Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from Radical.net.

Joshua chapter 7, verse 1,

But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things.

For Aiken, the son of Karmie, son of Zabdi, son of Zara, of the tribe of Judah,

took some of the devoted things,

and the anger of the Lord burned against the people

of Israel.

So if you're not familiar with the story of Joshua chapter 7 and Aiken, here's the summary.

God had commanded his people in Joshua chapter 6 when they entered into Jericho to get rid of the devoted things.

And basically the picture is things that were devoted to idolatry and immorality in Jericho

that were displeasing to God and warranted his judgment.

God said, don't go in to Jericho and then keep those

kinds of things for yourself. Destroy them. But what's being revealed here in Joshua

7, verse 1, is that Aiken has taken some of these devoted things and he's hid them for himself

and his family. And what happens as a result after that is

God's people go into battle and are struck down by a much smaller army. And Joshua pleads before God,

why did this happen? And God says, because you have disobeyed me. And the key, and what I want

us to think about today and pray according to is this was one person, in the entire people

of God, one person who kept devoted things.

And as a result of one person's sin, it affected not just that person's family, but it affected

the entire people of God.

And the Bible is teaching us here very clearly.

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