Frosted cornflakes
Growing up, my brother and I never had frosted cornflakes. Even if we begged and pleaded for them, Mum only let us have regular cornflakes.
Funny thing was, whether it was Weet-Bix, cornflakes or rice bubbles, my brother and I would sprinkle spoonfuls of sugar on top of our cereal anyway. Our heavy handedness made the sugar resemble snowfall all over our breakfast.
Imagine that instead of experiencing a sugar high from cereal that you ended up with an actual high instead i.e. a full neurological, chemically induced, cocaine driven high.
Recently, a US Customs and Border Patrol seized 44 pounds of cereal from South America that was covered in cocaine instead of sugar. The shipment was bound for a private residence in Hong Kong.
Thankfully, the shipment never made it into the hands of the public.
Hidden Contraband
Drug traffickers have used deceitful ways in their attempts to ship drugs. Customs and Border Patrols are always on the lookout for the innovative methods that these criminals use to smuggle illegal drugs.
The Australian Border Force found about $80 million worth of the drug ice in the form of 160 litres of liquid methamphetamine. The meth was discovered in a shipment of water bottles.
Owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, illicit substances are also being hidden in PPE equipment. The drugs are concealed in hand sanitizer, masks and gloves.
Border force officers seize illegal drugs every day. They know the signs. They know what to look for.
If humans can detect these violations of the law, how much more can an omniscient God?
We can’t hide anything from God
In my last post, A Question of Overconfidence, we found Joshua and the children of Israel humiliated by the defeat at Ai. Their overconfidence and complacency were contributing factors to their inglorious failure.
We must bear in mind that their spectacular conquest at Jericho was all God’s doing. It was God’s victory; therefore, the city was His.
Just as there were some sacrifices that belonged entirely to the Lord while others were shared by the offerer or the priest, some plunder was set as exclusively belonging to the Lord.
The precious metals of gold, silver and brass taken from Jericho was dedicated entirely to God’s sanctuary.
It was a crime against the covenant to take what belonged to God and keep it for oneself.
Please read the entire chapter of Joshua chapter 7
After their defeat at Ai, Joshua feared that God had forsaken his people. He mourns and becomes despondent. God speaks to Joshua of Israel’s sin and violation of his covenant.
Hidden Plunder
Someone had stolen some of the plunder that was devoted to God, lied and hid it amongst his possessions.
They were powerless before Ai and any other Canaanite cities because of this sin.
One man violated God’s instructions about Jericho, he broke the covenant and the nation suffered.
The ancient Israelites found their identity within the community as a whole. The group was bound together as a unit. Individual behaviour would not be viewed in isolation from the nation.
When one person sinned, the group shared the responsibility.
God would withdraw His presence unless they destroyed the things that were stolen.
The people would stand before God and submit to His divine scrutiny.
Achan knew he was to blame. He had taken the things devoted to God hoping that no one would notice their disappearance. If he confessed earlier, he might have been forgiven.
Achan’s Plunder and Blunder
Here is what Achan took for himself.
A Babylonian robe.
The robe was woven with gold threads. It was fringed and usually worn draped over one shoulder, with the edge carried over the arm.
200 shekels of silver.
A wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels.
This represented what it would take for the average worker a lifetime to earn. Now, that’s a lot of shekels.
Joshua sent messengers to Achan’s tent where all the hidden plunder was discovered.
Achan’s Punishment
Achan and his family, all his livestock, his tent and his possessions, and the stolen items were taken to the Valley of Achor.
Israel executed Achan in a communal stoning. His family were also implicated because they had not exposed him. They may have helped Achan hide the plunder, so they too were all stoned to death.
Everything else was destroyed and put to the flame.
A heap of stones was raised on the place where Achan was executed as a record of his conviction and execution. It also served as a visual reminder and warning to those who might be tempted to break God’s covenant.
When the nation of Israel dealt with their sin, the Lord turned from His fierce anger.
What can we learn from this account?
Sin lurks in the shadow of faith’s victory. There is no power without purity.
Achan’s guilt was brought upon the whole nation of Israel. We need to remember the warning that our sin may infect or defile others.
Covetousness was Achan’s downfall. Sin began in his eye. He was charmed by the glitter and shine of the silver and gold. Lust ruined him.
Can we hide anything from God? He has many ways of bringing to light the hidden works of darkness.
For Israel the battles were against the Canaanites. These were physical battles with swords that shed physical blood. But for Achan, the battle was not only against external enemies, but an internal one—himself. Greed and covetousness were his weaknesses.
So too with us. We have Satan and the world to contend with, but we need to recognize the internal fight between our sinful nature and the Spirit.
Let us pray for help, that we may have victory on all fronts.
But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor 15:57
Bibliography
Johnson, L. 2021, (updated 21 Feb 2021) ‘Customs agents in Cincinnati seized 44 pounds of corn flakes covered in cocaine instead of sugar’, CNN.com. Retrieved 28 Feb 2021 from
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/02/21/us/cbp-seizes-cocaine-laced-corn-flakes-trnd/index.html
Carson, S and Ky, J. (Updated 20 July 2020) ‘Australian border force reveals the creative ways criminals are trying to smuggle drugs’, The Morning Show. 7 News.com. Retrieved 28 Feb 2021 from
Henry, M. 1961, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Zondervan, Michigan.
Pawson, D. 2015, Unlocking the Bible, William Collins, UK.
Pfeiffer C,F. 1990, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Moody Publishers, Illinois.
The Quest Study Bible, 1994, Zondervan Publishing House, Michigan.
Walton, J. 2000, The IVP Bible Background Commentary Old Testament, IVP Academic, Illinois.
Nice one Babe
Thanks for all your support.