As we continue our study of crossing over to possess the Promised Land this week, we want to examine in a little more depth the reason for the ban that caused Achan to get into trouble. This ban was that the people could not keep any of the gold, silver, bronze, or iron in Jericho, but it was to be given as a first fruits offering to the Lord. This ban was not a punishment on the people, but it was a preparation so they could be trusted with the unprecedented blessing that the Lord was about to give to His people.

Of course, all of the gold, silver, bronze, iron, and everything else on the earth is the Lord’s. He did not need these valuables from Jericho, but Israel needed to give them so that greed would have no place in Israel. Whatever greed compels us to possess will become an idol, which brings a deadly corruption and deception into the camp of the Lord. This evil had to be dealt with before they could go any farther. It was greed, or coveting, which caused Achan to stumble, as he confessed when confronted in Joshua 7:20-21:
 

Even though it was just one man, the Lord could not allow Israel to have one more victory until this seed of greed was eradicated from the camp. If greed was to get a grip in Israel, instead of being a light and a blessing to the world, Israel would become just another conquering oppressor. According to the promises that the Lord had given to Israel, they were called to have unprecedented material blessings, but not just so they could be wealthy, but so they could be a blessing to the world. The same is true for us, but greed will pervert prosperity and turn it into a curse and a stumbling block.

The things you can get away with in the Outer Court can get you killed in the Holy Place. Over the next few years, those who want to cross over into the Promised Land must understand this. There was no second chance for Achan. Because he tried to keep that which was forbidden, he was forbidden from going any farther. This may seem severe, and it was, but the higher the calling, the greater the responsibility. Israel would find that things they may have been able to get away with in the wilderness caused them terrible defeats in the Promised Land. There is responsibility that comes with the blessings. They are not grievous—God is not asking too much of us, but we must learn to obey Him.

For Achan to take that which was under the ban was also rebellion against the clear command of the Lord. One of the ultimate evils of the last days is lawlessness, which is the basic contempt for and disrespect of authority. This cynicism has been growing very dramatically in the last few decades and will be one of the ultimate corruptions that will bring the ultimate troubles upon the world at the end of this age.

However, those who are growing closer to the Lord and are being prepared for His purposes, the establishing of His kingdom, will be growing in the opposite spirit. They will be growing in increasing respect for authority.
A kingdom is the realm that is under the King’s authority. To be trusted with authority in the Lord requires that one be under authority. There is a respect for authority, a respect for rules and order, that we must have or we would be a great danger to ourselves and others if we were to be given more authority.

Authority, discipline, and rules are not necessarily legalism, though they can cross that line. However, in their preparation for leadership in the Lord, I have not met one who carries significant spiritual authority who has not at some time been subjected to either an extreme form of legalism or overly controlling authority. One of the great examples of this in Scripture is King David. King Saul was the tool that God used to fashion David into the great king that he would become.

How did David react to the authority in his life that was so unjust, in which Saul had even become demonized? David honored him to the end, refusing to lift his own hand against Saul even when he was trying to kill David. David even rewarded the men who recovered Saul’s body and gave him a proper burial. He then went to a completely unprecedented extreme and honored Saul’s children, which was exactly the opposite of the ways of kings in those times, who quickly slew the children of any rivals. But David was of a completely different spirit.

It was David’s great respect for authority, those who were “anointed of the Lord,” that enabled the Lord to entrust to David such remarkable authority, so that David was even used to establish the throne that the King of kings would sit upon, and the Lord Jesus Himself would be affectionately called “the Son of David” (Matthew 1:1). Now consider these exhortations from Scripture concerning authority:

It is noteworthy that the highest authority in Paul’s world at the time he wrote this was Nero, who was one of the most corrupt, evil, demented of the Caesars, and who was actually destined to have Paul himself executed. Nowhere does it say to be in subjection to only the most righteous, just authority, but rather “all” authorities. Many are disqualifying themselves from receiving more authority from God because of the way they disrespect civil authority in its many and diverse manifestations, including our boss at work. Remember that it was because of David’s high calling that he was subjected to such a great test with a cruel, demented king like Saul. If you want to walk in great authority, learn to pass this test.

There is an erosion of respect for authority taking place in our times. It seems to be fast becoming a virtual meltdown. This will happen before the end of this age and it will be the primary cause for “the great time of trouble” or “the great tribulation.” However, regardless of how outrageous governments become, or other authorities, those who will be trusted with the authority of the coming kingdom must in every way treat them with dignity and respect. This is “the Saul test.”

Do not speak evil of your leaders. Do not disrespect the police, mayors, governors, or any others in authority, and teach respect for them to your children, beginning with their teachers, principles, etc. This does not mean that we cannot disagree with their policies or actions, and in the cases of teachers this might include some of their teachings, but we must do it in the most respectful way possible. In I Timothy 2:1-2,we are given a more positive approach to authority,

Here Paul exhorts them to do this “first of all,” as the primary thing they should be doing. When I was a young Christian, I discerned that there was deception in President Nixon, and I began to gloat about being right when the Watergate scandal broke. However, the Lord rebuked me and said that if His people had been praying more for the President, he would not have fallen to the corruption that he did. I was blaming the President, but the Lord was blaming me for not being the intercessor I was called to be.

That may sound severe, especially for a new Christian, but I prayed from the beginning to walk in true spiritual authority, and the Lord was answering my prayer. This is also one reason why I have tried to do all I can to honor every President, Democrat or Republican, not complaining about the things they do that I disagree with, but rather praying for them to have wisdom from above. I think it is for this reason that the Lord gave me some influence with some people in high places, and I have been told that in the future I will have even more. This is not something that I even care a whole lot about, but would much rather have influence with the emerging generation of spiritual leaders, the coming messengers who will preach the gospel of the kingdom with power, but I do appreciate the effect that influence with political leaders can have. I have also come to greatly appreciate the service that they do for us.

Finally, consider how we can comply with the exhortation of Romans 13:8-14, which follows Paul’s exhortation to honor those who are in positions of authority: