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What Is In Your Tent?
In the seventh chapter of Joshua, God reveals that one of the Israelites had taken some of the spoils during the overthrow of Jericho. This transgression was not to be overlooked by the all-seeing God. He had previously forbidden the sparing of anything or anyone except Rahab the harlot. Joshua confronted Achan and pleaded,"... make confession unto him;(God) and tell me now what you have done; hide it not from me:" Achan did indeed confess his sin and bore all to Joshua concerning the contraband, "...they are hid in earth in the midst of my tent.." Surely we can see the pitfall in Achan's reasoning; thinking that a little tent material and dirt can conceal anything from the Almighty. Oh yes, he deceived his brethren, but not Jehovah!
What about you? What is in your tent? Do you secretly have sin and vice tucked away from the sight of your brethren? Are you as Achan, foolish enough to be comfortable in your sin just because you are out-flanking the brethren? Remember the words of Jehovah to Samuel concerning Saul in (1Sam.16:7) "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees for man looks n the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart". The senses of man are limited to outward observation, and are subject to being deceived. However, the Lord's perception is limitless. In fact, the Lord needs to see nothing but the heart to make an absolutely perfect evaluation of a individual. What does the Lord see in your tent? The thoughts of the Psalmist come to mind when he said, "Thou know my downsitting and my uprising, you understand my thought afar off."(139:2) My friend, if the Lord knows your thoughts afar off, how much more does he know the secret sin couched within your life. Jesus, upon perceiving evil in the hearts of those challenging His authority to forgive sin said, "why do you think evil in your hearts?" (Matt.9:4) The Lord's ability to turn a man inside out renders him disrobed and unable to cover his sins. He sees through you and I as if we were made of clear glass. "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Heb. 4:13) What is in your tent?
Man's inability to cover his sins, is a testimony to the greatest need we have: ......... to have our sins truly cover in the blood of Christ. The writer of Proverb spoke much the same way Joshua did to Achan when he said, "He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whosoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy." (Pro.25:13)
Brethren, your attempt to cover sin without repentance and confession is nothing more than an exercise in futility. You are as naked before God as Adam and Eve were in their feeble attempt to hide among the trees and clothe themselves with aprons of fig leaves. What is in your tent? God be thanked that retribution is not to delivered by the congregation as was in the days of Achan. Achan, his sons, daughters, livestock, tent, and the contraband was removed to the valley of Achor. Israel stoned and then proceeded with burning them in the fire. Dear friends, the flaming fire of Jesus vengeance awaits all who refuse to have their sin covered by the blood of Jesus, whether by first obeying the Gospel or by those Christians who persist in sin without repentance and confession of the same. What is in your tent? Think about it. Mark B Pape
