FEAR AND PRIDE

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The story of Joshua, particularly in the early chapters of the book that bears his name, highlights the dangers of two subtle but powerful foes—fear and pride. These two emotions often lead us into spiritual defeat if we are not cautious. As we explore the events following the fall of Jericho, we see how Joshua’s journey serves as a warning for all believers.

In Joshua 6, God grants Israel a miraculous victory over Jericho. The city’s walls collapse not through military strength but by divine intervention. It was a time of celebration and triumph, yet God gave clear instructions to the Israelites:

Joshua 6:18-19 “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.”

God’s warning was simple: do not take any of the spoils from Jericho. Everything was to be dedicated to the Lord. However, following this great victory, Israel became vulnerable to pride—a sin that often follows success. When we experience victories in life, it’s easy to believe we can take control without relying on God’s guidance. This was Israel’s first mistake.

Following the fall of Jericho, Joshua leads Israel to battle against the small city of Ai. Confident from their recent success, they send only a small portion of their army, thinking it would be an easy victory. Joshua didn’t seek the Lord in prayer before going into battle, and this self-reliance was rooted in pride. Ai, however, defeated them.

Joshua 7:1-3 “And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men… wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.”

Their defeat was not just a military loss; it was a spiritual low. Israel was quickly brought from a height of victory at Jericho to humiliation at Ai. This was a wake-up call for Joshua and the people of Israel. They had acted without seeking God’s will, and it led to failure.

These two foes, fear and pride, work in tandem to lead us astray.

Fear magnifies the size of the enemy and the challenges we face, making us feel weak and incapable. Pride, on the other hand, minimizes the need for reliance on God, making us feel stronger and more capable than we truly are.

In the case of Ai, pride had convinced Joshua and the Israelites that they could win the battle without consulting the Lord. When we allow pride to take root, we act independently of God’s will, which leads to defeat.

God’s judgment was swift, and He revealed to Joshua the reason for Israel’s defeat. It wasn’t just a tactical error—it was sin in the camp.

Joshua 7:11 “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed 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.”

The sin of Achan was a hidden one, but God called it out, saying “Israel hath sinned” rather than simply pointing out Achan. This demonstrates a powerful principle: sin within a community or the body of believers affects everyone. Just as a little leaven leavens the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6), so does one person’s sin impact the entire community of God’s people.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul similarly warns the Corinthians not to tolerate sin in their midst, saying that the entire body is affected by it (1 Cor. 5:1-7).

The sin of Achan unfolded just as sin often does, following a clear progression.

James 1:14-15 “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Achan confessed to Joshua:

Joshua 7:20-21 “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold… I coveted them, and took them.”

Like Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6) and David with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:2-4), the sin began with seeing something desirable, then coveting it, and finally taking it. This three-step progression is the pathway to sin, and it ultimately leads to judgment.

God’s judgment upon Achan was severe. Achan, his family, and all his possessions were taken to the Valley of Achor and destroyed.

Joshua 7:25-26 “And all Israel stoned him with stones… and raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger.”

Achan’s sin of coveting the spoils of Jericho took what belonged to God and tried to claim it for himself. This selfishness resulted in God’s swift judgment. The New Testament parallel is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5, who also tried to withhold what was dedicated to God. They too faced swift and severe consequences for their deception.

While Achan’s judgment was severe, God’s story does not end in judgment. Hosea 2:14-16 speaks of God’s mercy, even referencing the Valley of Achor, where Achan was judged:

Hosea 2:15 “I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope.”

Even in the place of judgment, God provides a door of hope. This is the grace and mercy of God—that He can turn a place of judgment into a place of restoration. In Christ, there is always hope and redemption for those who repent and turn back to God.

Joshua’s journey, particularly through the defeat at Ai and the sin of Achan, teaches us that fear and pride are dangerous foes in our spiritual walk. Pride often leads us to act without seeking God, while fear paralyzes us into inaction. Both prevent us from experiencing the fullness of God’s blessings.

Pride makes us think we don’t need God, just as Joshua acted without prayer after Jericho.

Fear makes us see the challenges as bigger than God’s power, just as Israel’s defeat at Ai devastated them.

In our Christian walk, we must learn from Joshua’s story: to depend on God for every step, to deal swiftly with sin in our lives and communities, and to avoid the pitfalls of both fear and pride. Through humility and reliance on God, we will find our strength in Him. And even in moments of judgment, God’s mercy provides a door of hope.