The faith of a Prostitute
Joshua sends out two spies in the second chapter of the book of Joshua to travel to Jericho. They encounter a prostitute named Rahab. Word gets out to the king of Jericho that Israelites are in the land so he sends men to capture them; Rahab hide the men on her roof. When the pursuers inquire if the men had come to her. she lies and tells them they were here, but they left. Pursue them out of the city gate so that you can find them (Joshua 2:1-7).
Rahab goes to tell the Israelite spies that she knows that the Lord has given them the land and all of Jericho is in great fear because of them (Joshua 2:9). She goes on to declare that we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above on the earth beneath (vs 10-11).
I want to point out that this woman is a pagan. On top of that she is a hooker! So she is a no doubt a lowlife in society. But what is commendable about her is her faith in God. How did this faith develop? 1) She travels back in time and recounts when God delivered His people the Hebrews out of Egypt during the time of Moses during the Exodus. The Exodus from her time was 40 years ago. Although she was not an eyewitness, she no doubt believed in the word of the Lord. Romans 10:17 tells us, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." 2) She responded with reverence and fear for God. 3) She asked the spies to protect her and her family when they conquer Jericho since she treated them with kindness by hiding them and lying to their pursuers about their whereabouts. It is important that I point this out: although God generally hates lying, I believe out of fear for the God of Israel Rahab deceived the spies' pursuers so that God through the spies she concealed would deal favorably with her and save her family. For her righteous defiance of the authorities and faith in God who were the Lord's enemies, God would extend grace to her and her family. Rahab believed she was under no obligation to reveal to the police the spies true whereabouts knowing that Jericho was facing divine judgment. Her fidelity was to God, not to them, or the king of Jericho. After the pursuers left, Rahab let them escape through her window by a rope (Joshua 2:15).
Because of Rahab's faith, she is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31, "By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along those who were disobedient (italics mine), after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
Also in James 2:25 Rahab is commended by her genuine faith accompanied with works when she received the spies and refused to turn them in to the authorities, but hid them and sent them out another way,
When Israel conquered Jericho Joshua told the two spies (their names are never given), "Go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her." So the young men who were spies went in and brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel. They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, they put in the treasury of the house of the Lord. However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho (Joshua 6:22-25).
Rahab's legacy is that she is a physical ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5).
Praise God for Rahab. Her faith in God saved her and her family (Luke 7:50).
Rahab goes to tell the Israelite spies that she knows that the Lord has given them the land and all of Jericho is in great fear because of them (Joshua 2:9). She goes on to declare that we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above on the earth beneath (vs 10-11).
I want to point out that this woman is a pagan. On top of that she is a hooker! So she is a no doubt a lowlife in society. But what is commendable about her is her faith in God. How did this faith develop? 1) She travels back in time and recounts when God delivered His people the Hebrews out of Egypt during the time of Moses during the Exodus. The Exodus from her time was 40 years ago. Although she was not an eyewitness, she no doubt believed in the word of the Lord. Romans 10:17 tells us, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." 2) She responded with reverence and fear for God. 3) She asked the spies to protect her and her family when they conquer Jericho since she treated them with kindness by hiding them and lying to their pursuers about their whereabouts. It is important that I point this out: although God generally hates lying, I believe out of fear for the God of Israel Rahab deceived the spies' pursuers so that God through the spies she concealed would deal favorably with her and save her family. For her righteous defiance of the authorities and faith in God who were the Lord's enemies, God would extend grace to her and her family. Rahab believed she was under no obligation to reveal to the police the spies true whereabouts knowing that Jericho was facing divine judgment. Her fidelity was to God, not to them, or the king of Jericho. After the pursuers left, Rahab let them escape through her window by a rope (Joshua 2:15).
Because of Rahab's faith, she is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31, "By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along those who were disobedient (italics mine), after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
Also in James 2:25 Rahab is commended by her genuine faith accompanied with works when she received the spies and refused to turn them in to the authorities, but hid them and sent them out another way,
When Israel conquered Jericho Joshua told the two spies (their names are never given), "Go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her." So the young men who were spies went in and brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel. They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, they put in the treasury of the house of the Lord. However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho (Joshua 6:22-25).
Rahab's legacy is that she is a physical ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5).
Praise God for Rahab. Her faith in God saved her and her family (Luke 7:50).
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