Rahab - Unexpected Faith

Intro

[Thank worship team]

Good morning Bethel Church, and good morning to our network of rural churches that are joining us live on YouTube. And if you are new here, I want to extend a special welcome to you. If you would, there are “Connect” cards in the seat in front of you. If you would fill that out there or at the Welcome Center outside of the sanctuary. We even have a free gift for you if you are new to Bethel. We would love to get in touch with you and discuss how to get connected to our church family.

Announcements:

Cory and Ashlee - Marriage Retreat

Christmas Eve Service at 4 PM on Wednesday, December 24th.

Children’s program, today at 11 AM

Today we will be continuing our study called “5 Women.” If you are reading out of the Bibles in front of you, our passage can be found on page 178. If you do not have a Bible, please stop by the Welcome Center and take one. It is our gift to you.

TRANS: Pray

Opening Hook

God’s story is one where he redeems human brokenness.

Last week Pastor Bruce did a wonderful job of kicking off our “5 Women” series with the story of Tamar. How many of you had heard that story before? It’s ugly, it shares the embarrassing details, and it was not beyond what God could redeem. These 5 women in Jesus’ genealogy (or family ancestry) are some of the individuals that God chose by which he would eventually bring the savior of the world.

Wouldn’t God pick more “polished” people? Maybe more cleaned up? Less messy? Perhaps individuals that would not make God look bad? “Really? These are your people??” Yes. Because for God’s story to be truly good news, he must be in the business of saving messy sinners like Tamar, like you and me, and through a women we will focus on today: Rahab.

But before we get to Rahab, we must set up the story so we understand why the Israelites met Rahab in the first place.

In Genesis 13, we see God make a promise to Abram (later called Abraham),

Genesis 13:14–17 ESV

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”

The Setup

The Lord had given Israel the land.

Genesis 13:14-17

God’s promise of the land to Israel is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament, with multiple pivotal moments of divine covenant. The initial promise comes to Abram (later Abraham), where God calls him to leave his homeland and travel to a land He will show him. God not only promises to give Abram the land but also to make him “a great nation” and to bless him, with the remarkable declaration that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:1–3; 13:14–17).

The specifics of this land grant are detailed extensively, with God defining the geographical boundaries from “the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” and explicitly stating it will be an “everlasting possession” (Gen 15:18–21; 17:8). This covenant is so significant that the Psalmist describes it as a promise God “remembers... forever” and confirms “for a thousand generations” (Ps 105:8–11). Prophets like Ezekiel and Amos later reiterate this promise, describing God’s intention to gather His people, bring them back to their land, and ensure they will “never again be uprooted” – a powerful statement of divine commitment (Ezek 36:24–28; Amos 9:14–15). “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance,” stands as a profound declaration of God’s faithfulness.

This seems immoral… Why would God command this?

God’s judgment was not based on their ethnicity, but because the Canaanites acted wickedly in ways that threatened Israel’s identity and mission[1].

Their actions were described as “detestable,” “abominable,” and “evil,” with particularly horrific practices like infant sacrifice that God considered an “abhorrent, unimaginable immoral practice”[1]. Importantly, God was incredibly patient, giving the Canaanites a 400-year countdown to repent or remove themselves from the land. They were aware of God’s power, knew about the events in Egypt, and had multiple opportunities to leave[2]. As one scholar notes, God “cannot simply throw out the current inhabitants” and gave them “lots of time to turn from their waywardness” before finally saying “That’s it.”[1]

The judgment was not arbitrary but served multiple purposes: it was an act of divine judgment against wickedness and a fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to Abraham. The land gift was first an act of judgment and second an expression of God’s faithfulness to an ancient covenant[3]. Notably, displacement was the primary goal, not extermination. Wars of extermination were only to be enacted if the Canaanites refused to leave, and this was Israel’s only offensive war in Scripture[2].

[1] Paul Copan, Is God a Vindictive Bully? Reconciling Portrayals of God in the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2022), 194–195, 198.

[2] W. Gary Philips, Judges, Ruth, ed. Max Anders, Holman Old Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2004), 5:14–15.

[3] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 193.

TRANS: We find ourselves at the boarder of the Promised Land, and Joshua begins to strategize. But strategy comes after intel is collected. So he sends two spies, and things didn’t quite go as planned…

Joshua 2:1–16 ESV

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.”

