Don't Sink the Ship

Joshua: Don't Sink the Ship

Someone once said, “ it is not the water on the outside that sinks a ship, but that water that gets on the inside.” By the same token, it is not the sin of around a person that destroys his life, but the sin within the person. It is not the sin outside an organization that brings it down, but sin inside the organization. The story of the Israelites and their attack on Ai, found in the seventh chapter of Joshua, helped to teach these truths and serves as a great illustration to teach us today.

As the story goes, the army of the Israelites had gone to Jericho and witnessed God overthrowing a powerful city. God had placed them under a ban preventing them from great personal gain. A short time later they sent a force up against the city of Ai. The army lost its courage, turned and ran. As a result, thirty-six of them were killed and the whole nation was humiliated. Upon a prayerful investigation it was revealed that a soldier named Achan (his name means trouble) had violated the ban and taken gold for himself. The story reveals that the reason for their defeat at Ai was due to Achan’s sin. It was water on the inside that threatened the ship. After Achan was stoned, the armies again went up against Ai only to be successful.

The stoning may seem a little harsh to you and me, but it illustrates the seriousness of our sin. In a world so full of individualism it would do us well to remember how our sins affect others. On this side of the cross we know full well that Jesus came to take away the sins of the world. We have the privilege to approach the throne of Grace because of His blood shed on Calvary. Still, our sins have an affect on others. Sins in the lives of the parents have an affect on the lives of their children. Sins of the executive have an affect on every employee in the corporation. Sins of the government officials have an affect on the entire nation. Sins of the Sunday School teacher have an affect on the whole class. Sins of the Pastors and deacons have an affect on the entire church and her witness. Water inside the boat is what sinks the ship.