When Things Aren’t Going Right - Achin’s Sin Part One (Joshua 7: 1-23)

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"When Things Aren’t Going Right – Achan’s Sin (Part One)" (Joshua 7:1-23)

Welcome Message:

Welcome to The Bible Project Daily Podcast! Today, we look at a powerful and sobering lesson from Joshua 7—the story of Achan’s sin.

Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, things just don’t work out? You put in the effort, but success feels out of reach. Sometimes, life’s struggles are just part of the journey, but other times, there’s a deeper reason—one we might not want to face.

Joshua 7 gives us one possible explanation: hidden sin can block God’s blessing and bring trouble not just to us, but to those around us. Achan’s disobedience didn’t just affect him—it led to Israel’s defeat at Ai, revealing a sobering truth: what we do in private impacts others in ways we can’t always see.

Join us as we explore:

• Why Israel lost the battle of Ai despite their previous victories.
• How hidden sin disrupts not only personal lives but entire communities.
• Why confession and repentance are essential for spiritual renewal.
• What it truly means to glorify God—even in failure.

Let’s unpack these lessons and discover how to realign our lives with God’s will.

Episode Notes:

Key Themes in Joshua 7:1-23:

1. The Hidden Sin That Brought Defeat (Joshua 7:1)
2. Israel’s Defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:2-5)
3. Joshua’s Despair & God’s Response (Joshua 7:6-12)
4. Achan’s Exposure & Confession (Joshua 7:13-23)

Practical Takeaways:

• Sin is never private. It affects those around us in ways we don’t always realize.
• Unconfessed sin hinders victory. We can’t move forward spiritually while clinging to disobedience.
• God disciplines His people. He loves us too much to let sin go unchecked.
• Confession glorifies God. Admitting our sin aligns us with His truth and leads to healing.
• Victory requires obedience. We can’t expect success while ignoring God’s commands.

Reflection Questions:

1. Are there hidden areas in your life that might be blocking God’s blessing?
2. Have you experienced setbacks that could be connected to unaddressed sin?
3. How can you ensure that your actions don’t negatively impac

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Transcript

When Things Aren’t Going Right -Achin’s Sin Part One (Joshua 7:1-23)

Transcript: 

Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, things just don’t seem to work out? You put in more effort but see less success. You work wisely yet somehow can’t seem to get ahead.

Have you ever felt that way? Like life just isn’t fair? Like others are thriving while you’re stuck struggling?

So, when that happens, what’s going on?

There are several possible explanations. It could be a trial’, sometimes, we simply go through difficult seasons of life. That’s a reality we all have to face.

But there’s another possibility. And it’s this possibility—one of several—that I want to talk about today….

In Joshua 7, we find events that offers one explanation for why things sometimes don’t work out. But to understand it, we need to back up for a moment.

Joshua and the Israelites had just entered the Promised Land. They crossed the Jordan River miraculously. Their first battle was against the city of Jericho, a seemingly impossible fortress. But God gave them victory in a way that defied human reasoning—they marched, they shouted, and the walls came down.

However, before the final battle cry at Jericho, Joshua gave a very specific command. Let me remind you of Joshua 6:18-19:

"And you, by all means, keep yourselves from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord."

Joshua made it clear: Everything in Jericho was to be set apart for the Lord. Unlike future battles where they would be allowed to take spoils of war, this time everything—silver, gold, bronze, and iron, everything belonged to God…. And then, Jericho fell. Israel had its first great victory.

But then something was wrong….

Look at Joshua 7:1:

"But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel."

Now, let’s pause for a moment and ask, who sinned? Achan.

Q. But who does the verse say was guilty? A. The entire nation of Israel.

That should stop us in our tracks. One man’s sin affected the whole group.

We tend to think of sin as private, personal, something that only impacts the individual. But Scripture teaches that sin has a ripple effect—it can affect our families, our churches, our communities.

1 Corinthians 12 tells us that the body of Christ is interconnected. What affects one member affects the whole.

Think about this:

A father’s sin can affect his family.

A leader’s sin can affect an entire church.

A company’s dishonesty can bring financial ruin to its employees.

So obviously sin is never truly private. It always spreads further than we think.

Joshua 7:1 tells us that because of Achan’s sin, "the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel."

Joshua didn’t know about Achan’s sin at first. All he knew was that something was wrong. In the next section of this passage, we see that Israel goes up to fight the small city of Ai—a battle they should have easily won—but instead, they suffer a humiliating defeat.

Why?

Because of this one man’s disobedience.

Israel wasn’t just facing an ordinary setback. They were experiencing divine opposition. And so, the question I want us to consider today is this: Is there something in your life that is keeping you from victory?

Are you harboring sin that is affecting those around you? Is there disobedience in your life that is blocking God's blessing? Have you taken something for yourself that was meant to be surrendered to God?

Achan’s story teaches us a sobering truth: When we step outside of God’s will, we don’t just hurt ourselves—we bring trouble to the entire camp.

