The Cost Of Hidden Sin – Achan’s Sin Part Two (Joshua 7: 24-26)

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

Welcome:

Today, we look into 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:

• The Hidden Sin That Brought Defeat (Joshua 7:1)
• Israel’s Defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:2-5)
• Joshua’s Despair & God’s Response (Joshua 7:6-12)
• 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:

• Are there hidden areas in your life that might be blocking God’s blessing?
• Have you experienced setbacks that could be connected to unaddressed sin?
• How can you ensure that your actions don’t negatively impact others?
• What steps can you take today to confess, repent, and realign with God’s will?

Final Thought

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Chapters

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• 12:59 (Cont.) The Cost Of Hidden Sin – Achan’s Sin Part Two (Joshua 7: 24-26)

Transcript

The Cost Of Hidden Sin – Achin’s Sin Part Two. (Joshua 7: 21-26)

Transcript: 

Joshua had confronted Achan with his actions. The moment of owning up had arrived and Joshua has asked Achan to confess and thereby glorify God. But what does it actually mean to glorify God? 

We throw the phrase around, but do we know what it means? How can we glorify God in practical terms? Would you like to know?

Before we look at the Joshua passage turn with me to John 16:14.

Jesus, speaking of God the Holy Spirit, says:

“He will glorify me, for He will take of what is mine and declare it to you.”

I think this verse provides one of the clearest definitions of what it means to glorify God.

To glorify God means to manifest what God is like—to make His character known.

We glorify God through our actions—when we love, show kindness, extend grace, and act justly.

We glorify God through our words—when we speak truth and proclaim His goodness.

Joshua understood this.

That’s why in Joshua 7:19, when he confronted Achan, he didn’t simply demand a confession—he urged Achan to glorify God by telling the truth.

Achan had tried to hide his sin, but God had already exposed it. By confessing, Achan would be acknowledging God’s justice and omniscience, demonstrating that God was right all along.

There is a lesson here: Even in failure, we can still glorify God—through confession.

Let’s be clear. Confession isn’t about groveling or earning forgiveness—confession is about agreeing with God. It is recognizing God’s holiness and our sinfulness. It is acknowledging that He was right all along. It is bringing our failure into the light of truth rather than covering it up.

Now, let’s be practical. When and to whom should we confess our sins? Well, I believe there are three different answers to that one simple question, and which one I would recommend would vary according to one of three possible situations.

·       Private sins – If your sin is between you and God, confess it to Him alone. There is no need to broadcast it.

·       Interpersonal sins – If your sin has harmed another person, confess it to them and seek reconciliation.

·       Public sins – If your sin has affected a wider group (such as a church or a community), public confession may be appropriate.

In Achan’s case, his sin had affected the entire nation, and now God had made it public. His confession, therefore, had to be public.

And so, in Joshua 7:20-21, Achan finally admitted his sin, saying.

“Indeed, I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”

Notice the progression:

·       “Achan saw something and desired it…” – Sin begins with the eyes. It starts when we fixate on something we desire, even if it’s forbidden.

·       “Achan coveted…” – Desire gives birth to sinful intent. The heart begins to justify taking what does not belong to us.

·       “Achan took the items…” – Finally, the act of disobedience is committed.

This pattern is as old as the Garden of Eden.

Eve saw the fruit, she desired it, and then she took it (Genesis 3:6).

David saw Bathsheba, he desired her, and then he took her (2 Samuel 11:2-4).

Achan saw the riches, he coveted them, and then he took them.

Sin always follows this same pattern. That’s why we must be on guard against the first step, we need to be careful what we fix our eyes.

Colossians 3:2 tells us:

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

If Achan had taken his eyes off the spoils of Jericho and fixed them on God’s promises, he would have never fallen into sin.

Once Achan confessed, Joshua sent men to recover the stolen goods. They found everything exactly as Achan had said—buried in his tent.

Now, let’s think about this for a moment.

What did Achan gain? A Babylonian garment he could never wear in public because it would have exposed his crime.

A quantity of gold and silver he could never spend—because it would have raised suspicion. He risked everything for treasures he couldn’t even use.

That’s the deceitfulness of sin. It promises pleasure, but it only brings deception and pain.

Now comes the hardest part of the story—Achan’s punishment. 

Final verses of Joshua 7.

24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore, that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.

(Joshua 7: 21-26)

Joshua 7:24-26 tells us that Achan, along with his family, possessions, and livestock, was taken to the Valley of Achor and put to death.

Why was his family included?

Deuteronomy 24:16 states that children should not be put to death for the sins of their parents. This suggests that Achan’s family was complicit—that they knew about the stolen goods and had helped conceal them. This was not a rash or cruel judgment—it was a necessary act to cleanse Israel from sin and restore God’s presence among His people.

And when the judgment was complete, God’s anger was lifted.

