Would You Risk Your Life For A Faith You Had Only Ever Heard Rumors About?
Old Testament Thoughts Pt. 5
The book of Joshua is a great book to read in the Old Testament. It’s another amazing example of God’s care and guidance.
Joshua was the one who ended up bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land, because as we know, Moses wasn’t allowed to (Numbers 20:12). In the book of Joshua, we learn just how they were able to conquer and enter the Promised Land with God’s help.
And want to know one of the craziest parts? They couldn’t have done it without the help of a female prostitute. Her name was Rahab, and today’s article will be focused on her.
The Story Of Rahab’s Incredible Courage & Faith
The story of Rahab is very short, but trust me, when I say that she plays a VERY important role.
It was time to officially takeover the Promised Land, and to do so, the Israelites needed to take over Jericho.
Joshua decides to send two spies to look over the land and to get a feel for who they were up against.
“Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent two spies from Shittim. ‘Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.’ So, they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.” — Joshua 2:1
Not only did Rahab let in random foreigners into her house, but when the king asked for Rahab to bring forth the men, she had to lie to the KING of Jericho.
“But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, ‘Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.’ (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)” Joshua 2:4–6
Here’s the crazy part... Rahab fully feared the Lord. She had a deep understanding of just what God was capable of. She had only heard of Him through rumors. There was no social media, TV, newspapers, etc. back then. So, she was just believing what she happened to hear from others.
That was enough for Rahab to believe. There were Israelites, who watched it rain manna and saw the Red Sea part, that continued to worship gold calves (my post on the “whiny” Israelites in Numbers). So, you can see how incredible her faith was.
“Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, ‘I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.’“— Joshua 2:8–11
Rahab’s reward for trusting in God and helping the Israelites
Rahab knew that Jericho was not going to last much longer.
“‘Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them — and that you will save us from death.’” — Joshua 2:12–13
The men made an oath with her. That as long as she kept their mission a secret. They would protect her and any of her family that sought refuge in her house. She was instructed to tie a scarlet cord outside of her window as a sign of this oath.
“Now the men had said to her, ‘This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house…’” Joshua 2:17–18
What ends up happening with Jericho is also a well-known story. It was a very secured city, and their walls had to come down. So, of course, God gave very specific instructions that would show His incredible ways.
“Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.’” — Joshua 6:2–5
Just as the Lord told Joshua, the walls collapsed, but Rahab and her family were protected.
“Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, ‘Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.’ So, the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.” — Joshua 6:22–23
Because of Rahab’s faith, the Israelites were able to conquer Jericho, but that wasn’t Rahab’s only role.
Rahab ended up being in Jesus’s genealogy.
“…Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse…” Matthew 1:5
Take that in for a moment. A prostitute (not even a Jewish one) would be chosen as one of Jesus’s ancestors. She is a perfect example of God’s grace and mercy.
Rahab’s story is a good reminder that we don’t have to have perfect pasts to be a part of God’s kingdom. He welcomes all.
Rahab had faith in a God she knew little about, but she was more courageous than most Christians, who know so much more about Him.
And because of Rahab’s faith, she was saved from destruction.
“By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” — Hebrews 11:31