Bible Character Studies: Rahab the harlot. Pt. 2 Rahab is kind, expresses faith.
Good morning...
Psalm 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
The 2 spies stay at Rahab's home.
Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
We saw that Joshua sent 2 spies to check out the land of Canaan and the city of Jericho because Jehovah is about to lead His people into the promised land. We noted that Rahab's occupation was being a harlot or prostitute. We also noted some of the cultural factors that she grew up with that produced vile behaviors and invited God's judgment.
The 2 spies went to Rahab's house and lodged there. Why did two Jewish men stay in the house of a harlot? Probably because the inhabitants were used to seeing men go in and out of Rahab's home which allowed the spies to blend in with the other men.
At some point word about the 2 men staying with Rahab got back to the king and he commanded her to bring the men out of her house. Remember, Rahab is a woman with base morals as shown by her chosen occupation. She also lived a good life in Jericho and was a loyal inhabitant up to this point. There was no reason for Rahab not to turn the spies over to the king.
Rahab hides the two spies and send the king's soldiers off in the wrong direction.
Joshua 2:4-7 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. 7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
Instead of betraying the spies, Rahab showed extreme kindness to them. She took them to a place in her home and hid them and then she told the king's soldiers that she did not know anything about the spies. Rahab told the king's men that the 2 men left the city about dark by going out of the gate.
Rahab said she did not know what direction the men took but she urged the soldiers to pursue them quickly because they would surely overtake them. Rahab took the spies up on the roof of her house and covered them with stalks of flax. The soldiers took off in hot pursuit.
Rahab speaks of Jehovah's great works and makes a confession of faith.
Joshua 2:8-11 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
Rahab wanted to speak to the spies that she had hidden on her roof. It is a most amazing turn of events that this pagan harlot begins to talk to the Israelite's about Jehovah. In the text above Rahab speaks of Jehovah 3 times.
She knows that Jehovah has given the land of Canaan into Israel's hand. She said that all the inhabitants are terrified about Israel's presence in close proximity to Jericho. She said that the people were fainting because they knew what was going to happen when Israel marched against Jericho.
Rahab then recounts the history of Jehovah bringing Israel up out of Egypt with mighty power and how He led them through the Red Sea on dry land and then drowned the army of Pharaoh. She said that their hearts melted as soon as they heard these things and that they had lost their courage.
This text ends with Rahab confessing that Jehovah is the One, True God of heaven. She said "for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above and in the earth beneath." Rahab expressed the language of faith as she acknowledged Israel's God is the only God. I am sure that the spies probably did not expect to hear something like this from a pagan prostitute.
Rahab seeks to save her family from destruction.
Joshua 2:12-19 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: 13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. 14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. 15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. 17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. 19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
Rahab's decisive actions spared the lives of the 2 spies. Now, after her confession of faith about Jehovah, she makes a request of the two men. She asked that the spies would save her family from the coming invasion of Jericho because of the kindness that she bestowed upon them. The word "kindness" means showing mercy or favor to someone.
The two men promised to do this for Rahab if she kept their dealings a secret. They put their own lives on the line to show sincerity in keeping the promise to save Rahab and her family.
Rahab lowered the men down by a rope over the wall because her home was on top of the wall. She told them where a safe hiding place was and advised them to stay there 3 days until the kings soldiers had returned. Then it would be safe for the spies to go back to Joshua.
The spies told Rahab to fasten a scarlet rope to her window on the day that Israel would attack so that they would know which home to enter to save Rahab and her family.
Points to Ponder...
Psalm 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
The 2 spies stay at Rahab's home.
Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
We saw that Joshua sent 2 spies to check out the land of Canaan and the city of Jericho because Jehovah is about to lead His people into the promised land. We noted that Rahab's occupation was being a harlot or prostitute. We also noted some of the cultural factors that she grew up with that produced vile behaviors and invited God's judgment.
The 2 spies went to Rahab's house and lodged there. Why did two Jewish men stay in the house of a harlot? Probably because the inhabitants were used to seeing men go in and out of Rahab's home which allowed the spies to blend in with the other men.
