Prayer: Father, may I embrace those things which You have deemed off limits as not an option for me. Amen.
Reading: Joshua 7 key: vs. 20-21
“Achan responded to Joshua and said: “It’s true! I have sinned against Adonai, God of Israel! This is what I have done: When I saw among the spoil a beautiful Shinar mantle and 200 shekels of silver and a wedge of gold 50 shekels in weight, I coveted them and took them. Look, they are buried in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.” TLV
Attention: We do not hear the word “covet” in our culture much, as it seems to be acceptable to want what belongs to another person. The definition of the term “covet” according to the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is: “Inordinate desire to possess what belongs to another, usually tangible things.”
One of the most dramatic examples in scripture of someone coveting something which someone else owns is found in 1 Kings 21, where king Ahab approaches Naboth about buying his vineyard which is located next door to his palace. Naboth isn’t interested in trading or selling which infuriates the king. The king’s wife Jezebel takes matters into her own hands and has Naboth eliminated and hands the property over to her husband. The justification seems to be, if the king wants it, take it, seize it and possess.
The problem which presents itself, is that Adonai is Supreme even over kings and Ahab and Jezebel do not break Adonai’s commands and get away with it. Adonai’s commands were given to Moses in Exodus 20:17, “Do not covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” TLV
Can the Law be any plainer? Ahab coveted his neighbor’s vineyard.
In today’s text, Achan admits to coveting the items which God (Adonai) had forbidden. “When I saw among the spoil a beautiful Shinar mantle and 200 shekels of silver and a wedge of gold 50 shekels in weight, I coveted them and took them.”
Are you guilty today of coveting someone’s property, goods, or even wife? Now that we know what the act of coveting involves and God’s command against coveting, will we have a healthy fear of Adonai’s discipline for those who covet?
Action: I choose a lifestyle of obedience to God’s commands.
Yield: I choose to yield my will to the will of God.
Engage: I choose to engage in a lifestyle of holiness unto God.
Relationship: I choose to live in a close relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, help me in my quest to be obedient to Your commands. Help me to not sin against You and live a life of obedience unto You. Amen.
Memory Verse: Exodus 20:17 “Do not covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” TLV
Music Video: Lind Cofer and the Circuit Riders—Obedience https://youtu.be/6jjpEK83jYI
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”