rizen1
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Why did Achan’s whole family have to be killed just because Achan sinned? Does that seem fair?
Before we answer the above question, let’s look at another. What happens if you wash a red shirt with a load of white clothes? The white clothes turn pink! Unless you happen to like the color pink, your clothes are ruined.
During the Old Testament, God operated under the principle that one person’s wrong-doing affected everyone else. That wrong-doing was just a red shirt added to a load of white clothing—it colored everything else.
Since Achan was the head of his family, his guilt rubbed off on his family first, and the nation second (see Josh 7:11). This sin cost Israel a victory in battle and the lives of 36 soldiers. Because of the violation of God’s command, Achan’s whole family had to be put to death (see also Exod 19:13; Lev 24:16, 23). In that way, the guilt would be lifted off of the whole nation.
Centuries later, one man’s death would pay the price of the wrongdoings of the whole world. In Jesus’ case, it was like adding a white sock to a load of red laundry and turning that entire load white! As Isaiah 1:18 states, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.' Because he never did anything wrong, Jesus’ death wasn’t exactly fair. But aren’t you glad he was willing to die for you?
Before we answer the above question, let’s look at another. What happens if you wash a red shirt with a load of white clothes? The white clothes turn pink! Unless you happen to like the color pink, your clothes are ruined.
During the Old Testament, God operated under the principle that one person’s wrong-doing affected everyone else. That wrong-doing was just a red shirt added to a load of white clothing—it colored everything else.
Since Achan was the head of his family, his guilt rubbed off on his family first, and the nation second (see Josh 7:11). This sin cost Israel a victory in battle and the lives of 36 soldiers. Because of the violation of God’s command, Achan’s whole family had to be put to death (see also Exod 19:13; Lev 24:16, 23). In that way, the guilt would be lifted off of the whole nation.
Centuries later, one man’s death would pay the price of the wrongdoings of the whole world. In Jesus’ case, it was like adding a white sock to a load of red laundry and turning that entire load white! As Isaiah 1:18 states, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.' Because he never did anything wrong, Jesus’ death wasn’t exactly fair. But aren’t you glad he was willing to die for you?