As we continue through this chapter, we’ll see how Joshua uncovers the sin, how Achan is judged, and how Israel ultimately moves forward. But before reading about what happens and remember God’s desire is not to condemn you, but to lead you to repentance, restoration, and victory.

There’s a larger truth at play here: our actions affect those connected to us. Whether by blood in our families or spiritually within the body of Christ, no one lives in isolation.

This is exactly what we see in Joshua 7:1, where one man’s sin, Achan’s, impacted the entire nation of Israel. We should note that there are two things here that should startle us:

1.    Achan sinned, but the whole nation was affected. It doesn’t say Achan committed a trespass—it says the children of Israel committed a trespass. One man’s disobedience brought judgment on the entire camp.

2.    God got angry, and the last part of the verse says, “The anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.” we often think of God’s anger being directed at the world, but Scripture repeatedly shows that God also gets angry at His people when they disobey Him.

Colossians 3:5–6 echoes this truth:

"Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience."

Some read that and assume it's referring only to unbelievers, but in context, Paul is addressing Christians. God’s anger is not just reserved for the ungodly—He disciplines His own people when they stray…. And that’s exactly what happens in Joshua 7.

Because of Achan’s sin, Israel suffered a crushing defeat. Joshua 7:2-5 records what happened next:

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.

Joshua, unaware of the sin in the camp, sends spies to scout the city of Ai. The spies return, saying Ai is weak—only 2,000 or 3,000 men are needed for victory. Joshua listens to them, sending 3,000 men to attack. Israel is routed. men are killed, and the rest flee in fear.

Morale is shattered. Verse 5 says, “The hearts of the people melted and became like water.”

They had just seen the miraculous victory at Jericho—a city with massive walls that should have been impossible to conquer. Yet now, in a seemingly easy battle, they were humiliated.

So, what went wrong?

They weren’t defeated because of military weakness—they were defeated because of moral failure.

Joshua’s Response is, well he is completely devastated.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

(Joshua 7:6–9)

Joshua does three things in response to this crisis:

·       He grieves. Tearing clothes and putting dust on one's head was a sign of deep mourning. This wasn’t just a military loss—it was a spiritual crisis.

·       He complains. In verse 7, he asks, “Why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us?” He even suggests they would have been better off staying on the other side of the Jordan!

·       Then in verse 9, he worries about what the Canaanites will think if Israel keeps losing: “What will You do for Your great name?”

Joshua is frustrated, confused, and afraid and maybe you can relate to that.

Have you ever experienced a major setback, and it left you questioning God? “Asking God, why did You let this happen?” “Lord, I thought I was following You—why am I facing defeat?” If You’re really in control, why does it feel like everything is falling apart?”

Joshua felt that way. And yet, he was asking the wrong questions.

The problem wasn’t with God—the problem was in the camp.

Joshua was about to learn a hard but crucial lesson: When things aren’t going right, the first step is to examine your own heart.

Joshua was utterly distraught. He had led Israel into battle, and they suffered a humiliating defeat at Ai. He tore his clothes, fell to the ground, and lay face-down before the Ark of the Lord. The elders of Israel joined him, covering their heads with dust in an act of deep mourning.

Joshua wasn’t grumbling against God as Israel had done in the wilderness. He wasn’t accusing God of wrongdoing. Instead, he was grieving before God, wrestling with a painful question: Why had they failed?

This is an important distinction. Mourning before God is not the same as grumbling against Him.

Joshua was broken, confused, and searching for answers. And in that moment, he asked three pressing questions:

Did You bring us here just to destroy us? (v. 7)

What will I say when Israel turns its back in battle? (v. 8)

What will this defeat do to Your great name? (v. 9)

At its core, Joshua’s prayer revealed the progression of disaster that had unfolded:

Disobedience – One man, Achan, violated God's command. (v. 1)

Divine anger – God’s wrath burned against all of Israel. (v. 1)

Defeat – Israel is crushed in battle. (v. 4–5)

Despair – Joshua was dismayed, struggling to understand what had gone wrong. (v. 6–9)

At this point, something surprising happens.

Joshua is lying face-down before the Ark, praying intensely—and God tells him to stop. 

“So, the Lord said to Joshua: ‘Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?’” (Joshua 7: 10)

That statement has always fascinated me. Pastors are constantly urging people to pray more—but here, God tells Joshua, “This is not the time for prayer!” 

Why?

Because there was a sin in the camp that needed to be dealt with. 

There are times when praying is the wrong response—when action is required first. I’ve often wanted to preach a sermon titled. (not brave enough) “When It’s a Sin to Pray.” But if I did, Joshua 7:10 would be one of my key texts.

God was essentially saying, “Joshua, you don’t need more time on your face. You need to get up and address the problem.” This is a principle runs throughout Scripture:

James 1:6–7 – “Let not that man think he will receive anything from the Lord.” If a person is double-minded—praying but lacking faith—his prayers will accomplish nothing.

James 4:3 – “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” If we pray with the wrong motives, God won’t answer.

