Part Two /Joshua 2

Part Two

Joshua

FBC Baxley

September 3, 2025

Joshua 2

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

2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.”

3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who 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, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

5 And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, 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 hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof.

7 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.

8 Before the men 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 fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt 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 devoted to destruction.

11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.

12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign

13 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.”

14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall.

16 And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.”

17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear.

18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household.

19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.

20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.”

21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

22 They departed and went into the hills and remained there three days until the pursuers returned, and the pursuers searched all along the way and found nothing.

23 Then the two men returned. They came down from the hills and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they told him all that had happened to them.

24 And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.”

-Pray

Bible Study: Rahab’s Faith and God’s Grace

Introduction:

Have you ever been surprised when someone you least expected suddenly stepped up in faith?

Not long ago, I read a story of a firefighter in New York. This man had a troubled past—a criminal record, some bad choices that had defined him for years.

But in a moment of crisis, when a family was trapped inside a burning building, he didn’t hesitate.

He charged in, rescued them, and saved their lives.

News commentators called him “the least likely hero.”

That’s Rahab’s story.

A woman with a broken past, a prostitute in Jericho, suddenly steps into history as one of the greatest examples of faith.

Her story shows us something powerful: your past does not disqualify you from being used by God—faith does.

Ask the group:

Has someone ever surprised you by stepping up in faith when you least expected it?

Transition:

We’re going to walk verse by verse through Joshua 2 and see how Rahab’s faith not only saved her family but pointed us to the greater salvation found in Christ.

Contextual Background

Let’s set the stage.

Israel is camped on the east side of the Jordan River.

They’re about to enter the land God promised, but the first obstacle is Jericho—a city famous for its fortified walls.

Archaeologists tell us Jericho had double walls, with some sections nearly 20 feet thick.

From a human perspective, this was an impossible challenge.

Now, in that culture, prostitutes often lived along the walls of cities—near the gates, where secrecy and business were easier.

That’s why Rahab’s house “in the wall” (v.15) becomes a perfect hiding place and escape route.

Theologically, Joshua 2 reminds us of 1 Corinthians 1:27: “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” God delights in saving the least likely.

Joshua 2:1–7 — Rahab Hides the Spies

Joshua secretly sends two men to scout Jericho.

They enter the house of a prostitute named Rahab.

The Hebrew word here is zōnâh (זֹונָה)—there’s no attempt to clean up Rahab’s reputation.

The text highlights her brokenness so that we can see God’s grace.

Rahab hides the spies on her roof.

Think about this—she is committing treason against her own king.

If caught, she would be executed.

And yet, she sides with God’s people, not her own people.

NICOT Commentary notes:

Rahab is not motivated by political powers, but by theological convictions.

She believes Israel’s God is greater than Jericho’s walls.

Cross Reference:

James 2:25 says, “Was not Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?”

Application thought:

Real faith isn’t safe. It is proven in risky obedience.

Ask the group: What does Rahab’s risky obedience tell us about real faith?

Suggested answer: Faith is not just belief—it shows itself in action, even when costly.

Joshua 2:8–13 — Rahab’s Confession of Faith

Rahab makes one of the clearest confessions in all of Scripture: “The LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”

Notice—

she uses the covenant name of God, YHWH (יהוה).

That’s remarkable. She had only heard the stories of God’s power—the crossing of the Red Sea, the victories over Sihon and Og.

But those stories were enough. Romans 10:17 reminds us: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

Dale Ralph Davis (F.O.T.B.)comments:

“Rahab knew more about Yahweh’s deeds than Israel often remembered. Sometimes pagans are more alert to God’s work than His own people.”

Application: Rahab reminds us that faith is not about how much you know—it’s about who you trust.

Ask the group: Why is Rahab’s confession so remarkable given her background?

Suggested answer: She was a pagan Canaanite prostitute, yet she recognized and confessed the God of Israel.

Joshua 2:14–21 — The Scarlet Cord

The spies promise Rahab safety.

The sign of this promise is a scarlet cord (ḥût hashānî — חוּט הַשָּׁנִי) tied in her window.

This cord echoes the blood of the lamb in Exodus 12, when God’s people were spared by the blood on their doorposts.

The scarlet cord becomes Rahab’s visible sign of faith.

John MacArthur notes: “The scarlet cord became Rahab’s banner of faith, much like the blood of Christ is the believer’s covering.”

Cross reference: Hebrews 9:22 reminds us: “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.”

Application: Faith is not just inward—it’s visible. The scarlet cord marked Rahab’s home. Our faith should mark our lives.

Ask the group: How is the scarlet cord a picture of Jesus Christ?

Suggested answer: It foreshadows the blood of Christ that saves us from judgment.

Joshua 2:22–24 — The Spies Return

The spies return to Joshua and say: “Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands.”

Notice the irony: their confidence didn’t come from walls they measured or soldiers they counted. Their encouragement came from the lips of a Canaanite prostitute!

Dale Ralph Davis observes: “The irony is delicious: Israel’s encouragement came not from their own strength, but from the lips of a Canaanite woman.”

Cross reference: Romans 8:31 — “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Application: God often strengthens us through unexpected voices. Sometimes the encouragement you need will come from the least likely person.

Ask the group: Why do you think God chose Rahab to encourage Israel instead of giving them a military report?

Suggested answer: To remind them their victory would come by His power, not their own.

Life Applications

Your past doesn’t disqualify you. Rahab’s name appears in Matthew 1:5, in the genealogy of Jesus! Grace rewrote her story.

Faith requires risky obedience. She hid the spies at the risk of her life. Real faith takes real steps.

God uses unlikely people for His glory. God saved Israel through the faith of a woman Jericho despised.

Discussion Questions

What does Rahab’s faith teach us about God’s willingness to save?

How is the scarlet cord a foreshadowing of Christ’s work on the cross?

What step of faith do you need to take this week, even if it feels risky?