Unexpected Faith

Rahab trusted the spies, and their God.

Joshua 2:1-16

Why Jericho Needed To Be Destroyed

Paul Copan provides nuanced insights into why Jericho needed to be destroyed, emphasizing that the narrative is far more complex than simple military conquest. The main objective was to disable Canaanite cities, which were essentially military forts with commanders, and scholars like Richard Hess note that civilians typically lived in nearby hamlets and would flee to the hills when these strategic citadels were attacked[1].

Specifically regarding Jericho, it was not a large population center but a small, strategic military settlement or citadel led by a commander, and likely housed only around a hundred men. This explains how “all of Israel could circle it seven times and then do battle against it on the same day”[2]. Importantly, the warfare described does not envision completely emptying the land or destroying all inhabitants. God was understood to be going ahead of Israel to drive out inhabitants, with Israelite action primarily directed against cities. Even with commands of “utter destruction,” survivors remained, and Israel’s land possession was a gradual process accomplished over several years[1]. Scholars like Firth conclude that while many Canaanites were killed, it was not as extensive as popular imagination suggests, and their deaths occurred because they had chosen to place themselves under divine judgment[1].

[1] Paul Copan, Is God a Vindictive Bully? Reconciling Portrayals of God in the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2022), 203–204.

[2] Paul Copan and Matthew Flannagan, Did God Really Command Genocide? Coming to Terms with the Justice of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), 101.

We see the spies get into danger as they are carrying out their mission, and who takes them in? A prostitute.

Last week Bruce talked about shame. Shame is not the same as guilt. Guilt is “I failed.” Shame is “I am a failure.”

I did a bad thing

I am bad

I did something wrong

I am broken, dirty, unlovable

Shame

Here’s the secret about shame: shame is not a moment, it is an identity. Shame takes moments to reinforce the story. Guilt asks “what did I do?” Shame asks, “who are you?” and the answer is never good. Shame becomes an identity. Look at Rahab. Her description is not just what she does, it’s “who she is.” She’s a prostitute.

Sometimes shame comes from what others did to me. We are a victim, like in Tamar’s case. But sometimes shame comes by what I did to myself. There’s no one to blame. I made poor decisions, and now I have to deal with the consequences.

Taking on an identity of failure, mistake, dirty, worthless, broken, etc. is called shame. It is the most personal and private emotion we experience. Like Adam and Eve, when we experience shame we hide. From a young age, when we notice something wrong inside of us, our instinct is to hide what is wrong, to conceal what is broken, to dress up what we see as ugly.

Rahab could have hidden, but instead she hid God’s spies. She could have self-protected, but instead she protected strangers.

But God was calling out to Rahab. Notice how she responded to the works of God verses the rest of the city: they were all struck with fear, she decided to respond with faith and trust.

Trans: The spies promised that she and her family would be spared, and explained what she must do…

Joshua 2:17–24 ESV

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.”

Rahab tied a scarlet chord as a sign of the promise.

Joshua 2:17-24

Now there is much to be said about the spies and the subsequent events with Joshua leading Israel into the land. But our focus is on this woman. Imagine sending these two men away, who you just met but they promise they will keep you save when they INVADE. You know that you’ve instructed the spies to hide for 3 days, and then return to their home… and then eventually you needed to let out a scarlet chord from the window when they attack.

Time begins to pass….

1 day passes - did they make it to the safe area?

2 days pass - did they avoid the search?

3 days pass - I hope they remember me

4+ days pass - I hope their God remembers me

She believed that if they kept their word, their God would also deal kindly with her. (verse 12)

All she had was a promise.

Have you ever been disappointed before? Perhaps she began to fear the worst. But this is where shame can creep in. Shame sounds like this… “you are not worthy.”

Shame tells a story of unworthiness.

“You aren’t worth saving.”

“Even if they remember, they won’t care enough to follow through. you’re not worth it.”

“You’re just a prostitute…”

But God does not define us according to our shame. He defines us according to our faith.

TRANS: There she waited until the Israelites came back to destroy Jericho.

Joshua 6:17–25 ESV

17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21 Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword. 22 But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. 24 And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Rahab was delivered by faith.

Joshua 6:17-25

Joshua had circled the city, blowing horns and shouting. And as the song goes, “and the walls came tumbling down.” God had given this strategic location to the army of Israel. This was the first major step of conquering Canaan and God’s people taking hold of the promise that was made to Abraham centuries before.

