Avoiding the Agony of Achan, Part 3a

We have been studying the book of Joshua, the seventh chapter, looking at the opportunity we have to avoid the agony. Of Achan. Achan experienced great agony as a result of his sin. And so we are looking at what the Bible says on how we overcome.

Sin and temptation based on what took place in Joshua's life. Let me read to you what the author Jeremiah Burroughs wrote.

He said it is a very evil choice for any soul under heaven to choose the least sin rather than the greatest affliction. Better be under the greatest affliction than be under the guilt or power of any sin. There is more evil in sin than in outward trouble in the world. More evil in sin than in all the miseries and torments of hell itself. What he says is profound because it helps us gain perspective on sin. We live in a world where people don't like to talk about sin anymore. We live in a world where if you even begin to address the topic of sin, people tend to think you're unloving, unkind, ungracious.

And yet, the Bible speaks a lot about sin and its consequences. And tonight, what I want to do is I want to introduce what we've been talking about with an illustration from the Old Testament. And I want to begin at the end of the story and then take you back to the beginning of the story. I want to begin at the end because it sets for us the consequences of one man's sin. We saw the consequences of Achan's sin. We saw last week the consequences of Miriam's sin and Levi's sons as well as Eli's sons.

And so we need to be able to come to grips with what the Bible says concerning the consequences of sin.

And the reason we're spending time here, because people have asked, why spend so much time here? It's because in Joshua chapter 7, there was a memorial in the valley of Achor. And that memorial was set up so that we would never forget. About the consequences of sin and what God thinks about our sin. And so, what I want to do is have you turn in your Bible to 1 Samuel chapter 30. 1 Samuel chapter 30, and I want to read to you a story. A story that might be familiar to you, but point some things out to you.

We've used it as an illustration in years gone by, but I want to. Look at it one more time because I think it's very important to understand in light of the topic we're discussing.

1 Samuel chapter 30. It begins with or ends the story of Saul. Now Saul had a great beginning. He had a great beginning spiritually. He had a great beginning physically. He had a great beginning politically. God had anointed this man, and he was destined to be great. Yet he made some bad choices along the way, and those choices cost him dearly. And as I read this story, I want you to think about your life and the decisions that you make and how you make them. Because so many times we make decisions without ever thinking about the consequences.

Of our sin. Let me read to you because this is the end of the story of Saul. I'm sorry, it's 1 Samuel 31. 1 Samuel 31, verse number 1. Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled. from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Geboah. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abin, and Mauch, the sons of Saul. And the battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armour-bearer, Draw your sword, and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through and make sport of me.

But his armor beare would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took a sword and fell on it, and when his armor beare saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men on that day together. And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, with those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and lived in them.

And it came about on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Geboah. And they cut off his head and stripped him of his weapons. and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. And they put his weapons in the temple of As. And they fastened his body to the wall of Bets. Now when the inhabitants of Jab-Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men rose and walked all night.

and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bet, and they came to Jabash and burned them there. and they took their bones and buried them under the Tamr tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven day. Every year we go to Israel we go to this place called Betsh. It 's quite the place. There are 18 different levels of cities. And it's a tremendous archaeological dig. And to be able to sit there in Bet and look at the wall where the bodies of Jonathan and Saul were hung.

Is quite astonishing. And to understand the de of this man. As great as he was, and what was before him, and the shameful death that he experienced saddens the soul. And yet the story is not complete without reading the first chapter of 2 Samuel.

Because at the outset, most commentators will tell you that Saul committed suicide. I don't believe he did. I'm going to tell you why. Verse 1. Now it came about after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David remained two days in Ziklag. And it happened on the third day that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn and dust on his head.

And it came about when he came to David that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself. Then David said to him, From where do you come? He said to him, I have escaped from the camp of Israel. And David said to him, How did things go? Please tell me. And he said, The people have fled for the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead. And Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. So David said to the young man who told him, How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?

The young man who told him said, By chance I happen to be on Mount Geb. And behold, Saul was leaning on a spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen pursued him closely. And when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I said, Here I am. And he said to me, Who are you? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. Then he said to me, Please stand beside me and kill me, for agony has seized me because my life still lingers in me. So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen.

