Dealing Decisively with Sin

Repetition & Narrative Analogies

Biblical authors use parallel words and images invite the reader to make comparisons and contrasts, creating deeper insight into the texts. These repetitions are found within the same narrative, in adjacent narratives or separate sections of the TaNaK.

Example 1: Good, Seeing, Eating & Taking

Genesis 1

In Genesis 1, we have it repeated 7 times that God saw creation was good after contemplating on his creative activity. This sets the tone/standard for us to see God as the one who determines the standard for what is good and what isn’t.

Adam & Eve

The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:6

The first time we see humanity decide what is good on their own terms, it was a “fall” moment. The keywords “saw”, “good”, “desire/covet/desirable” and “took” are repeated in other stories in the Bible to help us make connections to man’s rebellion in the garden and the reality of judgement that follows such patterns of rebellion.

Flood Generation

When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful (Heb tov - good), and they took any they chose as wives for themselves. Genesis 6: 1-2

Pharaoh & Sarai

When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, so the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s household. Genesis 12:15

David

One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful (Heb tov - good) woman. David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Afterward, she returned home. 2 Samuel 11: 2,4

Example 2: Enemy within and without

Israel was chosen by God to be a new Eden and to be opposite in culture to Canaanite cities that had the character of Cain. We find God’s directive to them in Joshua 6.

The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. “But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. “But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD. Joshua 6: 17-19

Jericho was the enemy without, but God saves one from them who fulfills the demands of faith in God. However, God warns that Israel could be given the treatment of the enemies without if they follow the “fall pattern”.

The people charged, each one straight ahead into the city, and they captured it. They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. However, Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. Joshua 6: 20b, 24-25

Next, we are presented with the story of Achan, who acted against God’s command. As a result of this, Israel lost a battle against a small nation.

But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel. Joshua 7:1

Joshua prays and God responds, letting Joshua know that the culprit will receive the treatment that the enemies without deserve.

‘It shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.’ Joshua 7:15

Achan’s admission of guilt contains interesting repetitions that ring a bell.

And Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please, give glory to Yahweh the God of Israel, and give him a doxology in court. Tell me, please, what you have done; do not hide it from me.” And Achan answered Joshua and said, “It is true. I have sinned against Yahweh the God of Israel, and this is what I did: I saw among the spoil a beautiful (Heb tov - good) robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and one bar of gold that weighed fifty shekels; I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, and the silver is under it.” Joshua 7: 19-21

When we read Jonah’s account, the narrative analogies become clear.

Too long, please open your Bible John 1:4-17

Correlation	Achan	Jonah	Lesson
Insiders making themselves outsiders	Achan is treated like a city of Cain.	Jonah is cast into the seas.	We can make ourselves outsiders even though we are insiders. (Luke 14: 34-35)
Being the reason for God’s wrath	Took from the things under the ban and brought trouble on his people.	Fled from God on a ship and brought trouble on the sailors.	Even though we are called to bring Eden life and blessing to the world, we can introduce decadence into God’s good world when we sin. (Titus 2:5, 7-8, 10)
God’s insistence on sin being dealt with	Israel would not experience blessing & life until Achan & family were dealt with.	The sailors would not experience calm until Jonah was dealt with.	Rebellion must be decisively dealt with. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)

Example 3: Lot casting and casting out

There is only one other figure in the Hebrew Bible that has lots cast over them and is then “cast out” so that others may experience God’s blessing, and that is the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement.

Similarity	Jonah 1	Leviticus 16
Selection by lot casting	1:7: And they cast lots, and the lot fell concerning Jonah.	16:8: And Aaron will give lots concerning the two goats, one lot for Yahweh, and one lot for going away (azazel). 16:10: And the goat which the lot went up concerning it for going away (azazel), it will stand alive before Yahweh for making atonement for it, by sending it for going away (azazel) into the wilderness.
Placement of sin on another	1:14: “Please Yahweh, don’t let us perish for the life of this man, and don’t place innocent blood upon us!”	16:21a: And Aaron will rest his two hands upon the head of the living goat and will confess over it all of the iniquities of the sons of Israel.
Taking up and casting out	1:12: “Take me up and hurl me into the sea …” 1:15: And they took up Jonah, and they hurled him into the sea. And the sea stopped its wrath.	16:21b: And all their transgressions and all their sins, and he will place them on the head of the goat…and the goat will take up all their iniquities to a land of isolation, and he will send the goat into the wilderness.

Example 4: Catching a culprit through lot casting

Goat on the Day of Atonement

Too long, please open your Bible Leviticus 16

Achan

Too long, please open your Bible Leviticus 16

Saul

Too long, please open your Bible 1 Samuel 10: 19-24

Jonathan

Too long, please open your Bible 1 Samuel 14: 38-43

Jonah

Too long, please open your Bible Jonah 1