1405. The Eighth Commandment

The Eighth Commandment

"Thou shalt not steal" (Exo_20:15).

Our illustration is Achan

In discussing the commandment which says, "Thou shalt not steal," we have decided to choose the story of Achan. The record is found in Joshua 7.

The children of Israel had been commanded to go out against Jericho. God had said that the city was to be cursed, and that Joshua's army should keep themselves from the accursed thing. However, when Achan saw a goodly Babylonish garment, and a wedge of gold and shekels of silver, he coveted them. He quietly took them and hid them in his tent.

Soon the children of Israel were defeated at Ai. When Joshua, the captain of the Lord's hosts heard how Israel had turned their backs and fled, he was dismayed. He fell down upon his face before God and he said: "Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast Thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!"

After Joshua had prayed, the Lord said: "Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them; for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen."

Joshua at once began to seek out the one who had thus betrayed his trust. Little by little, the lines were drawn closer, until at last Achan was taken. Then Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it." So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent, and behold it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord.

With Achan's sin laid bare, Joshua gave command that he should be stoned with stones. Afterward they raised over him "a great heap of stones to this day." "So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor." Let no one imagine that he can break this Eighth Commandment and escape the curse of God.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR