Rahab, a Mother Redeemed

Welcome

Joshua 2:1–9 CSB

1 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia Grove, saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there. 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. 5 At nightfall, when the city gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!” 6 But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. 7 The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the city gate was shut. 8 Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.

[pray]

Jericho - A City Set Against God

Jericho was a walled city about the size of a modern-day Walmart. That may seem small, but this was a major city-state with a king. The walls were high and extremely thick and fortified, with walls so wide that people made their homes in the walls.

The Hebrew spies were not friendly to Jericho. They were there to scout out the city and the reinforcements because Joshua was planning an assault on the city-nation.

Joshua 2:1 CSB

1 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia Grove, saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there.

We don’t have a record of how they managed to enter the city, but they entered the city and began their reconnaissance mission.

The citizens of Jericho knew about the Hebrews and knew some of their history. They knew the story of how the Hebrews escaped Egypt was known throughout the territory. They especially knew the part where they miraculously crossed the Red Sea to escape the Egyptians.

At any rate, the Hebrew spies were able to gain access to the city and they took shelter at an inn belonging to the prostitute Rahab. The kings learned of their presence...

Joshua 2:2 CSB

2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.”

Rahab - A Prostitute Who Believed In God

Rahab, citizen of Jericho, protected these Hebrew spies from the men who came searching for them...

Joshua 2:3–4 CSB

3 Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from.

Rahab was a prostitute

In this time, there were no true inns or hotels as we might think about today. The only place that visitors from out of town could stay would be either with family or at an inn, which was typically the house of a prostitute. Since the spies had no family in Jericho, they would have been forced to seek shelter at an inn.

Rahab was a Canaanite

Not only was Rahab a prostitute, but she was a Canaanite. The Canaanites were often featured in scripture as living in opposition to Israel and to God. They were known or their worship of the false gods Baal, Asherah, Marduk, and Ishtar.

We’ll look a little bit more closely at Rahab’s religious beliefs in a few minutes. But it is important to know that she was included among the people that were established enemies of the Hebrews.

Rahab Lived Under Condemnation

The city of Jericho had been condemned by God. Jericho had been given a chance at redemption, but they had chosen to reject the God of Israel and worship their false Gods.

We don’t have the story of how they came to reject this redemption, however, the text reveals that Rahab and all of the people of Jericho were aware of this chance at redemption. Furthermore, they were all afraid of the God of Israel and they knew that judgment and destruction was coming to Jericho.

Rahab was a prostitute. She is mentioned several times in the Bible and almost everywhere she is named as a prostitute. But there is something very surprising about Rahab. She does something very unlike a false-god worshiping, Canaanite Prostitute when these Hebrew spies arrive at her door...

Joshua 2:5–7 CSB

5 At nightfall, when the city gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!” 6 But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. 7 The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the city gate was shut.

I. Rahab’s Faith Was Courageous

Rahab, in spite of who she was, saw these spies come into her inn and she did the most surprising thing. She decided to help them and protect them when they were in danger. In fact, she took a rather courageous position and protected them by lying to the king’s men, who were there to take the spies in for questioning.

Some surprising things about faith:

Faith can show up anywhere, at any time, and in any single person, whether they be faithful or not.

Faith often shows up in the very last place that you might expect it.

Sometimes faith fails to show up in the place that you might expect it most.

We look at this story with human eyes and forget that God was working in this situation. God was attempting to bring salvation to the people of Canaan. He was giving them a chance to turn from their false gods and turn to Him. But they were being resistant by refusing His call.

But just at the right time, God broke through to this Canaanite prostitute in Jericho and she provided shelter to the Hebrew spies as they entered Jericho in preparation for an attack on the city.

The people of Jericho had heard of the Hebrew people camped out in the wilderness. They had heard of the power of the God of Israel and they were terrified. Their terror came from the fact that they had chosen to reject God in favor of their false gods, even though they were afraid of what the God of Israel might do to them.

Somehow, somewhere along the way, Rahab had come to believe in this one true God of Israel. We have no history of how she came to belief, but we can see this belief in action when she protects the spies.

