Intro: Last Friday President Clinton called for a "new covenant" between Americans and their government. Why? Is there something wrong with the Constitution of the USA and the Bill of Rights? The government does not need a new covenant. God has already commanded the worlds governments what they are to be about. Americans do not need a new covenant. We already have a new covenant, in the blood of Jesus Christ; and God has already commanded Americans about good citizenship. God's rules for governments are laid out in many places in the Bible.
1. Romans 13:1-4 describes the two duties of any government:
a. To do good to those who do right.
b. To bring wrath upon those who do wrong.
2. Proverbs 29:4 orders the government to provide justice.
3. Proverbs 31:8-9 orders the government to defend the powerless,
the poor and the needy.
4. When king Josiah heard the Word of God, he repented of his
sins, and determined to live by God's Word.
2 Kings 22:1-11 and 23:1-25.
We do not need any new covenant between the government and the people. We are rather covenant breakers with God. We, and the rulers of our nation, need to repent of our sins, and begin to live by God's Word.
Joshua 7, and the story of Israel's defeat at Ai, is an illustration of what happens to a nation in which individuals disobey God's Word. Look at what happened in this chapter:

I. Achan stole from God (Joshua 7:1).
Beware of stealing from God. All that we have belongs to Him. If we take it for
ourselves, we have stolen from God (See Malachi 3:6-10).

II. The Nation suffered defeat, discouragement, and 36 men were killed (Josh. 7:2-5).
Only one man sinned, but it hurt the entire nation.
All Americans are not rebels against God, but those who are hurt the whole nation.
America is no longer respected and admired around the world. We are envied,
because of our wealth, but we are not respected. We are called, "The Great Satan,"
in Muslim nations, and "Greedy Empire Builders" in other nations, and "The Ugly
American" in other nations; but where are we admired as the nation that exalts
righteousness? Proverbs 14:34 says, "Righteous exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace
to any people."

III. Sinners cannot hide their sins forever.
A. Achan's identity was revealed supernaturally (Joshua 7:16-21).
B. Numbers 32:23 "Be sure your sin will find you out."
C. King David tried to hide his sin of adultery by committing the sin of murder, but
he could not hide his sin from his wife, from his generals, from God, from himself.
D. I John 1:8-10: God promises forgiveness for confession and repentance.

IV. Sinners must pay the price for their sins.
A. Achan and his family were all executed (Joshua 7:24-26).
B. Many today will be shocked by the severity of their punishment, but consider:
1. The whole family joined Achan in his sin. They knew what was buried under
the tent floor. They kept quiet about it.
2. What Achan did caused the deaths of 36 men, and the disgrace of Israel and
the God of Israel. A very serious crime indeed!
C. The Bible repeatedly warns us that we must pay a price for sinning: "The soul
that sinneth, it shall die......The wages of sin is death."
D. But we also read that God has graciously provided a sacrifice to bear our sins
and the penalty of our sins: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

Concl: Neither our government, nor the American people need a new covenant. We need to repent of our sins, and live by the covenant we already have with God. Pray for our leaders, and pray for the people of America, that we might imitate King Josiah, and not Achan, the man who stole from God, and brought disaster on his nation.