Israel had finally crossed over from their wilderness wanderings and were laying claim to God’s promises. Joshua led the armies of Israel on their first mission and conquered Jericho. The Lord gave the command that the entire city was to be devoted to the Lord (Josh. 6:17-18). The gold, silver, vessels of bronze and iron were to be put into the treasury of the house of the Lord (Josh. 6:19,24). Everything else was to be burned and destroyed. Israel was to keep nothing for themselves.
Unfortunately, Israel’s rejoicing from their victory would be short-lived. “The people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel” (Joshua 7:1).
Achan, whose name means “troubler,” failed to keep the command concerning the devoted things in Jericho. Due to Achan’s sin the entire army was defeated in their next campaign at Ai. The enemy killed thirty-six Hebrew soldiers. This was Israel’s only military defeat in the Promised Land.
Joshua brought Achan and his family to the valley of Achor, which also means “trouble.” It was at Achor that judgment would be carried out. Achan and his family were stoned and burned in the Valley of Achor. It was there in that dreaded valley they built a memorial to sin and judgment (Josh. 7:25-26).
Hundreds of years later the prophet Hosea would love and marry a prostitute (Hos.1:2). Despite her unfaithfulness, he loved her still (Hos.3:1-2). The prophet was a picture of God, and the prostitute was a picture of Israel. The Lord speaking through Hosea says: “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt” (Hos. 2:14–15).
In the Valley of Achor there would be a door of hope. There in the valley of condemnation the Lord would speak words of allurement to those who are guilty of sin. No longer would that valley be a memorial for judgment, but instead it would be a memorial of hope.
Dear reader, Jesus is the door of hope in the Valley of Achor. Jesus Christ took our judgment of sin, that we may enter the door of hope. Will you enter in?