Rahab

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

          Hebrews 11:30-31


In the second chapter of Joshua, we read of Joshua sending two men from Acacia Grove to spy out the land that they had been promised - in particular, Jericho. After Moses death, it was time to claim that land that the Lord had promised the children of Israel. Those who had doubted and who were forced to wander in the wilderness had now passed - all except for Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:6-10, 24).

The king of Jericho found out that there were spies and so searched for the two men sent by Joshua. But these men would not be found by the king. They had met Rahab, a harlot who was willing to help these men.

She hid the spies from those searching for them and then she helped them escape by giving them good instructions to avoid their pursuers. And why did she help them? She had faith!

In Joshua 2 and beginning in verse 10, Rahab explains that she had heard of how the Lord “dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt”. She heard the story and believed it. She believed that it indeed was the true God helping the Israelites. In verse 9 she said “I know that the Lord has given you the land”. She truly had faith and believed.

Because of her faith and because she acted on that faith, helping the spies escape, she was saved from the onslaught that came upon the city later on. In chapter 6 of Joshua, the Israelites circled the city, as commanded, and the walls fell and the city was taken. There were no survivors from that city except for Rahab and those in her house.

Such great faith came from Rahab. She was not an Israelite. She was a harlot. How many would look at such a woman and dismiss her as someone who would be willing to hear the gospel - thinking her unwilling to believe?

We should not be judging who would be a good recipient to the gospel message and who wouldn’t. We should preach and teach to everyone and let them decide to act or not.

                -- John Thrower Jr.