In spite of all that Rahab was, Rahab was not the sum total of her life’s mistakes. In the moment of her belief she overcame who she was—a Canaanite prostitute living in Jericho. She became an active believer in Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Principle: You are not the sum of your mistakes in life.

God can save you and use you no matter what your circumstances are.

We all make mistakes in life. Every single one of us has done something that could be considered horrible by others if it were known. We carry these things around in life like bags we’ve packed for a holiday. And we secretly compare our sins against others in a way to make us feel better about ourselves. “My sin isn’t as bad as his. I must be better.”

The Bible tells us this is wrong.

We are not in a competition. If we believe in Jesus Christ, and make him Lord, we can walk in forgiveness.

John 3:16–17 CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

II. Rahab’s Faith Was Active

When Rahab chose God, she was forgiven and was no longer a prostitute. She didn’t have to try to get everything perfect before God would accept her. She saw an opportunity to change everything about her life and she took hold of that opportunity immediately.

Let’s continue reading in Joshua 2...

Joshua 2:8–11 CSB

8 Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of 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 Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. 11 When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.

Not only did Rahab have a faith that made her courageous, her courage helped her to do the things that God wanted her to do for his people. Her faith was active.

Rahab saw an opportunity and she took quick action on behalf of these spies, but more specifically she was making a decision to choose God.

Just look at Rahab’s actions...

Rahab has just moved from one count of obstruction of justice into aiding and abetting known criminals, not to mention treason against her King and country.

III. Rahab’s Faith Was Compassionate

Joshua 2:12–14 CSB

12 Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my father’s family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.” 14 The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”

Rahab cared for her family and her compassion led her to make a deal on their behalf.

We should take note of several things that we just learned about Rahab...

She was a hearer of the word of God (Yahweh)

When Rahab refers to God, she called God by His personal name, Yahweh, not some generic title. This indicates that she had an intimate knowledge of God. She had apparently heard of God’s work and became a believer in secret when this opportunity came to her door.

She was a believer of God by faith (Romans 10:17)

Romans 10:17 CSB

17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

Rahab is also rejecting her own religious traditions (the false gods of Canaan) here by claiming that the God of the Hebrew spies is greater than those of the Canaanites.

It’s clear to see here that Rahab is acting upon a belief that God is who the Hebrews claimed Him to be and that the impending doom on the city-state of Jericho would indeed happen just as she had heard.

She proved her faith by works (James 2:25)

James 2:25 CSB

25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route?

Faith in God is nothing without works to back it up. Rahab proved her faith in God by protecting the spies from the king’s men.

The Bible says that we are saved by our faith in God, but faith produces fruit in the work that we accomplish for God.

Ephesians 2:8–10 CSB

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Principle Faith results in works, not vice versa.

Let’s continue in Joshua 2...

Joshua 2:15–21 CSB

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. 16 “Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We will be free from this oath you made us swear, 18 unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father’s family into your house. 19 If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his death will be his own fault, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his death will be our fault. 20 And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear.” 21 “Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.

Principle Compassion for others makes us bold in our faith.

Rahab followed through on her promise by helping the men and acting with bold and compassionate faith.

IV. Rahab’s Faith Is A Picture Of Redemption

You might be thinking, “What does all this have to do with our series?” And that’s a valid question, in fact, that question is the entire point of including this sermon in this series.

Rahab bold act of faith gives us a glimpse at a perfect picture of redemption...

redemption - being bought, liberated from slavery and set free, it also carries a context of being ransomed

Let’s see how the remainder of the event happened...

Joshua 2:22–24 CSB

22 So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them. 23 Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them. 24 They told Joshua, “The Lord has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”

I want to jump ahead to chapter 6 to show you how we find the redemption in this story...

Joshua 6:16–17 CSB

16 After the seventh time, the priests blew the rams’ horns, and Joshua said to the troops, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. 17 But the city and everything in it are set apart to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the messengers we sent.

Joshua remembered the promise made to Rahab and reminded the Hebrews about the agreement they had with Rahab and her family.

