A Great Cloud of Witnesses: Rahab

We are continuing our series, “A Great Cloud of Witnesses”. Hebrews 11 has 17 individuals, mentioned by name, that serve as witnesses or testimonies of faith. Several more are referred to by the things they experienced or endured, because of their faith. The great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11 testify about the power, love and faithfulness of God.

20 times in the 40 verses of this chapter we are told these witnesses lived “by faith”.

Hebrews 11:1 (NASB)

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith is only as good as its object. These witnesses in Hebrews 11, trusted what God said and trusted Him enough to act out it. And we too are called to live be faith, to trust the Lord Jesus with our lives. Loving, worshipful faith is what God desires from us...

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

6 ...without faith it is impossible to please Him...

Faith is pleasing to God. The Great Cloud of Witnesses confirm it. We don’t please God by trying harder or doing better. Instead, by faith, we deny ourselves, trust Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, and follow Him in the strength of the Holy Spirit. That’s faith. That’s what God wants. Faith.

So far we’ve covered the first 30 verses in Hebrews 11, looking at the witnesses found in the books of Genesis, Exodus and now Joshua. Namely, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Amram, Jochebed, Moses, Joshua and today.... Rahab.

Hebrews 11:31 (NASB)

31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

Joshua 2:1–21 (NASB)

1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. 2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 “It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate. 8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. 10 “For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 “When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 “Now therefore, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” 15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household. 19 “It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 “But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21 She said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

5 things we can learn from Rahab’s witness:

The fear of the Lord started her faith.

8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. 10 “For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 “When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 “Now therefore, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.”

Proverbs 1:7 (NASB)

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...

Proverbs 9:10 (NASB)

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 10:27 (NASB)

27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.

Proverbs 14:27 (NASB)

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death.

Proverbs 19:23 (NASB)

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

Failures didn’t stop her faith.

Hebrews 11:31 (NASB)

31 By faith Rahab the harlot...

1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.

Romans 3:23 (NASB)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 5:8 (NASB)

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

“I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am” - John Newton (writer of “Amazing Grace”)

Following commands showed her faith.

17 The men said to her, “We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household. 19 “It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 “But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21 She said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

James 2:25–26 (NASB)

25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Her future was secured through her faith.

Hebrews 11:31 (NASB)

31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish...

Matthew 1:5–6 (NASB)

5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of David the king...

Ephesians 2:8 (NASB)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith...

Jeremiah 29:11 (NASB)

11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Her family was saved because of her faith.

12 “Now therefore, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”

Joshua 6:22–25 (NASB)

22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the harlot’s house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her.” 23 So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel. 24 They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 However, Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Matthew 5:16 (NASB)

16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Memory Verse of the Week:

James 2:26 (NASB)

26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Bible Study Questions:

What does this Scripture teach us about God?

What does this Scripture teach us about ourselves?

What does this Scripture teach us about the world?

Do you see any commands to obey or principles to apply?

Do you see any promises to claim or blessings to enjoy?

Do you see any truths to meditate on or Gospel messages to share?

Did anything else in the passage stick out to you?