The Hidden Thing Under the Tent

Before the walls of Jericho fell flat, God gave his people one rule about the treasure inside: every bit of silver and gold belonged to him.

A man named Achan broke the rule. He saw a beautiful robe from far-off Babylon, a pile of silver as heavy as a bag of flour, and a bar of gold. He wanted them so badly he grabbed them, carried them to his tent, and buried them under the floor. (Achan seems to have forgotten that God can see through dirt.)

Next, Joshua looked up the hill at a town called Ai. His spies came back cheerful. "Ai hardly has any soldiers," they said. "Send three thousand men. That's plenty!"

So three thousand soldiers marched up the hill. Then the men of Ai came out of their gate, and three thousand soldiers ran back down the hill a good deal faster. Thirty-six of Israel's men were killed. The whole camp went weak with fear.

Joshua tore his clothes and fell on his face before the ark of God, and the leaders lay beside him with dust on their heads. (That was how people showed the worst kind of sadness.)

"Oh, Lord GOD," Joshua cried, "why did you bring us across the Jordan only to let us be beaten? What will happen to your great name?"

"Stand up!" said the LORD. "Why are you lying on your face? Israel has sinned. They have taken things that belonged to me. They have stolen, and lied, and hidden them among their own things. I will not be with you anymore unless you get rid of what is hidden."

In the morning all Israel came before God, tribe by tribe. God picked out the tribe of Judah. Then, out of Judah, one clan. Then one family. Then one man, standing still. Achan.

"My son," Joshua said, "give glory to the LORD and tell the truth. What have you done? Don't hide it from me."

"It is true," said Achan. "I have sinned against the LORD. I saw them, I wanted them, and I took them. They are buried inside my tent, with the silver underneath."

Messengers ran to the tent and dug, and there it all was. They spread it out before the LORD.

Then all Israel took Achan out of the camp to a valley, with the treasure, his sons and daughters, his animals, and the family tent where it had all been buried. "Why have you brought this trouble on us?" Joshua said. "Today the LORD will bring trouble on you." All Israel stoned Achan, and he died, and his family died with him. They piled a great heap of rocks over him, and the LORD's anger turned away. They named the place the Valley of Achor, which means the Valley of Trouble.

But a heap of rocks could only cover one man's hidden sin, one time. It could not dig the wanting out of anyone's heart.

Hundreds of years went by. God gave the prophet Hosea a promise about that very valley: "I will make the Valley of Trouble a door of hope."

At last another man was led out beyond the city walls. He had never stolen anything or lied about anything, and nothing was buried in his floor. Yet out there he let the trouble of all God's people be piled on him, and he died under it, so every hidden wrong could come into the light and be forgiven.

His name was Jesus, and through him the Valley of Trouble became a door of hope.