What Happened To The City Of Jericho?

Many of us remember the old folk song:

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the walls came a-tumbling down

We all remember the story that the walls came tumbling down when they blew the trumpets. Let’s look at how the Bible described it...

Joshua 6:20–21 CSB

20 So the troops shouted, and the rams’ horns sounded. When they heard the blast of the trumpets, the troops gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. The troops advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city. 21 They completely destroyed everything in the city with the sword—every man and woman, both young and old, and every ox, sheep, and donkey.

The “wall fell down flat”… the Hebrew literally says that the walls “fell down in their place.” It does not say that the Hebrews battered the walls and they were destroyed. It does not say that they destroyed the walls by any natural means… The Hebrews shouted, as God had instructed, and the walls simply fell apart.

Though scholarly archaeologists have a fantastic record of knowledge where the city of Jericho stood, there is no evidence to be found of the destroyed walls of Jericho.

Some have used this lack of evidence to call the biblical record into question. However, I personally look at it differently.

The destruction of the walls of Jericho was not accomplished by natural means or by man-made methods. It was accomplished by supernatural methods at the hands of God himself. There was no rubble from the walls being battered or exploded. The text says that the walls fell down in their place. They simply disintegrated allowing the Hebrew nation unfettered access to the city.

The conquer of Jericho at the hands of the Hebrews was nothing less than the miraculous work of God’s hand.

What Happened To Rahab’s Family?

I’ve spent all this time on the story, but I want you to listen to this part of the account...

Joshua 6:22–23 CSB

22 Joshua said to the two men who had scouted the land, “Go to the prostitute’s house and bring the woman out of there, and all who are with her, just as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had scouted went in and brought out Rahab and her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

Of course Rahab and her family were safe, even though they sheltered in her house that was in the walls of the city. The very walls that were flattened.

Joshua knew that Rahab and her family was safe. The agreement was not only with the spies and not only with the Hebrew invaders, the agreement was with God, in whom Rahab believed.

Did you catch that last part? “They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.”

Joshua 6:24 CSB

24 They burned the city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house.

There was quite a bit of slaughter going on in these passages. Under condemnation by God, the Hebrews destroyed everything and everyone in Jericho.

Joshua 6:25 CSB

25 However, Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family, and all who belonged to her, because she hid the messengers Joshua had sent to spy on Jericho, and she still lives in Israel today.

Rahab and her family were completely safe from all the killing of her people.

Furthermore...

Rahab joined the Hebrew nation through marriage.

Rahab married a Hebrew man named Salmon (Matthew 1:5), and she gave birth to Boaz, who married Ruth. Boaz and Ruth gave birth to Obed, who was the father of Jesse and grandfather to David, the King of Israel. But also we know that Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute of Jericho, was a great-grandmother to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and Messiah of the nation of Israel.

Hebrews 11:31 CSB

31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.

Rahab had clearly been introduced to a saving faith by believing in the one true God:

She believed in God

She turned from her sin and rejected the gods of the Canaanites

She chose to join the Hebrews

Her life was completely changed.

Conclusion

This is one of the most beautiful stories of redemption in the Bible.

You might know someone like Rahab, someone who has lived a sinful life in a sinful place. Or maybe it’s you who has done this. In fact, haven’t all of us come from a place of sin to know the forgiveness of God through Christ?

Some people think that they have to get everything straightened out in their life before they can come to know Christ or come to church. But the truth is that all of us come to Christ with nothing to show for ourselves—with nothing of merit to earn God’s favor.

In fact the opposite is true. When we come to God broken and sinful, yet we accept Christ and claim him as our Lord, God promises to forgive us and make us clean and new.

This is the very same redemption that Rahab experienced when she believed in God. And Rahab’s faith setup such a transformational change in her life and in the lives of her entire family that she became the Great-Great Grandmother of King David and one of line of people that led to the birth of Jesus Christ.

We can have that same salvation by believing on the name of Jesus Christ and rejecting all that we think we are in this world and embracing the salvation that is afforded to us by his death on the cross.

Galatians 2:20 CSB

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.