Epiphany

This is not about the beloved season in the church year following Christmas where we celebrate “God with us,” in the person of Jesus. This is about, once again, seeing something in scripture that I have seen or heard about hundreds of times in my life. This morning, it hit me like a ton of bricks, and I do not want it to ever go away.

My morning devotion time consists of using a Bible app on my phone to hear some scripture read. Recently I was led — I guess — to begin a plan whereby I read an Old Testament passage, a Psalm, a Gospel passage, and a section of an epistle. This takes abut 10 minutes and the app reads the passage. As of now, I am in Joshua 8, Psalm…about 78, Matthew 12, and Romans 8. Joshua chapter 7 showed me something that was an epiphany and eye opening like I have experienced only on occasion before. Something has lodged itself in my mind and has brought me to a place of silence. It is about a love so profound that we cannot begin to comprehend it.

In the Old Testament, if you sinned a certain way, you could be put to death. Prostitution, adultery and other things could be death if you were caught. Joshua chapter 7 talks about Achan, who stole some things that belonged to God. Israel was going to go up against Ai to hopefully conquer it.

Israel got creamed. They had a lot of success since entering the promised land, but not this time.

Joshua was distraught and fell on his face before God. God told him to “get up” and search for the reason of this dismal failure. Joshua called all the tribes to himself and questioned them. Finally he found out what had happened. A guy named Achan had stolen some things — including silver — from what had been consecrated to God. Joshua sent some guys to check it out, and sure enough they found the stash in Achan’s tent, where he had hidden it away.

Big mistake.

Here is what grabbed me this morning. Even though Achan confessed, he was still put to death, along with some family members, and burned. 

The point: After the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ we need to remember that when we sin, no matter what it is, Jesus was put to death for our sin in our place…  Achan died for his own sin. Jesus died in our place for our sin. What an incredible thought! He voluntarily took our place. 

Sometimes something hits you that you’ve known all along, but at a particular moment grabs you and will not let go… and you don’t want it to. Our sins are atoned for because Christ died on the cross in our place. 

Isaiah 53:5 says it loud and clear. 

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (NIV)

I want to live every moment “under his care,” realizing his willingness to take our place as the means back to God.

Thanks be to God.