And I took the crown which was on his head, and the bracelet which was on his arm, and I had brought them here to my Lord. Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them. And so also did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening. for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the Lord in the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. And David said to the young man who told him, Where are you from? And he answered, I am the son of an alien.

and a Malach. Then David said to him, How is it that you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed? And David called one of the young men and said, Go cut him down. So he struck him, and he died. And David said to him, Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have killed the Lord's. Anointed. This is the other side of the story. This is the story that you need to understand. Because what 2 Samuel 1 teaches us is that, listen very carefully, what you don't conquer will ultimately conquer you.

Let me say it to you again. What you don't conquer will ultimately conquer you. This Amalekite killed Saul. He could have said when David said to the man next to him Cut him down. He could have, Well, wait a minute. That's not really what happened. He really committed suicide. I just happened to be there. I watched it. I really didn't strike Saul. It wasn't me. I didn't lay my hand against the Lord's anointed. But he never defended himself because he thought himself a valiant warrior. For doing the right thing, but he did the wrong thing.

But the one who killed him was an Amalekite. Listen carefully, my friend. What you do not conquer will ultimately conquer you. You say, what does that mean? Turn back with me, if you would, to 1 Samuel chapter 15. 1 Samuel chapter 15. Then Samuel said to Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. Samuel comes to Saul and says, This is what God has for you. Thus says the Lord of hosts, I will punish Amalek. For what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up.

From Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has. and do not spare him, but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. Now let me ask you a question.

What part of that command don't you understand? Very simple, isn't it? Samuel says you got to go kill Amalek. You got to kill all the Amalekites. When you read 2 Samuel chapter 1, who was it that slayed Saul? An Amalekite. God says, this is what I want you to do.

I want you to wipe them all out. Why is that? Why does God want Saul to kill all these people? Remember way back in Exodus chapter 17, we study the life of Moses? And Israel had just come out of the Exodus and had just come out of Egypt and they were journeying and they were at a place called Raphidim. And the Bible says that the Amalekites attacked them from the rear.

And remember, there was a great battle in Exodus chapter 17, and Moses was up on a hill, and Aaron and her were holding up his arms, and Joshua was down in the middle of the valley. Doing the fighting, and the Lord received great glory that day because Israel won a tremendous battle against the Amalekites and they fled away. But listen to the words of the Lord in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 25 verse number 17. God says to Moses Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary.

And he did not fear God. Therefore, it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess. You shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. You must not for. God says, when you get to the land and you find yourself at rest, this is what you do.

I want you to totally obliterate Am. I want them wiped away. Now is the time for that to happen. And the word of the Lord comes to Samuel and says, This is what you tell Saul to do. Saul is going to be the agent. The agent of warfare. He will destroy Amalek. He will destroy the Amalekites. They were descendants of Esau. They were a wicked nation. They were an evil people. And God says, enough's enough, because of what they did to my people, the children of Israel.

When they attacked them from the rear and they attacked the stragglers and they attacked the women and they came at Israel's most vulnerable spot And many people died. They now will die. So the command is: kill them all. Men, women, children, ox, lamb, you name it, wipe them all out. A very simple command to understand. So the Bible says.

These words in verse number seven so Saul defeated the Amalekites From Hav as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. And he captured Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive. And utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and the oxen and fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good. and were not willing to destroy them utterly, but everything despised and worthless that they utterly destroyed. So what do you have? You have Saul part obeying God.

They destroyed them all except for Agag. They destroyed everything that was worthless, but they kept the good things. There was a little covetousness going on here. There were some things that were pleasing to the eye they decided not to destroy, but to keep. So they weren't fully obedient to what God had said. Verse 10. Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back. from following me and has not carried out my commands. And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord all night.

And Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, and it was told, Samuel saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a mon for him. God says there's a problem and that problem is that Saul has not fully obeyed my command Now you think about what God has asked you to do.

And maybe you've only partially obeyed what He has said. This helps you understand how God views partial obedience. He wants you to be fully obedient to him when he asks you to do something. Saul was not. So Samuel went to Saul and it says in verse 20 Or verse 17, and Samuel said, Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you king over Israel, and the Lord sent you on a mission and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites?

