Daily Lesson for Wednesday 5th of November 2025

The strategy of Yahweh converts Israel’s initial defeat into a tactical advantage, thus transforming the Valley of Achor (Hebrew word for “trouble”) into a door of hope (compare with Hosea 2:15). Having gained too much self-confidence by their first victory over the Israelites, the citizens of Ai repeat their strategy in attacking the Israelites, who feign retreat and defeat.

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Once the inhabitants of Ai are lured out of their stronghold, the 30,000 Israelites, positioned not too far behind the city (Joshua 8:4), will capture the empty city by setting it on fire. Joshua 8:7 makes it clear that it is not the strategy that brings victory, but it is the Lord Himself who will grant the victory and hand the city of Ai over to the Israelites. Even in a chapter in which the military aspects dominate the narrative more than in any other chapter of the book, the text highlights the underlying truth that victory is the gift of Yahweh.

The decisive moment of the battle occurs when the men of Ai leave the city and start pursuing the Israelites. This is the second time that God speaks in the whole chapter after He gave the strategy in Joshua 8:2, signaling that He oversees the battle. Until this moment, we don’t know the outcome of the battle. From this point onward, it becomes clear that the Israelite army is victorious.

The weapon in the hand of Joshua was a sickle sword, or scimitar, rather than a sword or javelin. In the time of Joshua, it may not have been used as an actual weapon, but it had become a symbol of sovereignty. And, besides giving the signal for attack, it expresses God’s sovereignty in the defeat of Ai. By stretching out the sickle sword until the full victory is won, Joshua is shown to have fully assumed the leadership role Moses exercised at the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16) and in the war against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:11-13), where Joshua personally led the combat.

This time there is no visible, miraculous intervention of God, yet the victory over Ai is no less divinely assisted than that over the Egyptians in the first generation or in the recent victory over Jericho. The key to success is in Joshua’s faith in the word of the Lord and his unwavering obedience to it. The principle seen in this story remains valid for God’s people today, wherever they live and whatever their challenges.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-06-the-door-of-hope/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-06-the-door-of-hope

The story of Achan in this week’s Sabbath School lesson teaches us about the dangers of cherishing sin in our hearts. Fortunately, we have a Savior who is always quick to forgive, time and again, and even cleanse us, time and again. Whenever I see someone mopping a floor and a child tracks dirt on the clean floor, I hear them say, “I just cleaned this floor!” And when I hear that, I am so glad my Savior quickly forgives and cleanses my heart time and time again, without sighing and saying, “But I just cleaned this heart!” Still, while we have a forgiving Savior who can clean our repentant hearts time and time again, we must be careful that we do not become comfortable in our sins. There is a fatal danger in cherishing our sins.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:47-50 NLT 

Notice that in this parable, the bad fish are not cleaned at the end of the world. They are either already good or already bad. There is no changing our characters at the second coming. 

He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11 NKJV

in 1 Corinthians 15, we read a beautiful promise. 

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52 NKJV 

I will let you examine the entire chapter for yourself and decide for yourself, but as I read this chapter, I find that Paul is talking about our physical bodies, not our moral characters, which are being changed at the second coming. Paul gives us much encouragement that our moral characters can be changed by grace here in this life, well before the second coming. 

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Titus 2:11-12 NKJV

How comforting to know that God’s grace enables us to live a righteous and godly life in the here and now, instead of having to bring all the destruction upon ourselves and others, as Achan did while he clung to sin. 

I love how the NLT puts it as we continue reading Titus 2,

He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.Titus 2:14 NLT 

Jesus did not pay the price for our sins so that we could continue in sin. 

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?  Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?  For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.  We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. Romans 6:1-7 NLT 

We do not want this proverb to be about us.

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. Proverbs 26:11 NLT 

Instead, we know that while Jesus did not die for us to continue in sin, He did die so that we can do what is right. 

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. 1 Peter 2:24 NLT 

In the Adventist church, I have noticed we seem to go from one extreme to the other. Let’s not go to extremes but remember that God’s power to keep us from sinning never removes His power to forgive a truly repentant heart, and His power to forgive never cancels His power to help us overcome in the here and now.

The story of Achan teaches us that while forgiveness is freely offered, clinging to sin will always prove fatal. Achan was found clinging to his trophies when He should have been clinging to God and His grace. As the old hymn says, “When at last my trophies I lay down, I will cling to the old rugged cross.” When Christ returns, let us not be found clinging to our sins and trophies, but instead to the old rugged cross. 

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Daily Lesson for Tuesday 4th of November 2025

Joshua asks Achan to do two things: First, to give glory to God and honor Him. Second, to confess what he had done without concealing it. Achan was supposed to give glory to God by admitting what he had done. The term used here (todah) can refer to thanksgiving (Psalms 26:7, Isaiah 51:3, Jeremiah 17:26) but also to the confession of sin (Ezra 10:11).

