“This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold … , I coveted them and took them” (Joshua 7:20-21).
What do a tribal war, a hostile corporate take-over, and adultery have in common? More than you might think! They all share three common elements. All three play out a scenario that is as old as history itself. You can read about this progression in the Old Testament book of Joshua, chapter seven.
Briefly, let me recount the circumstances. After wandering in the Negev desert, following their departure from Egypt, Joshua finally led the children of Israel across the Jordan and the conquest of the Promised Land began. The first major victory took place at Jericho. The next should have been at Ai, a little city only a short distance away—a rather small challenge compared to Jericho.
The battle, though, resulted in defeat—an absolute rout. Joshua did what most of us would do when we fail. He fell on his face before God and asked, “Why? How come?” Should God quietly speak from heaven in response to that question which we voice, the answer would be pretty much the same: “Sin lies in the camp!” The problem is within, not without! God instructed Joshua to have the families of Israel march before him until, at last, a man by the name of Achan stood before him.
Then said Joshua, “My son … tell me what you have done; don’t hide it from me!”
“This is what I have done,” said Achan. “When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold … , I coveted them and took them” (Joshua 7:19-21).
Notice those words which clearly mark a progression: (1) I saw, (2) I coveted, (3) I took. Whether it is war in the Middle East, a hostile takeover of one company by another, or the anatomy of adultery, you clearly see those three elements.
Remember the story of King David’s downfall? When kings went out to battle, David stayed at home—too valuable to lose on the field of battle. On the rooftop, David saw a beautiful woman bathing. Her name—Bathsheba!
Frankly, you can’t help seeing some things! Martin Luther once said you can’t keep the birds from flying overhead, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair. Seeing your neighbor’s fields, which look better than yours, always is enticing. The other woman who listens to you and makes you feel important often appears more glamorous, more exciting, perhaps more spiritual than your wife.
It is at this point that you either confront the temptation or yield. There are some things to which you have no right: another person’s field, another man’s business, another’s husband or wife.
David, however, played mental games with himself, as we often do. “I have the right to happiness. I deserve better than I am getting!” And the more you think about something, the more you lust after it; and the more you want something, the more you justify the next step.
Remember the anatomy of greed: I saw, I coveted, I took. Finally, David brought Bathsheba to the palace and another man’s wife became his playmate.
There is one more thought I’d like to leave with you. Actually, a commentary like this is almost like saying, “Two plus two equaled what?” And you supply the answer. The consequences of taking what doesn’t belong to you—whether it is business, marriage, or international relations—has a long-term price tag attached to it. The pleasures of the moment are always paid for in the currency of future peace and happiness. Think about it the next time you see something you want, but you know you have no right to take.
Resource reading: Joshua 7:1-21
