Acts 5 Ananias & Saphira – Standing Against our Enemies

Ananias = “protected by Jehova”
Sphira = “beautiful”
1 John 5:15 :: Sin unto death

Having sold their property and given part of it to the newly forming church, Ananias and Saphira lie about how much they have given. This lie is an offense against God directly, even though they told it to man. v4

Also, it is made noteworthy that Saphira had “full knowledge” of this sin. They had conspired ahead of time to do this act.

Peter confronts them directly, but it is interesting to see that his confrontation comes in the form of a question “WHY?”.

v3 “Why has satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?” There are two events: lying to the Holy Spirit and keeping back money. It would seem innocuous to keep back the money. Why would this be such a sin?

Perhaps there is a tie back to the time when the Israelites were going into the promised land. They had just fought the battle of Jericho, and God had made it very clear to stay away from the accursed things and that no one was to plunder the town. Joshua 6:18-19 8 “And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.”

Joshua 7:1 1 “But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi,[a] the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel.”

Joshua 7:10-13

“So the LORD said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the LORD God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”

Could it not be that just as the Israelites had been guilty of stealing and deceving, so was Ananias and Sapphira. And, the church was just getting started. God was laying down critical elements of the sanctity of the church. It is impossible for man to go into his promised land through theft and deceit. Sin will never be the way.

After all, Jesus died for our sins so that we could enter the promised land.

We cannot stand against our enemies until we take away the “accursed things” in our lives. Lying to God will get us killed.

In verse 4, Peter again asks Anaias WHY. “Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart?”

Just as in the garden, judgment came from their decisions, not from the devil having made them do it. God holds us accountable to our deeds and decisions.

v5 “And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.” We can imagine that great fear came over all of the Israelites too when Achan and his family were put to death by stoning. God was making a very important point about not being able to stand against our enemies…

v6 The young men got up and carried Ananias out and buried him. This is very interesting. Why young men? Note that there was no funeral procession. They took him out and buried him immediately. Hebraic custom had dead people being washed and wrapped and covered in perfume & oil (if affordable). Then, they were carried out and loud lamentations were offered up, often by people paid to mourn. Here, we see none of this. It is a quick and quiet proceding. No money was spent. They dug a hole and threw them in the ground.

Three hours later (why three hours?) Saphira came in (“not knowing what had happened”). Peter confronts her too. She lies. Peter responds the same (verse 9):

“Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test?”

And, Peter sentences her to death or perhaps prophecies that she too is about to die. v10 “And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.”

v11 “And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.”

1) God is sovereign
2) God is in control and is omniscient
3) Judgment is swift
4) We cannot stand against our enemies until we take away the accursed things.
5) We must be able to stand against our enemy in order to win the battles for our promised land.