Gò0dNews for Everyone
Precious Metals and Pretty Clothes
J
by Brent Goodge
ust after the Israelites crossed the Jordan into
clothing and riches he had deemed important enough to
Canaan, they faced the mighty walls of Jericho.
disobey God (Joshua 7:25-26).
In one of the most famous Bible stories of the Old
Sadly, some of God’s people did not learn the lesson of
Testament, God brought down the invincible walls and
Achan. Gehazi traded the privilege of being Elisha’s servant
Jericho was destroyed.
for two talents of silver and two changes of clothing. The
That was not the end of the story. The next city Joshua
clothes probably did not feel so special against his now
intended to capture was Ai. When he sent a smaller army
leprous skin as he had first imagined (2 Kings 5:22-27). Judas
against Ai, thirty-six Israelites were killed. The nation of
betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, but he never got to
Israel began to wonder if they could really possess Canaan
spend it. After throwing it back to the priests, he ended up
or not (Joshua 7:7). God revealed to Joshua that the loss to
hanging himself (Matthew 27:3-10).
Ai was because there was sin in the camp of Israel. He could
Revelation speaks of two women. The woman in white
not bless them with victory while the sin was allowed to
apparel in Revelation 12 wears the pure robe of Christ
continue unpunished.
(Revelation 12:1-6, 13-17). The other woman is dressed in
The armies of Israel would be able to gain massive wealth through the wars they would hold to destroy the Canaanites. As the very first victory gained, the wealth of
the beautiful garments of Babylon, decked with gold and precious stones (Revelation 17:1-6). In the book of Proverbs, these women are called
Jericho that could not be burned was to be dedicated to the
“Wisdom” and the “seductress” respectively (Proverbs
service of God (Joshua 6:17-19).
Chapters 1 and 2). The first one leads to the knowledge
Out of over 600,000 Israelite soldiers, one man had ventured to disobey. Achan had stolen from God (Malachi 3:8-9). Achan made his confession, but it was too late (Joshua 7:20-21). Imagine what it would take to know you were under the sentence of death, yet with wistful excitement you still described the stolen item as “a beautiful Babylonian garment.” Achan died that day. He was buried in a
of God (Proverbs 2:1-11). The second one leads to utter destruction (Proverbs 2:16-22). We can have the beautiful robes of Babylon, but the voice of Jesus pleads with us to reject them (Revelation 18:1-4). Jesus entreats us to take the robe of righteousness and the gold of faith that He so freely offers (Revelation 3:18, Revelation 7:14). These adornments He calls us to buy from Him “without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1).
heap of stones along
It is a decision each of us
with all the
must make. Whose robe and jewels will we
38 // August 2021
About The Author
choose to wear?
Brent Goodge lives in Whitfield County and prays you will receive the robe of Christ’s righteousness.
