THEOSISPhilaret of Moscow (Drosdow)
In the narrative of God's people, we observe that after Joshua and his forces had fantastically traversed the Jordan, which opened before them, and had miraculously brought down Jericho through the sound of trumpets and the shouts of the soldiers, they faced an unexpected defeat when confronting a smaller city. Both the leader and the troops were bewildered, unable to comprehend why divine assistance had withdrawn from them. The Lord revealed to Joshua that the people had sinned, stating: ‘...for this reason the children of Israel cannot stand before the face of their enemies’ (Nav. 7:10-12). The truth was that Achan had taken a golden artifact, silver, and garments from the plunder of Jericho, despite the chief's solemn prohibition.
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The transgressor met his end, and then God's favor and triumph were restored to Israel's army. If one individual’s transgression posed such a threat, how much more perilous is the collective iniquity of numerous wrongdoers! It is essential to recognize that our personal unrighteousness inflicts greater harm upon us than that of others, and our offenses are far more treacherous than those posed by our adversaries. We must stand resolutely against these internal foes. The robust weapon against them is readily available: it lies in the Scriptures, in the commandments of the Lord, and within our own consciences. In times when ‘the unrighteousness of the proud’ increases against us, we should humbly and fervently ‘with all our heart let us test the commandments’ of God, so that through their sincere observance, we may uncover our safeguard and deliverance. Amen.