We, human beings, are created in such a way that makes us have feelings for ourselves. Even the people who kill cannot stand the sight of their children being killed.
They may appear heartless and less compassionate when they kill others. However, they feel remorseful when they are about losing their own lives.
I feel terribly bad whenever I read the seventh chapter of the book of Joshua. Some centuries ago, a man named Achan stole part of the Babylonian properties, which were cursed by God.
Due to his sin, Israel under the leadership of Joshua could not overcome their enemy, Ai. The incident made Joshua consult God.
Eventually, he figured out Achan caused their defeat. Then, he was brought out with all his household. Thereafter, the people stoned and set him on fire as commanded by God because he had transgressed his covenant.
It wouldn’t have moved me had Achan been the only one that was killed. His innocent children were also stoned and burnt.
Read it below…
“Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor.
And Joshua said, ‘Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.’ So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.”
Joshua 7:24-25
I wondered how those children must have felt, at the valley of Achor, in the midst of their people. They must have questioned their dad for putting them in such a dilemma.
More so, they couldn’t question their leader, Joshua, on why they must suffer for the sin of their dad because God commanded him to burn everything that belongs to Achan. After all, God is unquestionable; he is Almighty.
I feel pain in my heart anytime I imagine the look on the faces of those children before they were stoned. They died untimely for the sin they didn’t commit.
Their father could ask God for forgiveness, but the children need no forgiveness. Joshua could have begged God on behalf of the children like Moses did when he wanted to kill all the Israelites so as to raise up another generation.
“Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said:‘Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?’
Why should the Egyptians speak and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’
So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.”
Exodus 32:11-14
Unfortunately, no one could stand in the gap for the innocent children.
In conclusion, as a parent, you have to be mindful of the things you do so that your children will not bear the consequences of your actions or suffer for your wrong doing.
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