Chapter 2 of the Book of Joshua
The Contact of Spies with Rahab and Her Salvation
Outline for this Chapter
A. Rahab’s House
B. King sends for the two men (Spies)
C. Rahab hides the spies
D. Rahab lies to the King’s men as to the spy’s whereabouts
E. Rahab tells the spies the state of the people in Jericho
F. Rahab and spies make an agreement to save her and her family’s life
G. Rahab instructs the spies how to leave, be safe, and return to their people and Joshua
H. The spies give Joshua their report
This chapter shows three (3) vital truths about God’s relationship to his people: his faithfulness, his holiness, and his salvation.
This chapter also introduces us to a woman named Rahab. Rahab was a prostitute, a woman with a very shady character, whose house was perhaps an inn for strangers and travelers. It would have been a good choice for the spies coming into Jericho. They could stay there and get information without raising suspicion or alarming someone.
There are a couple of remarkable facts about Rahab. One is that she is listed with significant others who are called heroes of faith. In the Book of Hebrews, the eleventh chapter, verse 31, it states, “By faith, the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.”
The second remarkable fact is that Rahab is in the genealogy of Christ! Rahab is mentioned in the first chapter of the first book in the New Testament, Matthew, in verse five, which states, “and Salmon begat Booz of Rahab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse.” She got there by her faith. She heard of the Israelites, she believed they were God’s children and that God was with them, and she acted accordingly by helping the spies.
It is truly amazing how a pagan prostitute would show elements of faith and trust in God. Because of her faith, Joshua gets an ally behind the walls of Jericho.
Keeping Rahab’s work and lifestyle in mind, it shows that she was not accustomed to setting any type of boundaries on her behavior. More than likely, she was not even aware of her personal sin. Her faith, just like her line of work, was more than likely brought about by necessity.
Her line of business also demonstrates that she was, above all, practical, and it makes total sense that she could believe in this all-powerful God of the Israelites. She watched the people of Jericho become paralyzed with fear and recognized her own powerlessness in the situation. Jericho’s fall was inevitable and totally believable. If the God of the Israelites could part seas, He could surely topple the walls of Jericho. Her ability to see this reality is what I believe prompted her to faith.
Aiding Joshua’s men, the two spies, was a very risky business for Rahab. In spite of the risk, Rahab acted with courage and daring. She proved her faith without question when she concealed the spies and then giving them vital information about Jericho and the people in it.
When the king sent men to Rahab’s house to get the two visitors (spies), Rahab deceived the King’s men with outright lies. In doing so, Rahab actually jeopardizes her life and the life of all her family. Why would Rahab, a prostitute and business owner, put her life on the line for this? She didn’t have to. She’s actually running a business that is shady, and where virtually anything goes. Why did she lie to her own people and protect the enemy?
Before I answer that question, let me address one other first. Is it possible to condone (accept) Rahab’s action of lying? Scripture is very clear that as children of God, we are to obey authority and those that rule over us. 1 Peter 2:13-14 states, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: Whether it be to the King, as the supreme leader or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.”
Rahab might not have done that, but we could not yet call her a child of God either. But for discussions sake, let’s say she was. Did she do wrong by lying? I don’t believe so. Scriptures go on to say, “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) The believer is to obey the word of God rather than the word of man. In this case, it was God’s will for Joshua and the Israelites to conquer Jericho. Rahab was God’s instrument in this endeavor. That should be all our attitudes as a child of God. Not our will, but the will of the Father.
Now to answer the first question as to why did she lie to protect the enemy and jeopardize herself and her family. Rahab and her people hear that a great multitude of people are coming into their land and are coming to take it for themselves. The people of Jericho are stirred up and they are really afraid for their own welfare and homestead. Rahab tells all of this to the two spies. Her story can be well received because of her business. Her business placed her in a position to get all of the gossip of the land of Jericho. Furthermore, she can see all her people terrified because of Israel’s advance.
The people of Jericho had heard the story of forty years prior about how God had dried the waters of the Red Sea for Israel to cross. They had heard about the defeat of the two Kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og.
A thought to ponder about this forty years is, during that time, God gave the people of Canaan an opportunity to repent and turn back to Him. We know this by God’s word in Genesis 15:16 which states, “But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” That was said 420 years before this time.
Notice that Rahab tells the spies, we have heard. Our hearts have melted, my people lack courage. Your God is in the heaven above and in the earth beneath. Rahab now shows the spies she heard and she believes. She acts on that and now gets an oath (a commitment) from the spies to save her and her family from death (destruction).
The spies agree to her request and state, “Our life for yours should we not do this for you. When our Lord has given us this land, we will deal kindly with you and your family.
This is a totally true picture of salvation at its best. Rahab showed her faith, belief, and trust in the true living God. Her whole family will be saved because of her actions. By hanging a line of scarlet in her window she let the two spies escape out of Jericho and by bringing all her family to her house, they will be saved. What a beautiful picture of God’s mercy and salvation.
If the King of Jericho had turned to God, he would have been saved. In fact, the whole city would have been spared if they had believed in God. Look at Nineveh that was saved after hearing Jonah’s message. They repented and God showed them His mercy and they were saved.
Now the spies return to Joshua and their report is entirely different from the spies that went into the same land forty years earlier. Their report is: We are going in! All of the people of Jericho do faint because of us and our God. God has delivered them into our hand. That’s the information that Rahab, a prostitute, gave the two spies.
Following the rescue, God gave Rahab what she probably never dreamed possible: An opportunity to break with her sinful past (her old self) and build a new life (a life with fellowship with God).
What an awesome chapter God gives us that describes true mercy, forgiveness, and salvation!
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