When you violate the principles of God, act in pride without spiritual perception, and do not pray about your battles, there are always results and they usually aren't good ones! In Israel's case, the warriors who went up against Ai the first time experienced a sound defeat. Some were killed and others retreated.
Just as there are always reasons for defeat, there are always results of defeat. Note the results of Israel's defeat:
1. Joshua 7:4-5: Fleeing before the enemy.
2. Joshua 7:5: Spiritual death.
3. Joshua 7:5: Fear and despondency of people.
4. Joshua 7:6: Despondency of the leadership.
5. Joshua 7:7: Looking back to the "good old days”.
6. Joshua 7:8-9: Questioning.
What a sad picture! No longer is Israel a motivated and mobilized force for God. They are a discouraged people, disheartened, questioning, fearful, and fleeing before the enemy. The people were actually looking back to the days on the other side of Jordan!
Moses had warned Israel that if there was sin in their midst they could not defeat their enemies. If they were following the Lord, however, one soldier would chase 1,000 and two of them would put 10,000 men to flight. Three Israeli soldiers could have defeated the whole city of Ai, had not sin separated them from God!
Israel's defeat at Ai was the direct result of sin:
Joshua 7:12 "Therefore (because they have sinned) the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies because they were accursed; neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you."
Violation of God's always render you immobile in the face of the enemy. But never view the final outcome of a war on the basis of temporary defeat. Just as there are reasons and results for defeat, there is always a remedy to correct failure. With God's help, you can turn your setback into a comeback.
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