Joshua 7:11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
The Lord answered Joshua’s prayer by telling him the reason for the defeat at Ai. Israel sinned by stealing some thing that belonged to God. Everything in Jericho was devoted to the Lord for destruction. Achan stole from God. One man disobeyed, but it was regarded by God as if the whole nation sinned.
We cannot see the consequences and ramifications of every little sin in the spiritual world and upon other people. We say, “Oh, it was just a little white sin. It won’t hurt anybody.” We think that sins done in secret don’t really count, since no one knows and no one is hurt. But God sees it, and He sees it differently. One secret sin disturbs the heavenly realm and that affects the earthly world. But in His Word the Holy Spirit reveals (unveils) what’s really going on behind the curtain of our sight. This is one reason why the Spirit tells this gruesome story. It is written for our learning.
Take sin seriously! You will never see how many things and people are adversely affected by your so-called secret words and actions. Therefore, we respond by facing our sin and our self honestly, confessing it frankly without excuses, repenting in sincerity and truth, and receiving forgiveness for Christ’s sake by faith.
Achan did confess, but it was after he had been caught, sort of like Adam. Perhaps Achan, and Adam, and we also, could have avoided death by confronting, admitting, and confessing sin before being caught, and the harm sin caused others might have been avoided. When we sin and steal we respond with immediate confession and receive instant forgiveness. The Gospel covers sin, and repentance and faith diminishes its effects.