Rahab
Hebrews 11:31 “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she received the spies with peace.”
Rahab was a Canaanite and a harlot.
Rahab had heard of God, and believed what she heard.
She, therefore, knew in her heart that she was doomed to die with all in Jericho, unless God would extend to her mercy. But how to get this mercy?
Joshua 2:1 “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy out secretly, saying, Go view you the land even Jericho. And they went, and came into a harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”
These spies had come to look over Jericho, but had not gotten any further than inside the gate, before they saw they were recognized.
They quickly ducked into a house on the wall, which was a harlot’s house.
The guards came and told the King of Jericho, that two Israelites had come into the gate; and they thought that they had seen them go into the harlot, Rahab’s house.
The KIng of Jericho sent to Rahab to bring the men out to him.
But Rahab did not. Instead she hid the men of Israel, and told the King that they had gone out as soon as it grew dark. She told him that if they hurried, they might catch them.
From the time they came into her house, she had a plan. She wanted to talk to their God, and knew that they represented Him.
Joshua 2:6,8-11 “But she brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stocks of flax, she had laid in order upon the roof.
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
And she said unto them, 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.
For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before 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, which ye utterly destroyed.
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.”
Here is her testimony of her belief in God, by just hearing about Him. Pretty amazing!
Romans 10:17-18 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But I say, have they not heard? Yea verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the earth.”
She then asked for that mercy she had wanted from these men, who were representatives of God.
Joshua 2:12-13 “Now therefore, I pray unto you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have showed you kindness, that ye will also show kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:
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.”
This was her request to them, and they agreed; only with three conditions:
Don’t tell anyone about them.
Get and keep everyone of your household in your house, when we come.
And tie a scarlet line, which they gave her, to her window.
Joshua 2:18-20 “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.
And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be on 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.
And if thou utter this our business, we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.”
She agreed; letting them down a window, and telling them to go and hide for three days before returning to their camp.
“And she bound the scarlet line in the window.” (Joshua 2:21)
She did not know when they would come and fight the city; and she wanted to be ready.
This scarlet line would have been bright, and easily seen; even by the returning king of Jericho.
But she believed God, and right then decided to obey Him with all her heart, so she kept that bright scarlet line in her window.
It was a few weeks before Israel came to Jericho:
They came to the Jordan River, and camped there three days. (Joshua 3:1-2)
They crossed Jordan, as they did the Red Sea, on dry ground; for the Lord dried up the flooded river for them. It was the tenth day of the first month. (Joshua 4:19)
Then they circumcised all the males. It was a sign of renewed communion with God as His separated people. (Joshua 5:7, 9)
They kept the Passover feast on the fourteenth. (Joshua 5:10)
For six days the people (yes, all of them) were told to encompass Jericho without saying a word, once each day. The armed men were to go first, then priest blowing rams’ horns, then the Ark of God, then the people. (Joshua 6:8-9)
Then on the seventh day, they were to encompass the city seven times. Only on the seventh time, when Joshua told them to “Shout”, did they speak.
Then they shouted, and the walls of the city came falling down. (Joshua 6:20)
Except the house on the wall of Rahab.
Joshua 6:22-23, 25 “But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as you swear unto her.
And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”
Rahab was saved, and for a time of cleansing kept without the camp of Israel.
Later she was admitted into Israel, and married Salmon (Matthew 1:5), of the tribe of Judah.
Rahab believed God. And God sought her out, by the spies, because of her belief.
Her faith is recorded in the Old and New Testaments, to show that God sees and honors faith in Him; no matter what sort of person they were before the faith.
Every person born, is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).
Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”
“Quickened” means made alive to God.
Rahab was given this mercy and a life with God.
All who come to Jesus Christ in faith will have life, abundant life, as well.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 