, and out of his own mouth he was condemned. There before them all he was unmasked, exposed, and stoned to death in the Valley of Achor. His sin could not be hid, for God had said, "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Num. 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)). Often as I think of that scene in the Valley of Achor, my mind reverts to another day which is yet to come. I mean the Judgment-day, when the sinner's sin will be unearthed, and his hidden guilt disclosed before the Judge of all the earth.
How will it be with you on that day, reader? Have you hidden sins? Do you act the hypocrite? Are you living in secret sin, and at the same time professing to be a Christian? Then I tell you, if they are not pardoned before, they will be brought up for judgment then. They cannot longer be hid. God will bring the hidden things to light and justice, and judgment will pass the sentence. But it need not thus be with you. Achan had no offer of mercy: no day or grace was given to him. God has given both to you. He has sent you a message of grace, and made a way of escape. If you reject it, your doom in hell will be infinitely worse than the man who died in the Valley of Achor that day.