OR,

The Valley of Guilt and Grace.

"Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor."-Joshua vii. 26.

The valley of TROUBLE-SIN.

"Achar, the troubler of Israel." I Chron. ii. 7.

"Israel hath sinned, and they have also trangressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. . . . Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you."--Joshua vii. 11-13.

E see in this valley what sin is. God loves the sinner, but hates sin. Sin must be dealt with. The wages of

sin, death. We see also in this valley

that God requires from His children obedience, holiness. Distinct orders had been given to the children of Israel (vi. 18) concerning the taking of Jericho. But there was disobedience (vii. 1); there was sin in the camp; sin defiles, sin spreads,

B

sin renders God's children powerless. Achan took of the accursed thing, and because of the sin of one man the children of Israel were accursed, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against them.

Look at the results: defeat (v. 4), death (v. 5), dishonour (v. 6). It was not the great strength of the men of Ai, it was not that God had failed His children, the hindrance was in themselves. It was a hidden evil that conquered them. The devil was reigning in one heart. "I know where Satan's seat is." (Rev. ii. 13.) Deep down, out of sight, but sin was there. It may seem to some to have been a small thing, but it was sin, and this one thing made the whole army helpless. "Sin possesses the power of concealing both its own deformity and its danger. There is this awful peculiarity in sin, that in proportion as men become familiar with it they become ignorant of its real character." Let us lay to our hearts this lesson, that anything allowed in the heart contrary to the will of God will cause us to fall before our enemies.

Notice the steps (v. 21), saw, coveted, took. The eye, the heart, the hand. The look, the wish, the deed-here was the whole history. I saw, I desired,

Lot also saw (Gen. xiii.

I yielded. Eve (Gen. iii.). 10), and then made the fatal choice. Esau likewise, when he saw the mess of pottage. David (2 Sam. xi. 2.) Pray this prayer: "Turn away mine eyes

THE VALLEY OF ACHOR.

19

from beholding vanity." Probably with the help of his family, Achan hides the stolen things in his tent. See Joshua xxii. 20, "Not alone:" "Did not Achan commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity." Two most solemn words! They speak to us concerning our influence. How are we using it? Either for or against God. By every act, word, look, by sins of omission, as well as by sins of commission, we are influencing others for good or evil. We are "not alone," but drawing others with us on the road we are going.

We see also the evil that one person may do or say; for instance, one ungodly person in a house. Not only will blessing be hindered, but perhaps that whole house will be powerless till the evil is brought to light. Not long ago I saw a painful instance of this. One ungodly servant in a Christian home was the means of doing terrible harm, bringing in and spreading sin and trouble, and making the house a valley of Achor. "One sinner destroyeth much good."

In the camp of Israel this sin had to be dealt with at once. (v. 16.) No delay! Joshua rose up early in the morning. The evil must be brought out before the Lord (v. 23); confessed unto God (v. 19); put away. (vv. 24-26.) "Indeed I have