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and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them
unto the Valley of Achor. And 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.”
The Lord told Joshua that Achan had not only taken the things
which He had positively charged them not to take, lest they be accursed,
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but he had stolen and had also dissembled. The Lord said that Jericho
and all its spoils should be consumed, except the gold and silver, which
were to be reserved for the treasury of the Lord. The victory of taking
Jericho was not obtained through warfare or the exposure of the people.
The Captain of the Lord’s host had led the armies of heaven. The battle
was the Lord’s; it was He who fought the battle. The children of Israel
did not strike a blow. The victory and glory were the Lord’s, and the
spoils were His. He directed all to be consumed except the gold and
silver, which He reserved for His treasury. Achan understood well
the reserve made and that the treasures of gold and silver which he
coveted were the Lord’s. He stole from God’s treasury for his own
benefit.
Covetousness Among God’s People
I saw that many who profess to be keeping the commandments of
God are appropriating to their own use the means which the Lord has
entrusted to them and which should come into His treasury. They rob
God in tithes and in offerings. They dissemble and withhold from Him
to their own hurt. They bring leanness and poverty upon themselves
and darkness upon the church because of their covetousness, their
dissembling, and their robbing God in tithes and in offerings.
I saw that many souls will sink in darkness because of their cov-
etousness. The plain, straight testimony must live in the church, or
the curse of God will rest upon His people as surely as it did upon
ancient Israel because of their sins. God holds His people, as a body,
responsible for the sins existing in individuals among them. If the
leaders of the church neglect to diligently search out the sins which
bring the displeasure of God upon the body, they become responsible
for these sins. But to deal with minds is the nicest work in which men
ever engaged. All are not fitted to correct the erring. They have not