Sometimes, the real problem isn’t a lack of prayer, it’s a lack of obedience.

In verses 11–12, God lays out exactly what has happened: God gives His diagnosis of the problem.

11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

(Joshua 7: 11-12)

Notice something remarkable in God’s response: He doesn’t just say, “Achan sinned.” He says, “Israel has sinned.”

The sin of one man affected the entire nation and as a result, God withdrew His presence from Israel’s battle.

Victory was impossible until the sin was addressed. In fact, God issues a chilling warning in verse 12: “I will not be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed thing from among you.”

This is staggering. Back in Joshua 1:9, God had promised Joshua saying: “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” And He had proven that promise true parting the river Jordan, toppling Jericho’s walls. But now, because of hidden sin, He says, “I will no longer be with you.”

Joshua had assumed that God’s presence was automatic—but it wasn’t. God’s presence depends on obedience. That’s a heavy statement and it should make us t ask ourselves  “could This Be Happening to me?

Could it be that some of the struggles in your life aren’t just trials, but rather God’s discipline? Could it be that things aren’t working out because God is trying to get your attention?

The Bible makes it clear that sin has real consequences: Sin affects others – No sin is truly private. It always impacts those around you. Sin provokes God’s anger and He disciplines His children when they disobey. Sin leads to defeat – Just like Israel at Ai, we can’t expect victory while living in disobedience.

Maybe, like Joshua, you’ve been crying out to God, saying:

“Why aren’t You blessing me?”

“Why is everything going wrong?”

“God, why aren’t You with me?”

And maybe, God’s answer is the same as it was to Joshua: “Get up! Stop procrastinating and deal with the sin.”

Maybe you’ve been avoiding a difficult step of obedience. Maybe there’s a sin you refuse to confront. Maybe you’ve grown comfortable with compromise. If that’s the case, no amount of prayer will fix the problem.

There’s only one solution: repentance, and that’s where we’ll pick up next….

The moment of truth had arrived.

13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.14 “‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

(Joshua 7: 13-21)

God had commanded Joshua to uncover the source of Israel’s defeat, and now, through the casting of lots, He was narrowing down the guilty party.

It started with the twelve tribes.

The lot fell on Judah—eleven other tribes breathed a sigh of relief.

Then came the clans of Judah.

The lot fell on Zerah’s family—and the tension rose.

Next, the households of Zerah.

The lot fell on Zabdi’s household—the circle was tightening.

Finally, the men of Zabdi’s household.

One by one, names were drawn until the lot fell on Achan.

There he stood—exposed before the entire nation.

This is a powerful moment. Imagine being there. The people of Israel had just suffered their first crushing defeat. Men were dead. The nation was in turmoil. Joshua had gathered them all together, and now God had revealed the culprit.

Achan had caused the defeat of Israel, the deaths of thirty-six men, and the dishonor of God.

I wonder what Achan was thinking in those moments. Maybe he believed he could get away with it. After all, Israel was a nation of over two million people—what were the chances of being caught? The odds were in his favor.

But hidden sin never stays hidden forever. Numbers 32:23 tells us: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” No matter how well we hide it, no matter how carefully we cover our tracks, God sees everything.

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.

(Joshua 7: 22-23)

The stolen silver was buried, but it wasn’t hidden from God. The garment was covered in his tent, but it wasn’t covered from God. Achan probably thought he had gotten away with it, but God was watching the whole time And now, before all of Israel, God’s finger pointed directly at him.

Joshua’s response is remarkable. In verse 19, he turns to Achan and says: “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

Joshua didn’t curse Achan. He didn’t lash out in a show of anger. Instead, he called him “my son.” Even though Achan was guilty—dead to rights—Joshua still treated him with dignity. He didn’t strip away his humanity. He didn’t treat him as a monster.

John Calvin, writing about this passage, said that judges—both in the secular courts and in the church should remember to be humane, even when dealing with the guilty.

In other words, even when someone is deserving of punishment, we should never lose our sense of compassion. But Joshua’s next words are even more striking: “Give glory to the Lord God of Israel.”

That seems like an odd thing to say to a condemned man. Achan was guilty. He had caused Israel’s defeat, dishonored God, and was now facing certain death and yet, Joshua told him that the way to glorify God in this moment was through confession.

This reveals something profound: Confession glorifies God. How? Because true confession agrees with God. It acknowledges His righteousness—that His commands are just. It acknowledges His truth—and it acknowledges His authority—that He alone is the rightful Judge.

Confession isn’t just about admitting failure, it’s about honoring God’s holiness.

That brings us to a bigger question: What does it actually mean to glorify God? We hear that phrase all the time. “Glorify God in all that you do.” But what does it mean? I was a Christian for 40 years before I truly began to understand this. 

We throw the phrase around, but do we know what it means? How many of us could stand up and explain how to glorify God in practical terms? Would you like to know?

Well, in the next section, we’re going to unpack exactly what it means to glorify God—and why it matters in your life.