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Precious Metals and Pretty Clothes
from August 2021
Gò0dNews for Everyone
Precious Metals and Pretty Clothes
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by Brent Goodge
Just after the Israelites crossed the Jordan into Canaan, they faced the mighty walls of Jericho. In one of the most famous Bible stories of the Old Testament, God brought down the invincible walls and Jericho was destroyed.
That was not the end of the story. The next city Joshua intended to capture was Ai. When he sent a smaller army against Ai, thirty-six Israelites were killed. The nation of Israel began to wonder if they could really possess Canaan or not (Joshua 7:7). God revealed to Joshua that the loss to Ai was because there was sin in the camp of Israel. He could not bless them with victory while the sin was allowed to continue unpunished.
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 Jericho that could not be burned was to be dedicated to the service of God (Joshua 6:17-19).
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 heap of stones along with all the clothing and riches he had deemed important enough to disobey God (Joshua 7:25-26).
Sadly, some of God’s people did not learn the lesson of Achan. Gehazi traded the privilege of being Elisha’s servant for two talents of silver and two changes of clothing. The clothes probably did not feel so special against his now leprous skin as he had first imagined (2 Kings 5:22-27). Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, but he never got to spend it. After throwing it back to the priests, he ended up hanging himself (Matthew 27:3-10).
Revelation speaks of two women. The woman in white apparel in Revelation 12 wears the pure robe of Christ (Revelation 12:1-6, 13-17). The other woman is dressed in the beautiful garments of Babylon, decked with gold and precious stones (Revelation 17:1-6).
In the book of Proverbs, these women are called “Wisdom” and the “seductress” respectively (Proverbs Chapters 1 and 2). The first one leads to the knowledge 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). It is a decision each of us must make. Whose robe and jewels will we choose to wear?
About The Author Brent Goodge lives in Whitfield County and prays you will receive the robe of Christ’s righteousness.
