The Jubilee & The Fall Of Jericho – Part 2

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NOTE: TRANSCRIPT IS NOT EXACTLY LIKE THE LIVE RECORDING.

Something happened among the Israelites right out of the chute. It is something that will not happen in our future. The prophecies foretell patterns, situations and conditions that will repeat and those that will not repeat. We are about to find out what will not repeat in our future.

Joshua 6:17  The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh.

Jericho is now “devoted” to YHVH.” Everything in Jericho is His. It is all set aside for a special purpose. Jericho was a pagan, heathen, demon-worshiping city which is named after their patron demon deity whose name does not appear in scripture, so I won’t say it, either. So how in the world can this city be “devoted” to YHVH? In our modern cultural definition of “devoted”, we might likely think of devotion as in love, so narrow is our modern definition. That word, used in some Bible versions, is actually a bad translation. This is a good reason to study the Hebrew words when we study scripture.

Devoted” is the Hebrew word ‘cherem’ (Strong’s H2764). It is also translated as “accursed”. This Hebrew word means something that is banned and set aside for destruction. It’s not about love at all. The root word is “charam”, H2763. It is used in Daniel 11:44 for when the Islamic Shi’ite King of the North devotes Sunni Muslims and non-Muslims to “the ban”, to destruction.

Back to the rest of Joshua 6:17…

…Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Joshua 6:18  But as for you, only keep yourselves from what is devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted [accursed] it, you take of the devoted thing; so you would make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.
Joshua 6:19  But all the silver, gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh’s treasury.”
Joshua 6:20  So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they took the city.
Joshua 6:21  They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

This is how YHVH does battle. It’s over very quickly.

Joshua 6:22  Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.” 
Joshua 6:23  The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all of her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel.
Joshua 6:24  They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron into the treasury of Yahweh’s house.
Joshua 6:25  But Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lives in the middle of Israel to this day because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

We have read twice in this chapter that she hid the 2 messengers. What is this for us at the end of days? Goyim, people from the nations, gentiles will populate the earth in the Millennium. I have always wondered why certain goyim would be saved and others not. I asked YHVH to explain the significance of Rahab hiding the messengers, AKA the spies. Here is what came to my immediately.

Those who hide YHVH’s fleeing woman and help her get to the wilderness may be part of this prophecy of who will be saved like Rahab. Them and their households. They could well be the start of the goyim population on earth during the Millennium.

Joshua 6:26  Joshua commanded them with an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed is the man before Yahweh, who rises up and builds this city Jericho. With the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates.”

This curse is true.

1 Kings 16:34  In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. He laid its foundation with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

Today, ancient Jericho is nothing more than a playground for archeologists trying to disprove the Bible’s account of its destruction. The modern city called Jericho is not built on the ancient ruins.

Joshua 6:27  So Yahweh was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.

The next battle will happen immediately and will be in Ai. It will go very badly. Hot off the Jericho war, the Israelites now expect to cut through Canaan like a hot knife through butter. Not so fast!

Joshua 7:1  But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against the children of Israel. 

This scribe tells us that there was a problem and he will now proceed to tell us the details of the problem. Notice how he says the children of Israel committed a trespass. That man who committed the trespass, the treason against YHVH was Achan. So why did this scribe word his opening sentence of the story this way? It is because when only 1 Israelite commits sin, it sullies and dirties the entire congregation. The entire congregation becomes liable.

You see, people think their sins are just between them and God but YHVH said our sins will find us out (Numbers 32:23). He also said the secret things, the secret sins, are between Him and the sinner but this does not mean the secret sins do not defile all Israel. Achan thought his sin was a secret. It was not. Someone saw it. His name is YHVH.

Some will say this is unfair. Fairness is a manmade term. Justice is the foundation on which the Kingdom of Israel is built and justice requires payment for crimes which are committed. If the means to bring the nation back into equilibrium means everyone must pay the price for the 1 sinner, then everyone pays the price.

Those who were in the military understand this principle. I was in the army, and here’s how it worked. One soldier messed up so the whole platoon did pushups!

YHVH’s justice system intends that we hold each other responsible for our sins and that we be accountable to the entire congregation for them. We are responsible for each other and accountable to each other. Whether you like it or not and whether you agree with YHVH’s justice system, that’s the way it is.

That is why the scribe started this story by making sure we understand that all Israel pays the price for one man’s sins.

Here’s the way it happened.

Joshua 7:2  Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.” The men went up and spied out Ai. 
Joshua 7:3  They returned to Joshua, and said to him, “Don’t let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don’t make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them.” 
Joshua 7:4  So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai. 
Joshua 7:5  The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them, and they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water. 
Joshua 7:6  Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before Yahweh’s ark until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. 
Joshua 7:7  Joshua said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan! 

Oh! I wish Joshua had not said this! The first place to look when we have problems is into ourselves. Joshua was there when the Israelites blamed Moses and Aaron and YHVH for their troubles. He should have known better.

Isn’t just like us, though, to do this? If someone would say he has never blamed God for something that happened in life, I would say I don’t believe him. I’ve done this. We’ve all done this.

Joshua 7:8  Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 
Joshua 7:9  For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?” 

Now THAT is the right question. What will You do for Your great name? And YHVH answered Joshua.

