The valley of Achor is mentioned five times in the Word of God, and it is associated with very negative but also positive connotations. The first two references to this valley are in Joshua 7, in connection with a very solemn event in the history of Israel. After spending 40 years wandering in the wilderness, Israel was finally ready to enter the land of Canaan, and accordingly they crossed the Jordan river. In Joshua 6, they conquered the city of Jericho, and Jehovah’s specific instructions were to “keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord” (Josh. 6:18-1918And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. (Joshua 6:18‑19)). In spite of this serious and very clear command, one man was overcome by covetousness, and he took “a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight” (Josh. 7:2121When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. (Joshua 7:21)). More than this, he hid them in the earth in his tent, thinking that no one would know. As a result of this sin, Israel subsequently suffered defeat at the hands of those from a small place called Ai, and 36 men were killed. The Lord’s words to Joshua showed him the reason for this: “Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you” (Josh. 7:1313Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. (Joshua 7:13)).
The Sin of Achan
The casting of lots was ordered by the Lord and put the finger clearly on a man named Achan, who confessed to the crime and even admitted, “I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel” (Josh. 7:2020And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: (Joshua 7:20)). But it was a forced confession, after he had failed to confess his sin properly in the face of the dishonor done to the Lord and the dreadful consequences to the nation. Human wisdom might think that Achan could be forgiven and allowed another chance, but his sin, like that of the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day, was direct and willful disobedience to the Lord. More than this, Achan hid his sin and did not confess it until he was exposed by the Lord Himself. It is a principle with God that if sins are confessed immediately, the judgment is much less severe than if the individual persists in it and conceals it. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:1313He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)).
The awful judgment on Achan and his family took place in the valley of Achor, where we read that “all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day” (Josh. 7:25-2625And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 26And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. (Joshua 7:25‑26)). The valley was so named, because Achor means “trouble.” But the sin was removed, and then Israel was able to overcome Ai and destroy it completely.
Judah’s Inheritance
Later on, in Joshua, we read once again of this valley, for in Joshua 15:77And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel: (Joshua 15:7), we find that part of the border of the tribe of Judah’s inheritance went beside the valley of Achor. How sad to think of a man from this very tribe, who might have had an inheritance there, but who merited nothing more than a heap of stones! So, it is today; men who might share an inheritance with Christ, if they would repent and come to Him, will fall under His judgment and go into a lost eternity.
However, we find two later references to the valley of Achor. In Isaiah 65:1010And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. (Isaiah 65:10) we read, “Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for My people that have sought Me.” In the beginning of this chapter, we find a prophecy concerning the rebellious people of Israel and the judgment that the Lord will bring upon them in a future day. Yet there will be those in Israel who seek the Lord, and especially from the royal tribe of Judah. The Lord says, “That I may not destroy them all” (Isa. 65:88Thus saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all. (Isaiah 65:8)), for the godly ones will honor the Lord, and the result of the judgment on the apostate ones will be blessing and peace for “My people that have sought Me” (Isa. 65:1010And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. (Isaiah 65:10)).
The Door of Hope
Likewise, we find a reference to this valley in Hosea 2. As in Isaiah, we find in this chapter a judgment pronounced upon Israel for her unfaithfulness. But then, after the judgment, the Lord will bring her back in a coming day, saying, “I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her” (Hos. 2:1414Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (Hosea 2:14)). Then a promise is made: “I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt” (Hos. 2:1515And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (Hosea 2:15)). It may be hard for us to think of this valley as a “door of hope,” for the appalling events associated with it cause us to recoil. Yet it is God’s way. Sin cannot abide in His sight, and it must be removed, before there can be blessing. We see this, not only with Israel, but with this world at large. Man has persisted in his sin and in direct opposition to God Himself. God has sought to deal with this world in grace, but man has refused God’s love and grace. There remains nothing but judgment, for “when Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:99With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:9)). Terrible judgments will be needed to cleanse this earth in a coming day, but the result will be blessing such as man has not seen since the Garden of Eden.
The Way of Blessing
So it is with us in our lives. How thankful we can be that for us who are believers, the judgment for our sins took place at the cross, and thus, in the words of a hymn, “Death and judgment are behind us; grace and glory are before.” But sin can come into our lives too, for we still have our sinful nature, the flesh, and if allowed to act, it can spoil our communion with the Lord. Sad to say, even as believers we can hide our sin from others, and even think that we can hide it from the Lord. Sometimes it may be a gross sin, but perhaps it is simply the world coming in and taking over in our lives. It is a good exercise to ask ourselves how much covetousness and worldliness is hidden “in the earth” in our tents!
The way to blessing for us is to confess the sin and to allow the Lord to bring it to the valley of Achor. True believers will never suffer judicially for their sins, although we may suffer governmentally under the chastening hand of the Lord. But if we allow the Lord to bring us to the valley of Achor, the sin can be confessed and forsaken, and communion can be restored. Then indeed we will find that this valley of trouble is really a “door of hope.”
W. J. Prost