By Nick Bibile
Joshua 7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel,
verse 24-25) And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
Why did God stone and kill Achan and his whole family, even his oxen, donkeys and sheep, even when he repented?
This is an important lesson for all of us on repentance. Let me give you an illustration. If thieves rob a bank and kill all the staff and run with the money, later police catch them, and they would say, “I am very sorry, I made a terrible mistake.” Will the judge allow them to go free? No, why? Because they repented after they got caught.
In the same way, Achan repented after he got caught. Then why did God kill his family and sheep and other animals as they were not involved? Let me ask you another question, what is the attribute of God that is elevated to the third degree? It's his holiness.
God is infinitely holy and sin is like a spreading cancer, it needs to be rooted out, totally destroyed, it is God's holiness that requires the punishment. If God is not holy he can wink at our sins. But God is called, Holy, Holy, Holy. (Isaiah 6)
Then if there is a murderer, who had killed many people and he is being put to prison, then later a pastor visits him and preaches the gospel and he would ask for forgiveness. Would God grant him forgiveness as he repented? Yes, absolutely, but he is still going to be in prison.
Who was the worst sinner in the New Testament? A man named Saul, later his name changed to Paul who became one of the greatest apostles as he wrote 13 books of the New Testament. He said, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15)
The thief on the cross said to Jesus, “ Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
1 John 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Beloved, this is the good news, if we confess our sins to God, the blood of Jesus is infinitely powerful to cleanse the worst sinner, and all sins! That is the marvelous hope we have as we have a Savior who can save the worst.