Title Protecting Rahab/Joshua 2:8-14
Content Protecting Rahab/Joshua 2:8-14
As a social being, a person is supposed to live in conformity with the society to which he belongs. However, the Bible introduces people who have achieved religious victory over their group. Rahab the prostitute belonged to the city of Jericho, but by discovering the true God and serving on God's side, she and her family were protected from destruction when Jericho was destroyed.
1. Rahab on God's side
There are many people in this world who know the existence of God, but do not stand on God's side and resist God, leading to destruction. However, although Rahab was a lowly prostitute, she turned away from evil because she feared God and joined God's side. Rahab was not only used as a tool for the conquest of Canaan, but also entered the genealogy of Jesus' ancestors. The Hebrew writer testifies, “By faith Rahab the harlot received the spies in peace, so that she did not perish with the disobedient” (Hebrews 11:31).
After the death of Moses, the great leader of Israel, Joshua, who became the successor, had two spies in Sittim infiltrate Jericho to obtain information about the city. The two spies lodged in the house of the prostitute Rahab. Rahab's house was adjacent to the wall, in a quiet backyard.
The people of Jericho were aware of Israel's famous crossing of the Red Sea, and the fact that they publicly declared that they would annihilate the Amorites east of the Jordan, slay the two kings Sihon and Og, and settle in Canaan. In an emergency situation, the guards of Jericho did not lose their vigilance. Originally, the people of Israel and Canaan had different skin colors and clothes, so information that spies had entered the country soon entered the king of Jericho. The king of Jericho sent soldiers to search Rahab's house.
2. Rahab hiding the spies
Rahab hid the spies between three generations of spies on the roof, and answered, “Surely these men came to me, but I did not know where they were. go. And it will come upon them.” (Joshua 2:4-5).
Rahab was on God's side in the crisis of choosing her own people and God. Because Rahab is a lowly prostitute, she must have met many different people. However, the meeting between the two spies was a meeting prepared by God who uses evil for good. It was God's providence that the two spies entered Rahab's house and stayed there. Rahab was saved by meeting two spies.
Rahab turned away from the soldiers of Jericho and went up to the roof where the two spies were, saying, “I know that the Lord has given you this land” (verse 9a). Rahab, a foreigner and a prostitute, already knew that God had given the land of Canaan to Israel as an inheritance. The king of Jericho and the people knew the great things God had done for Israel. However, they did not know that the land of Canaan had been given to Israel as an inheritance. But Rahab not only heard what God had done, she believed it.
Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and believe” (John 20:29), but Rahab believed without seeing. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). When we see Rahab, we can see that faith is possible only by hearing and not seeing. “You have not seen Jesus, but you love him. Even though we do not see it now, we believe and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for by the end of faith we are saved, which is the salvation of our souls” (1 Peter 1:89).
3. Rahab saved by faith
Rahab could not go against God's will because she believed that God had given the land of Canaan to Israel. Therefore, he risked his life to hide the spies. “We are very afraid of you, and all the people of the land melt before you” (v. 9b), and Rahab provides important information to the spies. The word ‘melting’ here means ‘to weaken’ or ‘to become desolate’ with fear or sorrow. For spies, the information that their enemies are demoralized is important. In the past, the Israelites were afraid of the inhabitants of Canaan.
Numbers 13:31 says, “And those who went up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people. They are stronger than us.” But now, when the Canaanites heard the rumors about Israel, they were very afraid and their conversations melted away. To the inhabitants of Jericho, Rahab's information that the Israelites were feared gave Joshua's army great courage.
At that time, Jericho was an impregnable fortress, but when they heard the news of the people of Israel that God was with them, the people of Jericho were dismayed. “The LORD your God is God in the heavens and the lows” (v. This is Rahab's priesthood. God is the creator and ruler of the heavens and the universe. God's power is superior to any other god.
4. Rahab Saved Her Family
Rahab said to the spies, "Therefore, I beg you, since I have done you good, you also will do good to my Father's house... … Now swear by the LORD to deliver our lives from death, and give me a true mark” (verse 1213). Rahab, looking forward to the occupation of Jericho, knew that now was the perfect opportunity for her and her family to receive salvation. The Bible says, “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
So Rahab interceded for the salvation of her family. The spies promise to risk their lives to protect Rahab's family. God did not look at Rahab's identity, but saw her faith and protected her. God who is good like this does not look at people on the outward appearance, but on the heart. He is the God of love who saved even the prostitute Rahab. Like Rahab, if we come to God by faith, we will be protected by God.