And fight against them until they are exterminated. Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord? Listen to Saul's response. Verse 20, I did obey the voice of the Lord, and I went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek. And have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.

What we did was take these things because we wanted to offer them back to the Lord. Did God ask him to do that? No. So what made Saul think that that would be pleasing to the Lord when, you see, it's important to realize that when God asks you to do something, It makes no difference what you think about what God asked you to do. You have to do it. And that's what Saul. Is told by Samuel. Verse number 22. Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of rams, for rebellion is as the sin of divination. And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king. Now, think about that. Samuel says to Saul, You have rejected the word of God. And Saul said, Wait a minute, I didn't reject the word of God, I obeyed most of it. But it's perceived that you reject it at all. God doesn't appreciate part obedience.

He wants total ob. Listen to the words of Samuel or Saul. He said to Samuel, I have sinned. I have sinned. I have indeed transgressed the commandment of the Lord in your words because I feared the people and listened to their v. Is it not true that the reason we partially obey God is because of the peer pressure around us? We partially obey God because of the voices we hear in our family. We partially obey God because of the voices we hear at work. We partially obey God because there's some other voice that we want to please other than the voice of God.

Samuel says, verse 26, You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel. Now listen to this, verse 32. Then Samuel said, Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. But Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel. Hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal. Samuel took his sword and cut him up.

He sliced him and diced him in front of everybody. He cut off his arms, he cut off his head, he cut off his leg, he cut the man up in little pieces. Why? Because Samuel was committed to doing what God said to do no matter what. And Saul wasn't. And Samuel cut ag to p before the Lord at Gilgal. It's interesting to note that a short time after this, apparently all the Amalekites were not killed. They had regrouped. They had won a battle against. Israel. They had taken David's wives captive. And in 1 Samuel chapter 30, David went to battle against them, and he slaughtered the Amalekites and 400 different on escaped on on camels and it was that Amalekite or one of those Amalekites that came back and killed ultimately Saul what you don't conquer will ultimately conquer you It would be five centuries later where there would be one ag.

One ag, a descendant of Agag, the one that Saul refused to kill. Who would ar up and seek to destroy all the Jews? His name was Haman. You could read about him in the book of Esther. Folks, let me tell you something.

What happ in 1 Samuel 15 is an illustration of what needs to happen with your sin and my sin. Because if that sin is not conquered, it will come back and will conquer you. It will. It just happens to be that way. That's why the Bible says very clearly over in the book of Romans.

The eighth chapter, the thirteenth verse. For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die. But if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. What marks a believer? What demonstrates true Christianity? The Christian desires to put to death the deeds of the flesh. The belie, like Samuel, wants to hack it to pieces. The unbeliever, like Saul, wants to spare it, keep it around a while. Hide it away in the closet for another day. But the believer seeks to hack it to pieces because he wants to destroy that.

Would one day destroy him if he's not careful. The Bible says it this way again in the book of Romans, Romans, the 13th chapter.

Verse 11. Paul says, and this do, knowing the time that it is already the hour for you to awaken from your sleep, for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, the day is. At hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexuality, promiscuity, and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and And make no provision for the lust or in we for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Make no provision for the flesh. The Bible is very clear that in 1 Peter 2:11, we are to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. We to abstain from them. We are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to make no provision for them. I want to tell you something that you might not agree with, but you better think about it. You need to stop praying about the sin you are committing and start doing what God says.

The Bible never exhorts you to pray about getting rid of any partic sin. The Bible says stop doing it.

The Bible doesn't say let him who stole pray about stealing no more. The Bible says, let him who stole steal no more.

It doesn't get any clearer than that. But what do we want to do? We got to pray about it. We got to pray about our lusts. We got to pray about our greed. We got to pray about our gossip. Oh Lord, deliver me from gossip. Oh Lord, deliver me from lying. Oh God, please deliver me from drunkenness. Why? Why do we do that? Because we don't want to rid ourselves of those things that one day will ultimately conquer us. That's why. Let's be honest with ourselves. If you want to get rid of it, you're going to get rid of it.

God says, just obey me. Just do what I say.