Joshua 7:10  Yahweh said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that? 
Joshua 7:11  Israel has sinned. Yes, they have transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff. 
Joshua 7:12  Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 
Joshua 7:13  “Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, “There is a devoted thing among you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.” 
Joshua 7:14  “‘In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which Yahweh selects shall come near by families. The family which Yahweh selects shall come near by households. The household which Yahweh selects shall come near man by man. 
Joshua 7:15  It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed Yahweh’s covenant, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’” 
Joshua 7:16  So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected. 
Joshua 7:17  He brought near the family of Judah; and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was selected. 
Joshua 7:18  He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected. 
Joshua 7:19  Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Don’t hide it from me!” 
Joshua 7:20  Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done. 
Joshua 7:21  When I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.” 

Achan’s heart was not toward YHVH or even toward Israel. This is the kind of heart so many people still have here at the end of days. They are still thinking of themselves, how they can come out on top, how that can get rich. Achan’s heart was not only an Egyptian heart, it was with Babylon!

Understand the history of Babylon and Egypt. Both nations come from the one rebellious son of Noah, Ham. Nimrod was the son of Cush the son of Ham, and Mizraim (Egypt, which is still called Mizraim in Hebrew and Arabic) was the son of Ham. Canaan, the forefather of the squatters in YHVH’s land that belonged to Shem and then Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel), was the son of Ham. Babylon and Egypt are the same. They are interchangeable in everything – culture, religion – everything! Achan’s heart was with YHVH’s enemies!

This is why there will be a great sifting in the coming years as YHVH separates the rebels away from the righteous. This time, when 12-tribed Israel re-enters the Promised Land, there won’t be any “Achans”.

Joshua 7:22  So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. 
Joshua 7:23  They took them from the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel. They laid them down before Yahweh. 

Sins must be exposed to all Israel.

Joshua 7:24  Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor. 
Joshua 7:25  Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 
Joshua 7:26  They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day. 

Saul did the same thing and was removed as king of Israel.

1 Samuel 15:21  But the people took of the plunder, sheep and cattle, the chief of the devoted [charam] things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.” 

In Saul’s time, the Amalekites had been judged by YHVH for their ill treatment of the Israelites in the wilderness and His sentence was their total destruction. Saul disobeyed, and we still have problems with the Amalekites today. We don’t even know who they are anymore except by the murdering spirit they have toward all Israel.

If Achan got killed for taking the accursed things, then why didn’t Sameul kill him like Achan was killed? There are 2 kinds of people you don’t touch: the accursed and the anointed.

Notice also that Saul committed his treason against YHVH in the same place where Achan committed his.

Treason, Achan’s sin and, over 300 years later, became Saul’s sin, carries an automatic death penalty. In Achan’s case, the execution was carried out by the citizens of Israel. Saul was removed on the day that he stole the accursed things from YHVH, but he lived to serve Israel as King for a full 40 years. His life ended when he himself took it. Thus, one way or another, those who touch what YHVH has set aside for destruction, will be executed.

There is no sacrifice for treason. The sacrifices listed in Leviticus 1 through 6 and elsewhere are for sins of ignorance. There are no sacrifices for treason against YHVH. For that, you have to throw yourself on the mercies of the King! He will forgive you but you will still pay the consequences in one form or another.

Some people are confused about why Saul lost his kingship that day. Some say it was because he performed a sacrifice. That sacrifice was the least of Saul’s problem! He allowed the Israelites to steal from YHVH! Saul made it possible for Israel – all Israel, all 12 tribes that were united under Saul – to steal from YHVH in that battle with the Amalekites. They all committed treason against Him on that day. Achan was 1 man and his family. Saul’s sin led all Israel into treason!

There are commentators who say Achan and his family died because he stole YHVH’s First Fruits. That is not true. YHVH defines His First Fruits in the Torah as the crops that come from the harvest of your land (Exo_23:19, Exo_34:26, Lev_2:12, Lev_2:14, Lev_23:10, Lev_23:17, Lev_23:20, Num_18:12, Num_28:26, Deu_18:4, Deu_26:10). First Fruits are not spoils of war. YHVH never defined First Fruits as including spoils of war. Achan died for treason when he stole the accursed things.

YHVH’s Law says:

Deuteronomy 13:12  If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, 
Deuteronomy 13:13  certain wicked fellows have gone out from among you, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, “Let’s go and serve other gods,” which you have not known; 
Deuteronomy 13:14  then you shall inquire, and make search, and ask diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination was done among you, 
Deuteronomy 13:15  you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, with all that is therein and its livestock, with the edge of the sword. 
Deuteronomy 13:16  You shall gather all its plunder into the middle of its street, and shall burn with fire the city, and all of its plunder, to Yahweh your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again. 

That’s Jericho.

Deuteronomy 13:17  Nothing of the devoted [charam] thing shall cling to your hand, that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as he has sworn to your fathers; 
Deuteronomy 13:18  when you listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to keep all his commandments which I command you today, to do that which is right in Yahweh your God’s eyes. 

Achan disobeyed YHVH’s direct command and this commandment. Jericho was going to be a snare to the Israelites causing them to walk away from YHVH. Rahab was saved because she repented of her sins to YHVH and was no longer a goy, a gentile. She was an Israelite and, as such, was able to save her entire household. Whereas Achan was an Israelite rebel who committed treachery lost his entire household.

We must understand that what YHVH has set apart for destruction we must not interfere with in any way. This includes having something to say when YHVH starts separating the rebels from the righteous in the wilderness. Keep your mouth shut. Do not interfere when He separates the rebels away even though it may be painful. And do not try to keep any memorabilia from any of the rebels even if they offer it to you.

There you have it. The first failure of Israel and the reason why they were punished, and also some advice for us who hope to see the end of these days and Yeshua coming to rescue us and reign over us.