blessing of the God of Israel and bring weakness upon His people. With humiliation and searching of heart, let each seek to discover the hidden sins that shut out God’s presence. {EP 353.2} Achan had seen the armies of Israel return from Ai defeated and disheartened, yet he did not come forward and confess his sin. He had seen Joshua and the elders bowed to the earth in grief too great for words. But he still kept silence. He had listened to the proclamation that a great crime had been committed, and had even heard its character definitely stated. But his lips were sealed. His soul thrilled with terror as he saw his tribe pointed out, then his family and his household! But still he uttered no confession, until the finger of God was placed upon him. Then, when his sin could no longer be concealed, he admitted the truth. {EP 353.3} There is a vast difference between admitting facts after they have been proved, and confessing sins known only to ourselves and to God. Achan’s confession only served to show that his punishment was just. There was no genuine repentance, no contrition, no change of purpose, no abhorrence of evil. {EP 354.1} So confessions will be made by the guilty when they stand before the bar of God, after every case has been decided for life or death. An acknowledgment of sin will be forced from the soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a fearful looking for of judgment. But such confessions cannot save the sinner. {EP 354.2} When the records of heaven shall be opened, the Judge will not declare to man his guilt, but will cast one penetrating, convicting glance, and every deed, every transaction of life, will be vividly impressed upon the memory of the wrongdoer. The sins hidden from men will then be proclaimed to the whole world. {EP 354.3}
Chapter 46—The Blessings and the Curses This chapter is based on Joshua 8. After the execution of the sentence on Achan, Joshua was commanded to marshal all the men of war and again advance against Ai. The power of God was with His people, and they were soon in possession of the city. {EP 355.1} The people were eager to obtain settlement in Canaan; as yet they had no homes or lands for their families, and to gain these they must drive out the Canaanites. But a higher duty demanded their first attention. They must renew their covenant of loyalty to God. {EP 355.2} In the last instructions of Moses, directions had been given for a convocation upon Mounts Ebal and Gerizim at Shechem, for the recognition of the law of God. In obedience, the men, “the women and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them” left Gilgal and marched through the country of their enemies to the vale of Shechem, near the center of the land. Though surrounded by unconquered foes, “the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them” (Genesis 35:5), and the Hebrews were unmolested. {EP 355.3} Here both Abraham and Jacob had pitched their tents. Here the latter bought the field in which the tribes were to bury the body of Joseph. Here also was the well that Jacob had dug. {EP 355.4} 200