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Unfortunately, the biblical text gives no indication that Achan showed any sign of real repentance. He hoped until the end to remain hidden. His defiant attitude qualified him to be regarded as a high-handed offender, for whom there was no atonement according to the law of Moses (compare with Numbers 15:27-31).

The words of Achan in Joshua 7:21 are reminiscent of the fall of Adam and Eve. Eve saw (ra’ah) that the tree was desirable (kḥamad) and finally took (laqakḥ) from its fruit (Genesis 3:6). In his confession, Achan admits that he saw (ra’ah) in the plunder a beautiful mantle of Shinar, 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold. He then coveted (kḥamad) and took (laqakḥ) them. Just as in the case of Adam and Eve, the choice of Achan reveals that the sin of covetousness is the sin of unbelief. It suspects God of not wanting the best for His creatures and of hiding some exquisite pleasures from them, which belong to the realm of divinity only.

Besides the allusion to the primordial human fall, the text highlights a stark contrast between the attitudes of Rahab (compare with Joshua 2:1-13) and that of Achan. The one took the spies to the roof and hid them from the soldiers; the other took forbidden things and hid them from Joshua. The one showed kindness to the Israelite spies and helped them secure victory; the other brought trouble on Israel by his greed and secured defeat. The one made a covenant with the Israelites; the other broke the covenant with Yahweh. Rahab saved herself and her family, and they became respected citizens in Israel; Achan doomed himself and his family to death and became an example of ignominy.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-06-fateful-choices/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-06-fateful-choices

Daily Lesson for Monday 3rd of November 2025

Instead of unveiling the identity of the transgressor, God sets up a procedure that reveals both His justice and grace. After explaining the reason for Israel’s defeat and calling for the sanctification of the people (Joshua 7:13), He allows a time span between the announcement of the procedure and its application, which gives Achan time to think, repent, and confess his sin.

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Similarly, his family (if they knew what had happened) has the opportunity to decide whether they want to be involved in the cover-up or refuse to be accomplices, like the sons of Korah, who avoided destruction by refusing to side with their father (compare with Numbers 16:23-33, Numbers 26:11).

The solution to the predicament follows the opposite direction to how it entered and plagued Israel: corporate guilt is eliminated and narrowed down from Israel to one tribe; from tribe to family; from family to household; and from household to individuals. Besides revealing the offender, the investigative process also cleared the innocent. This was an equally important aspect of the meticulous juridical procedure, where God Himself acts as witness to the unseen acts of Achan.

The reader almost can feel the tension as God zeroes in on Achan. Who cannot wonder at the man’s obstinacy in hoping that he could go undetected? Nothing is concealed from the penetrating eyes of the Lord (Psalms 139:1-16, 2 Chronicles 16:9), who knows what is hidden in the heart of a man (1 Samuel 16:7, Jeremiah 17:10, Proverbs 5:21).

It is important to notice the way Joshua addressed Achan: “My son.” This expression shows not only the age and leadership role of Joshua but also reveals the spirit in which this great warrior approached justice. His heart was full of compassion for Achan, even though he was called to execute judgment on the offender. Through his attitude, Joshua was again foreshadowing the sensitivity, kindness, and love of the One who “was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. . . . He [Jesus] fearlessly denounced hypocrisy, unbelief, and iniquity, but tears were in His voice as He uttered His scathing rebukes.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 353.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-06-the-sin-of-achan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-06-the-sin-of-achan

As we work our way through the book of Joshua this quarter, we will see that he is ready to 
Fight The Good Fight – Hymn 613 and to move forward into the Promised Land. We may still use last quarter’s theme hymn as this will pop up throughout this quarter as well: 
Hymn 620 – On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand. These two hymns will resound throughout the quarter.

Our memory text says the Lord gives to everyone, so let us sing 
Soldiers Of Christ, Arise – Hymn 616 as we go forward daily and request 
Lead On, O King Eternal – Hymn 619. Sabbath afternoon closes reminding us that “while we are on the border of the Promised Land, our faithfulness is tested, so please 
O Brother, Be Faithful – Hymn 602.

 Achan did not wish to repent until it was just too late, so all of Israel suffered at the Ai battle. Please, dear Father, 
Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive – Hymn 299 before all is too late.

Joshua did ask Ahan “to give glory to God and honor Him,” and we can do this in 
Hymn 341 – To God Be The Glory. Later on Tuesday, we talk about Rahab and the beautiful choice she made, all because she said 
Lord, I Have Made Thy Word My Choice – Hymn 273.

 We are encouraged on Wednesday that it is the Lord Himself who gives us victory. “Victory is the gift of Yahweh”:
Hymn 608 – Faith Is The Victory.

Thursday is a real “Witness to God’s Power”: 
Hymn 88 – I Sing The Mighty Power Of God and 
Hymn 90 – Eternal God, Whose Power Upholds. It is then that we can give 
All Glory, Laud And Honor – Hymn 230.

Please continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed, and to bless others.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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