Heralds Digest

"So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?"" (Joshua 7:10 NKJV) There is a subtle infection of unprofitable quietness that often rob believers of their rights to victory and good success in life. Beside the ignorance of Joshua about the infection from sin within the camp of Israel, the defeat at Ai could have been blamed on over-confidence or loss of concentration of the chosen 3,000 men of war. However, Joshua's disquieting intervention broke the silence of heaven. While quietness as regard the sharing of personal discomfort in the public can be counter-productive, quietness with respect to closet sharing of concerns with God is unprofitable.

"Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you." (Joshua 7:12 NKJV) With a beautiful Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels, the tent of Achan suddenly became the accursed temple for the worship of wealth. Not only was he and his immediate family got doomed with their tent, the whole of Israel also could no longer retain the presence of God within the camp, leading to their unfortunate defeat before little Ai. Although our possession of earthly riches appears a necessary security against most threats and potential damage to dignity and respect, the presence of the Lord within the tent remains the only indispensable treasure against eternal doom to destruction. Unrighteous gain and ill-gotten position may command attractive dignity a...