Intentional FaithThe Four Steps That Lead the Heart Away
The Bible in a Year
“When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent.”
Joshua 7:21
As we continue our journey through the Scriptures this year, the story of Achan in Joshua 7 stands as a sobering reminder that sin rarely arrives suddenly. Instead, it unfolds step by step, quietly moving from a thought to an action and finally to consequences that affect far more people than we imagine. Israel had just witnessed the miraculous fall of Jericho. God had commanded that the spoils of that city were devoted entirely to Him. Yet one man among the thousands allowed temptation to grow within his heart. Achan’s confession in Joshua 7:21 reveals a pattern that is repeated throughout human history: seeing, coveting, taking, and hiding.
The first step in Achan’s downfall was seeing. He looked upon a beautiful Babylonian garment and precious metals. At first glance, the act of seeing may appear harmless. Yet Scripture consistently warns us about the influence of what captures our attention. The Hebrew verb used in Joshua 7:21 is ra’ah, meaning to look upon or perceive. Seeing itself is not sin, but what we allow our eyes to linger upon can awaken desires that shape our hearts. This same dynamic appeared in the very first sin recorded in Scripture. Genesis 3:6 tells us that Eve “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes.” What began as observation quickly became temptation. Jesus later echoed this principle when He taught that the eyes can guide the entire direction of life: “The lamp of the body is the eye” (Matthew 6:22).
From seeing, Achan moved to coveting. The Hebrew word behind this idea, chamad, means to desire intensely or to take pleasure in something forbidden. What the eyes notice, the heart may begin to crave. The apostle Paul warned believers about this very movement of the heart when he wrote, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). Our affections are powerful forces. When they attach themselves to the wrong object, they quietly pull our lives away from God’s purposes. Many spiritual failures do not begin with outward rebellion but with inward longing that grows unchecked.
The third step was taking. What began in the eyes and deepened in the heart eventually moved into action. Achan physically took the items God had forbidden. This step reminds us that outward sin rarely appears without inward preparation. Long before the action occurs, the heart has been negotiating with temptation. The book of James describes this process clearly: “Each person is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin” (James 1:14–15). Sin is not spontaneous; it develops within the heart before it appears in behavior.
After taking the forbidden treasure, Achan moved to the final step—hiding. He buried the stolen items beneath his tent, hoping the secret would remain concealed. Yet Scripture repeatedly reveals that hidden sin eventually comes to light. The book of Numbers warns, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Human instinct often pushes us to hide our failures, but concealment never resolves the deeper issue. The spiritual writer John Owen once said, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” His words remind us that ignoring sin allows it to grow stronger.
What makes Achan’s story especially tragic is that his personal sin affected the entire nation. Israel suffered defeat at Ai because one man had disobeyed God. This reminds us that our spiritual lives are never entirely private. The choices we make influence our families, our communities, and even the spiritual health of those around us. The Bible consistently portrays God’s people as a covenant community where the faithfulness of one person strengthens others and the sin of one person can wound many.
When I read this passage, I find myself examining my own life. Where do these steps appear in my daily decisions? The process often begins quietly—an image that captures my attention, a thought that lingers too long, a desire that begins to grow. Yet the story of Achan teaches us that the earlier we confront temptation, the easier it is to resist. If the battle is won at the level of what we allow our eyes and hearts to dwell upon, the later steps may never occur.
Jesus addressed this issue directly when He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). The purity Jesus describes begins with the inner life—what we allow our thoughts, desires, and affections to pursue. Guarding our hearts is not simply about avoiding wrongdoing; it is about protecting the relationship we share with God.
As we continue our Bible-in-a-year journey, Achan’s confession stands as both a warning and an invitation. It warns us about the quiet progression of temptation, but it also invites us to cultivate vigilance over our hearts. The good news of the gospel is that where sin has broken fellowship with God, grace offers restoration. Through Christ, forgiveness and transformation remain available.
Perhaps today’s passage encourages us to ask an honest question: What am I allowing my eyes, my thoughts, and my affections to dwell upon? If we bring those areas into the light of God’s presence, we will discover that His grace is stronger than temptation and His wisdom is sufficient to guide us.
For additional study on the story of Achan, see this article from Bible.org:
https://bible.org/seriespage/9-achan-sin-and-its-consequences-joshua-7
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