Rahab

Introduction

I began to name this the ‘Bible Person Study’, but chose to go with the ‘Bible Character Study’. I hesitated to name it that, as I don’t want to diminish the fact that these are real people we’ll be examining. But the reason that it’s named the Bible Character Study is because we’ll be focusing on the person’s character throughout. But don’t forget that these were real people, with real lives that made real choices that had real consequences.

First, simply because the Bible commends an individual for a righteous act does not mean that God condones everything the person ever did.

Who was Rahab?

She was a liar, harlot, stranger from the promises of God from a Heathen culture.

I. Rahab’s Nature

((What is their History / Background?)

She Lived an Immoral Lifestyle

The Bible describes her as an ‘harlot’. In other words, she was a prostitute. She sold herself - the most precious thing that she has been given - for corruptible money.

Concerning the Christian, God explains specifically that sexual sins are in a league of their own. They are especially egregious.

1 Corinthians 6:18–20 “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

But then again, Rahab wasn’t a Christian. She at least had that excuse.

She lived an Immoral Lifestyle

She Lived in an Ungodly Society

If you study out the Canaanites in this day, you’d find that they were an ungodly society.

Lev. 18 gives us some insight as to their character:

Leviticus 18:1–3“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the Lord your God. After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.”

Lev. 18:6-19 speaks of various perversions & wickedness

Lev. 18:20 speaking of adultery

Lev. 18:21 speaks of child sacrifice

Lev. 18:22 speaks of homosexuality

Lev. 18:23 speaks of bestiality

Leviticus 18:24–25 “Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.”

Those abominations look familiar? What do you think God thinks of America right now?

She lived in an Ungodly Society

She Lived as an Alien from the Promises of God

The Canaanites were not part of Abraham’s seed - therefore they were not recipients of the promises of God.

She didn’t have the Righteousness of the Law, nor the Grace of the Tabernacle. She didn’t drink from the water from a rock, nor was she sustained by manna from Heaven.

She knew the Power of God - as she testifies in Jos. 2:9-10; but she didn’t know the Promises of God

She lived as an Alien from the Promises of God

No History before Joshua Two

I make it a point to say that we know nothing about Rahab prior to her introduction in Josh. 2:1 for a reason. The reason is, as we study this woman, we find that there’s very little good that can be said about her life prior to Josh. 2:4.

The importance of this will be more clear as we move forward in this message, but the point is, we don’t know what her early life was like. We don’t know the set of circumstances that led her to the life to which she was living. She may have had things come into her life that some would see as valid reasons to live the life she was living.

What caused her to go into prostitution?

Certainly, societal norms played some part in that decision

Certainly, being an alien from the Word and Promises of God played some part in that decision

Suppose she once was married, yet her husband despised and left her.

Suppose her siblings were young and needed cared for, yet her father was rendered lame and couldn’t provide for his family

My point is, I’m not excusing her sin - I’m trying to illustrate the fact that we don’t know the circumstances that led to her decisions. This woman was lost, and instead of righteous condemntation, we should be moved with Compassion - as like the compassion of Christ! Matthew 9:36 “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”

The old adage “Hate the sin, but love the sinner” is cliche, but true! Our compassion should move us and guide us to trying to win them instead of condemn them - because we can’t assume that ‘they know better’ - because oftentimes then don’t!

Make no mistake - I’m speaking about LOST PEOPLE. Christians should know better, and because of that, our approach with them will be different. When a Christian backslides into sin, we should be loving enough to condemn their sin (instead of encouraging them to wallow in it), to bring them to repentance, but once they repent, we should be quick to forgive.

No History before Joshua Two

II. Rahab’s Notoriety

(What they are known for?)

Hiding the Spies (Jos. 2:4a; 6)

We see that when Jericho’s guard came to Rahab’s house, she made the decision to hide the spies.

When she did this she was in essence picking a side. She could have picked the heathen’s side and given them up, or picked God’s side. She made a choice and it was one that put her life on the line.

Church, would you be surprised if I told you that we make choices every day that put our lives on the line? Choices that are literally life or death?

Many of you don’t understand what I’m talking about because you’re thinking purely in the physical. I’m not saying that choices you make every day determine whether you will live or die physically. But what I am saying is that we have the choice to live or die Spiritually - and depending on what we choose there, will determine what our lives are like in the flesh.

(Ill.) Consider Rahab’s options. She could have valued her flesh more than her Spirit. In that case, she would not have risked her life to save God’s people, she would have given them up. Do you know what would have happened? God would have still sacked Jericho, but Rahab & her house would have been destroyed. But because she thought more of God than flesh, she risked the flesh, but gained God and Salvation!

You and I in like fashion, we can live to flesh & die to spirit or die to flesh that the Spirit lives! But whichever is predicated on the choices we make.

Hiding the Spies

Deceiving the Guard (Jos. 2:4b-5)

I want to make a few things clear:

Rahab lied to the guards. There’s no getting around that.

I heard one person say that she really didn’t lie, she just ‘covered the truth with truth’ or some nonesense like that.

She DID know where they came from (v4b)

She DID know they didn’t go OUT (v5)

So she lied.

God is not in favor of ‘situational ethics’

God does not approve of sin if the situation calls for it - and lying is sin.

Another person said that God is ok with lying if it’s for the ‘greater good’. No He’s not. That’s what the Quran says about a heathen god, but that’s not MY GOD - the GOD of the BIBLE!

This will lead people to ask “Well, two things we know for sure: She lied and God blessed her.” You’re right - and I have an answer for that coming up.

But for right now, I want us to understand that what she did was lie, & God is not ok with that.

Being Saved by the Scarlet Thread (Jos. 2:18-19)

We see an interesting term given in the ‘scarlet thread’. As we consider the fate of Rahab, we know that she was saved by the ‘scarlet thread’.

There’s another Scarlet Thread that brings Salvation. It’s the blood atonement that stretches from Genesis to Revelation - weaving through the books in between that ties them all together.

We see a picture of the Christ to come in Genesis 3:21 “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

We see the image of the Christ who came in Luke 23:33 “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.”

We see the picture of the Christ who’s Coming Again in Revelation 19:11–13 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”

From cover to cover, the Story of the Bible is about a man named Jesus who loved man enough to shed His Blood and die for him!

Being Saved by the Scarlet Thread

Being Recognized for her Faith (Heb. 11:31; Jam. 2:25)

Twice in the NT, we see Rahab mentioned:

The first was a testament to her faith: Hebrews 11:31 “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.”

The second was a declaration of her faith in action: James 2:25 “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?”

God had not forgotten her great faith - and was determined that man not forget it either.

Being Recognized for her Faith

Being in the Lineage of Christ (Mat. 1:5)

We see that Rahab is the mother of Boaz who is the kinsman redeemer in the book of Ruth.

This is the legal lineage of Jesus, tracing his heritage from Abraham through David unto Joseph, whereas the lineage in Luke is the physical lineage of Christ tracing through Mary, all the way back to Adam - thus showing Himself to be the ‘Son of David’ and the ‘Son of Man’.

Being the Lineage of Christ

III. What Makes her Noteworthy

(What Lessons we can Learn from them?)

God’s Grace is Sufficient

Sufficient for Forgiveness

I’d mentioned earlier that I was going to elaborate on what I said concerning God not condoning sin or ’situational ethics’, and here it is. God didn’t not cause nor bless her for her sin - God blessed & forgave her IN SPITE OF HER SIN!

God did not direct her to sin, nor excused it - but He did use it, as He does all things. Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God used Pharaoh’s sin

God used Judas’ sin

God used Peter’s sin

God used Paul’s sin

God can USE sin, but God didn’t direct, nor condone sin. God being God can bring about His Will and purpose in a different way without sin if need be.

But what this tells us is that God’s Grace is sufficient for forgiveness - and this woman needed a lot of that! For her whoredom, for her lies.

AND KNOW THIS CHURCH - YOU’RE NO BETTER THAN SHE WAS! WE’RE ALL SINNERS IN NEED OF GOD’S GRACE!

His Grace is sufficient for Forgiveness

Sufficient for Usefulness

What I mean is that despite this woman’s past, and her environment - God was able to use her - in a MIGHTY WAY!

There are some who feel that because of their sin, they are limited in what they can do for God - but the only limitation is what you put on God!

(Ill.) Look at Paul. Paul actively labored against God and the early church! He consented unto the death of the Godly Stephen. He persecuted the church in a magnificent way - yet God used him in amazing fashion!

Is this because Paul was special? No - it’s because God is full of Mercy & Grace! And His Grace is sufficient to make you useful for the kingdom of God!

God’s Grace is Sufficient

Faith Makes the Difference

What made Rahab special wasn’t who she was, but in whom she believed! That’s what made the difference in her life, the lives of her family and her lineage to come!

Faith pleases God

Faith moves Mountains

Faith brings Salvation

Faith works Miracles

Mark 5:34 “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

Mark 10:52 “And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

Faith makes all the difference in the world. It makes the difference in how we live our lives, the decisions we make & the things in which we accomplish!

Faith makes the Difference. Rahab did something great, because of her great Faith!

Faith makes the Difference

Your Past doesn’t have to Dictate your Future

Rahab’s past is nothing to brag about. But she didn’t let her past dictate her future - and neither do you!

If you’re like me, there’s things that I wish I’d done differently - both Spiritually and Carnally - but just because you DID doesn’t mean that you must DO THE SAME!

(Ill.) If I let my past dictate my future, I’d likely wouldn’t be around to tell you about it. I most certainly would be standing in this pulpit speaking about it!

Your Past doesn’t have to Dictate your Future

Society doesn’t have to Dictate your Choices

In like fashion, society - or your environment - doesn’t have to dictate your choices.

You don’t have to DO just because others are doing it. You don’t have to ‘go along’ just because everyone else is.

(Ill.) Years ago there at the Valley of Elah, there was a great army camped upon one hillside while the enemy on the other. In the midst was a giant named Goliath. Here comes David and he see no one doing anything to shut that big boy up. But just because no one else would do anything, in spite of the ridicule from his brothers - David went against the grain and made a choice that no one else was willing to make. In addition to David having great faith, we see the other reason David was willing to go it alone: 1 Samuel 17:29 “And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”

It’s OK to be different than the crowd! We’re a peculiar people! We SHOULD be different than the society around us!

Society doesn’t have to dictate our choices

Conclusion