A long time ago in a promised land far away some spies were sent out. Joshua was obediently aiming at city number two after the Jordan river crossing. When the men of the mission ground back into Gilgal they told Joshua he should call for the B-team. “That city is in a AAA league,” they said, having jumped up from the grasshopper level at Jericho. Send but 3,000 against Ai and the victory will be won!
So Joshua did just that. The 3,000 were up to the challenge or so it would seem, but there was a problem in the camp. Sin was there and the Lord’s anger burned against the people. That sin was a hidden thing to the eyes of the people, but it was there and demise it did ensure. I have been writing this with the seeming coincidence of 30 year anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. The much maligned O-ring part of the solid rocket booster system was flawed and because of this the Challenger failed.
The launch of the 3,000 toward the orbit of Ai had a problem. There was a flawed 0-ring, so to speak, and he went by the name of Achan. That fellow tasted the Doritos at Jericho, and that wedge of gold, sacred silver, and Babylonian robe were too much for the taste of his eyes. There had been a warning against this, but the luster did1 . Away with it he thought he got, but the o-ring failed and along the quarry slopes outside Ai came a crash. Thirty-six families were marred by the men lost to them, and the bleeding B-teamers brought far and wide the internal wounds of melting hearts.
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