The valley where Achan was executed was named the Valley of Achor, which means the Valley of Trouble.

Okay, let’s bring these last two days together.

Achan’s story teaches us a sobering truth. Sometimes, when things aren’t going right, the problem isn’t “bad luck” or “circumstances.” Sometimes, the problem is unconfessed sin. It may not be as extreme as Achan’s sin, but…

Are there areas in your life where you’ve compromised?

Are you hiding something that you know isn’t right?

Is God pressing on your conscience, calling you to deal with something?

If so, don’t wait until God exposes it. Confess it now.

1 John 1:9 gives us a promise:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God isn’t looking to destroy you—He is looking to restore you. So, if things aren’t working out… examine your heart.

Are you living in obedience or hiding in disobedience? Are you dwelling on Mount Gerizim (the place of blessing) or Mount Ebal (the place of cursing)?

The good news is, even if you’ve been living in the Valley of Achor, there is hope.

Hosea 2:15 tells us:

“I will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.”

Through repentance and confession, God turns our failures into fresh starts. The question is—will you let Him?

The judgment of Achan and his family is a sobering passage. Many have wondered—why were his family also stoned? The answer is that they were complicit in his sin. It would have been nearly impossible for Achan to dig a hole in his tent, hide the stolen goods, and cover them up without his family knowing. They saw, they remained silent, so they shared in his guilt.

Like I said in my introduction to this chapter yesterday. Sin doesn’t just affect individuals—it spreads.

James 1:15 lays out the progression of sin:

“Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

Achan’s sin followed this pattern:

He saw the forbidden treasure, he coveted what belonged to God, he took it, hiding it in his tent.

He refused to repent until he was caught, and he paid the ultimate price—death. 

There are many lessons we could take from Joshua 7: (four at least)

·       Your sin affects others—Achan’s private greed led to national defeat.

·       Your sin will be exposed. “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

·       Sin leads to loss and death—Achan lost everything he tried to keep.

·       And yesterday’s victories don’t guarantee today’s success—They conquered Jericho in chapter 6, but suffered defeat at Ai in chapter 7.

But I also believe the overarching lesson of Joshua 7 is this:

Disobedience leads to divine displeasure, and divine displeasure leads to defeat.

Verse 1 opens the chapter by saying that the anger of the Lord burned against Israel.

Verse 26 closes the chapter by saying that God’s anger turned away, but only after sin was dealt with.

The whole chapter is about trouble—Achan’s trouble, Israel’s trouble, and the ultimately in the Valley of Achor (which means "Valley of Trouble").

But here’s the good news—the story doesn’t end there.

Achan’s sin led to Israel’s first defeat. But once they repented and dealt with their disobedience, God restored them. In Joshua 8, they go back to Ai—this time, with God’s favor—and they will win a decisive victory.

The lesson?

God’s judgment is real—but so is His restoration.

Sin brings defeat—but repentance brings renewal.

So don’t Wait for God to Expose Your Sin.

Don’t forget he could have repented at any point along the way, and it wouldn’t have led to this catastrophic final outcome

Achan had multiple opportunities to come clean. He heard Joshua’s warning in chapter 6. He had the chance to confess before the casting of lots narrowed it down to him. But he remained silent until he was caught.

How much better would it have been if he had repented on his own instead of being publicly exposed?

I once read about a simple method used to trap monkeys in New Guinea.

Hunters take a hollowed-out gourd, cut a hole just big enough for a monkey’s hand, and fill it with seeds. The monkey reaches in, grabs a handful of seeds—but then discovers that his clenched fist won’t fit back through the hole.

The hunters don’t have to chase the monkey—he traps himself. All the monkey has to do is let go… but he refuses. And so he is captured.

That is exactly what sin does to us.

We hold on.

We think we can keep it hidden.

We tell ourselves it won’t matter.

But all the while, it is trapping us, destroying us, and leading us into defeat.

Joshua 7 ends in judgment. But the book of Joshua doesn’t end there—because God’s people dealt with their sin, and He restored them.

The lesson is, if you’re holding onto something today, let it go.

1 John 1:9 says:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God doesn’t want to expose you. He wants to restore you.

The Valley of Achor (Trouble) wasn’t the end of Israel’s story. And it doesn’t have to be the end of yours.

Hosea speaks of a day when God will transform even the Valley of Achor into “a door of hope.”

Through repentance, God turns our valleys of trouble into doors of hope.

The question is, will you let Him?

This chapter gives you an opportunity to do business with the Lord.

Maybe there’s something in your life that you need to confess before God. Maybe you’ve been living in the Valley of Achor, feeling the weight of trouble, defeat, and distance from the Lord.

Right now, deal with it before Him.

Don’t wait until God has to expose it.

Don’t wait until defeat comes.

Turn it loose—and step into the freedom and blessing of obedience.