Joshua 2:1-24

The Grace and Power of God in the Salvation of Outsiders

The Book of Joshua focuses on the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

That God will give them the promised land - the land of Canaan.

They will receive the gift of the land not because the Israelites are righteous, but because of the grace of God.

Deuteronomy 9:4–6 NASB95

4 “Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. 5 “It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 “Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people.

This Holy War to receive the gift of the land is a test of faith for the Israelites. Will they display faith in God? Will they seek the glory of God or their own glory?

Here in our passage this morning, we will see another display of the power of God and the grace of God towards sinners who believes in Him. This chapter testifies to the grace of God in bringing a sinner (a prostitute) to receive mercy and be spared from judgment.

I. The Divine Providence

What is Divine Providence?

Westminster Shorter Catechism: “God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.” Divine providence is the outworking of the divine decrees, which are “the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will (Eph 1:11).”

A. The Providence of God in directing the spies to the house of Rahab. (v.1)

Joshua 2:1 NASB95

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.

Was it a coincidence or just a great plan made by Joshua? or Was it a divine intervention?

B. The Providence of God in the spreading of the truth about God’s Power. (vv.8-11)

Joshua 2:8–9 NASB95

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.

Joshua 2:10–11 NASB95

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.

2 Responses to the Power of God

Reverent fear and faith

Demoralization and Rejection

- showed by Rahab and families, they received deliverance.

- The King and other inhabitants thinking they will not bow before the God of Israel.

II. The Confession of Faith

A. Rahab’s Confession of Faith in the God of Israel (vv. 11-12)

Joshua 2:11–13 NASB95

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.”

Rahab did not asked for her own salvation, but for that of her family.

Rahab’s faith led to life, while the Canaanites’ unbelief led to death

Life of her family and the life of the 2 spies.

Rahab’s faith in God led her to help save the lives of the Israelite spies. Rahab risks her life to become a believer of the God of Israel.

Is Rahab’s lie justified? I would say no!

She was wrong in lying, but She was proved righteous by saving the lives of the 2 spies.

James 2:25 NASB95

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?

That is why the NT honors her faith and action - Rahab is part of the heroes of faith recorded in Hebrews 11:31

Hebrews 11:31 NASB95

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

Later, Rahab becomes a naturalized Israelite through marriage to Salmon. The Bible later traces Rahab’s line, from her son Boaz, to his descendant King David, to Jesus himself (cf. Matt. 1:5–6, 16)

Matthew 1:5–6 NASB95

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. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.

Matthew 1:16 NASB95

16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

B. Unbelief leads to death

They have heard about God but they rejected God!

Unbelief is knowing the truth and yet choosing to reject the truth!

Their unbelief and willful rebellion against God led to the destruction of their city.

Romans 1:21–23 NASB95

21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

Romans 1:24–25 NASB95

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Conclusion:

Those who would come to God, regardless of their sins and status in life (prostitute, murderer, etc...) God will not reject and they will be shown mercy.

No one who will go to hell would say that Jesus rejected them! They rejected Jesus, that is why they will spend eternity in Hell!

John 3:18 NASB95

18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus came for the sinners - Matthew 21:32; Luke 19:10

Matthew 21:32 NASB95

32 “For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.

Luke 19:10 NASB95

10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”