God kept his promise, to Abraham, to the Israelites, and to Rahab. She was delivered from this destruction because she trusted God by faith.

Here is a Canaanite woman, a prostitute, part of an evil city that God had pronounced judgement… and this woman was delivered by faith. This is a story that shows that anyone can come to God, faith can come from unexpected places, and unexpected people.

God included the story of Rahab in Jesus’ genealogy to help us to understand that truly, God did not play favorites. Anyone can come to Him.

TRANS: What a beautiful story. And this story leads us to reflect on our story. Here’s the first way:

Application

God can redeem your shameful past.

Hebrews 11:30-31

Hebrews 11:30–31 ESV

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

What does it mean to “redeem”?

It means to “buy back.” Meaning, outside of Christ, sin owns you. It gives you an identity of shame. It buries you in guilt. It leads you to seek relief in ways that just cause more problems. It is a spiral of bad decision covering previous bad decisions. You are a slave to sin.

But Jesus, when you give your life to him, “purchases” you out of that. He sets the captives free. He gives you a new name, with a new identity. He washes you, forgives you, and gives you a new future.

Rahab was not just physically saved, but spiritually transformed. She went from being “the whore of Jericho” to becoming an ancestress of Jesus Christ himself—dramatically illustrating God’s redemptive power. Her faith was so profound that she was celebrated in Hebrews as an example of faith.

Here’s the truth, God can redeem your broken story. He can redeem your shameful past. But here’s something that perhaps someone in this room needs to here: do not count yourself out when God doesn’t. Rahab did not give herself the list of reasons why she was unworthy to help the Spies and respond to God in faith. She simply responded. She did not let her past determine her future. Today, you have the same choice. Come to Christ, come to the cross, and follow Him.

TRANS: Rahab’s faith is not just a story of responding in belief, her story is one of action. This prompts us to…

Follow Rahab’s example of lived faith.

James 2:25

James 2:25 ESV

25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

James is not saying that works lead to salvation, rather than works flow from salvation. A changed heart leads to changed actions. Beliefs lead to behavior. Faith leads to action.

Rahab did not just have a private moment in her mind about God, we see her faith demonstrated by the risk she took to protect the spies, and to wait on the one true God.

Is your faith leading you to action? What is God calling you to do that might be considered “risky?” Imagine what Rahab risked.

What if the Israelites did not conquer Jericho? Rahab would have colluded with the enemy.

What if she was not welcomed into this unknown nation after Jericho was destroyed?

But she only focused on the next right thing by faith. She did not let her past disqualify her, she did not let the unknowns prevent her… she simply responded. What is God calling you to do? What step of faith is God asking you to take?

Conclusion : As the band comes up to lead us in song. We come to the communion table.

COMMUNION

We practice “open communion”

Communion is an invitation to remember, to reflect. To see the bread and the cup as symbols of his body and blood, shed for us.

Rahab laid down a scarlet chord as a sign that God would protect her, Jesus poured out his scarlet blood as the payment for our sins. God is the God that keeps his promises.

He promises that if we receive Jesus by faith, his all-sufficient sacrifice will pay for our sins.

Evangelical Convictions: A Theological Exposition of the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America (2nd Edition) II. Christ’s Atoning Death: The Perfect, All-Sufficient Sacrifice for Our Sins

In its perfection, Jesus’ atoning sacrifice is also “all-sufficient.” Nothing is lacking from it, and we can add nothing to it. It is complete, fully efficacious, and all that is required to atone for our sin. It satisfies all the requirements of God’s holiness and justice in providing the means of our salvation—in its past, present, and future dimensions (cf.

Jesus said starting in Matthew 26:26

Matthew 26:26–28 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Pray

Talk About It/Think About It

Why is Rahab’s faith described as “unexpected,” and what does her story teach us about how God works through unlikely people?

Why is it important that God promised the land long before Israel ever entered it? How does this shape your understanding of His faithfulness?

What stands out to you about Rahab’s confession of faith in Joshua 2:9–11?

Why do you think God used a simple scarlet cord as the sign of Rahab’s deliverance?

How does Rahab’s inclusion into Israel (and later into the genealogy of Jesus) reinforce God’s redemptive purpose?

Where might you still feel defined by a past failure or shame? How does Rahab’s story speak to that?

What is one specific way you can practice lived-out faith this week?