It's good to be here with you all this morning. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Connor,

and I serve as a lay elder, as Pastor Joel said here at the church. It's always a pleasure to get to

preach from God's Word on the Lord's Day and to worship alongside you all. I last preached near the end of our

study through the book of Hebrews, and so now I'm excited to get to preach through the book of Joshua for the first time. God's word does not return void, and it's been encouraging to

behold all that he has taught us as we focused our attention on the book of Joshua over these

last few weeks and months. So without further ado, we'll jump right in. If you have your Bibles

with you or a copy of the notes in front of you,

please direct your attention now to the text at hand. This week's text is Joshua chapter 7,

verses 1 through 9. And as is our tradition here at Covenant Bible Church, would you stand with me as I read the text?

When I conclude reading it, I will say, this is the word of the Lord, and as a congregation,

I will ask that we all respond by saying, thanks be to God.

And so this is once more Joshua, chapter 7, verses 1 through 9.

The Bible says this, but the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Aiken, the son of

Karmai, 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.

Joshua sent men from Jericho to A.I., which is near Beth Avon, east of Bethel, and said to them,

go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out AI. And they returned to Joshua and said to him,

do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack AI.

Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.

So about 3,000 men went up there from the people, and they fled before the men of AI.

And the men of AI killed about 36 of their men and chased them before the gate as far as

Shibarum and struck them at the descent. And the heart of the people, the hearts of the people

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