The CCTV

GOD’S CCTV
(Joshua 7)
The CCTV footage was clear.
There was no need to dispute it: 
it would be a worthless exercise…
The Council of State was in the 
Council Chamber, debating the 
tragedy that just befell the nation. 
36 of their bravest soldiers just 
lost their lives in battle, a very 
painful and unnecessary loss. 
They had taken all precautions, 
done all they had to do, obeyed 
all instructions God gave them 
before going out to battle against 
Ai, their small town neighbor. 
It was theirs for the taking, the 
believed. 
They sent 3,000 soldiers to take 
out the town, only for them to lose 
36 men! 
It was unheard of. 
How could an army that had the 
backing of God Almighty lose? 
How? Joshua the Leader couldn’t 
understand it. 
He decided to find out. 
It wasn’t God’s character to lose 
battles! 
Something is definitely wrong 
somewhere.
Joshua and the entire Council went 
before God to find out why they 
suffered that loss.
Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, 
why have you brought this people 
over the Jordan at all, to give us 
into the hands of the Amorites, 
to destroy us? 
Would that we had been content to 
dwell beyond the Jordan! 
O Lord, what can I say, when Israel 
has turned their backs before their 
enemies! 
For the Canaanites and all the 
inhabitants of the land will hear of it 
and will surround us and cut off our 
name from the earth. 
And what will you do for your great 
name?”
God responded, “Get up! Why are 
you grovelling before me? 
Israel has sinned!”
Israel has sinned? How? When? 
Joshua and the Council couldn’t 
understand what was going on. 
As they were deliberating over 
what God just said, The National 
Security Adviser got a phone call.
He spoke in low tones for a few 
minutes and turned to Joshua: 
“Sir, there’s something we all need 
to see!”
They all hurried back to the Council 
Chambers as the NSA gave some 
orders on the phone. 
They got into the Chambers and 
a CCTV footage was shown to them.
They all gasped as they saw one 
of their soldiers, Achan steal a robe 
and some money from one of the 
houses in Jericho! God had told 
them to destroy everything in 
Jericho, but Achan was covetous. 
The CCTV showed him look left 
and right, he assumed nobody 
was watching! 
He assumed he would get away 
with it! 
He should have known anyone who 
kept that amount of money at home 
would have CCTV cameras around. 
But greed and covetousness don’t 
make you think straight. 
Achan was caught on camera stealing. 
He was caught doing the very thing 
God asked the people NOT to. 
And the Country had to suffer a defeat 
because of the indiscretion of ONE man.
 
The irony is, we are all on CCTV cameras! 
God is watching us all! 
When we inflate the contract to get a 
10% kickback, God’s CCTV is recording.
When we arrange for her to get an 
abortion so nobody would know about 
the pregnancy, God’s CCTV is recording.
When we manipulate people and take 
advantage of them because they 
look up to us, God’s CCTV is recording.
When we stand on the pulpit and tell 
outright lies as testimonies, God’s 
CCTV is recording.
When we hurl insults and curses at 
people just because they have a 
different opinion to ours, God’s CCTV 
is recording.
When we sleep with the boss to get 
that promotion, but tell people you 
were promoted on merit, God’s CCTV
 is recording.
When we act sanctimonious in public 
but in our closet we’re worse than 
Satan Iscariot, God’s CCTV is recording.
When we speak “Christianese” in 
public but are always browsing 
pornographic sites in secret, 
God’s CCTV is recording…
When we are known as “good Christians” 
but we lead double lives, God’s CCTV 
is recording…
Truth be told: “Nothing in all creation 
is hidden from God's sight. 
Everything is uncovered and laid 
bare before the eyes of him to whom 
we must give account.”- Hebrews 4:13.
And as Achan sadly found out, 
“your sin WILL find you out”!- Numbers 32:23.
Shalom.
Haruna Daniels