At some point word about the 2 men staying with Rahab got back to the king and he commanded her to bring the men out of her house. Remember, Rahab is a woman with base morals as shown by her chosen occupation. She also lived a good life in Jericho and was a loyal inhabitant up to this point. There was no reason for Rahab not to turn the spies over to the king.
Rahab hides the two spies and send the king's soldiers off in the wrong direction.
Joshua 2:4-7 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. 7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
Instead of betraying the spies, Rahab showed extreme kindness to them. She took them to a place in her home and hid them and then she told the king's soldiers that she did not know anything about the spies. Rahab told the king's men that the 2 men left the city about dark by going out of the gate.
Rahab said she did not know what direction the men took but she urged the soldiers to pursue them quickly because they would surely overtake them. Rahab took the spies up on the roof of her house and covered them with stalks of flax. The soldiers took off in hot pursuit.
Rahab speaks of Jehovah's great works and makes a confession of faith.
Joshua 2:8-11 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
Rahab wanted to speak to the spies that she had hidden on her roof. It is a most amazing turn of events that this pagan harlot begins to talk to the Israelite's about Jehovah. In the text above Rahab speaks of Jehovah 3 times.
She knows that Jehovah has given the land of Canaan into Israel's hand. She said that all the inhabitants are terrified about Israel's presence in close proximity to Jericho. She said that the people were fainting because they knew what was going to happen when Israel marched against Jericho.
Rahab then recounts the history of Jehovah bringing Israel up out of Egypt with mighty power and how He led them through the Red Sea on dry land and then drowned the army of Pharaoh. She said that their hearts melted as soon as they heard these things and that they had lost their courage.
This text ends with Rahab confessing that Jehovah is the One, True God of heaven. She said "for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above and in the earth beneath." Rahab expressed the language of faith as she acknowledged Israel's God is the only God. I am sure that the spies probably did not expect to hear something like this from a pagan prostitute.
Rahab seeks to save her family from destruction.
Joshua 2:12-19 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: 13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. 14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. 15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. 17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. 19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
Rahab's decisive actions spared the lives of the 2 spies. Now, after her confession of faith about Jehovah, she makes a request of the two men. She asked that the spies would save her family from the coming invasion of Jericho because of the kindness that she bestowed upon them. The word "kindness" means showing mercy or favor to someone.
The two men promised to do this for Rahab if she kept their dealings a secret. They put their own lives on the line to show sincerity in keeping the promise to save Rahab and her family.
Rahab lowered the men down by a rope over the wall because her home was on top of the wall. She told them where a safe hiding place was and advised them to stay there 3 days until the kings soldiers had returned. Then it would be safe for the spies to go back to Joshua.
The spies told Rahab to fasten a scarlet rope to her window on the day that Israel would attack so that they would know which home to enter to save Rahab and her family.
Points to Ponder...
- Two spies of Israel end up staying with a pagan harlot.
- The king found out about this and sent soldiers to Rahab's house to capture the spies.
- Rahab hid the spies and showed kindness to them.
- Rahab knew about Jehovah and confessed that He was the One, True God.
- Rahab sought to save her family and the spies made a solemn promise to her.
Remember, Rahab is the first Canaanite that we are introduced to in the narrative of scripture. It is most remarkable that she was kind to the spies and that she knew about Jehovah. In fact, it is truly amazing that she confessed that Jehovah is the only true God of heaven and earth.
She asked the spies to show kindness to her family and they agreed to save them. This story reminds us that God is always at work often in unexpected places and in the hearts of those we might think would never bow the knee to Jesus Christ.
May the Lord open our hearts to the possibility of His working among us in the hearts of our neighbors, family members and co-workers. May we have an eager anticipation of seeing God still at work saving souls for His kingdom.
May the Lord forgive us if we have doubted that He is at work or if we have become discouraged because we do not see immediate results. God is still on His throne and His kingdom purposes are moving forward. May we be sensitive to His Spirit and be ready to share the gospel with others.
Bob
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