The Rescue of Rahab
#4 in Series: "Learning from the Past, Preparing for the Future"
(A Study in the Book of Joshua)
I want to encourage you to read each chapter before we come to it in our study together… Read, and re-read, even several times, each chapter as we progress through our study. The Spirit of God guides us into all truth (John 16:13), and His primary way of doing this is through your direct and personal intake of God's Word! He uses the preaching of His Word – He uses teachers of His Word, to help us in the process, but there is no better way to be enlightened and transformed by the truth, than your direct engagement with the truth – the Word of God!
Our study of the book of Joshua takes us to the turning of the page to chapter 2… We will learn of the rescue of Rehab – where we actually learn of … a convert in Canaan…
This is a lengthy passage, but it is helpful to read it in its entirety…
Joshua 2:1-24
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. 2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land." 3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have 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, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that 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 hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.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. 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. 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." 14 So the men said to her, "Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 She said to them, "Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way." 17 The men said to her, "We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's household. 19 It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear." 21 She said, "According to your words, so be it." So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
22 They departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, "Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us."
When you read through the chapter a few times, you will begin to see the natural divisions in the text. The initial outline, I saw in the text is this –
- The Unexpected Care of a Pagan Prostitute (Joshua 2:1-7)
- The Undeniable Confession about a Panicked People (Joshua 2:8-11)
- The Unambiguous Covenant between Principle Parties (Joshua 2:12-14)
- The Unmistakable Condition of a Personal Pledge (Joshua 2:15-24)
That is certainly a legitimate way of outlining the narrative… But, there is more going on here…
We have the benefit of the whole of Scripture. We see that the content of Joshua 2, is referenced in other parts of the Bible, and those passages give us great insight into a key figure in this narrative… It is a woman named Rahab…
There are two places Rahab is mentioned in the NT, and both are positive…
The first is in the book of Hebrew – in the "Hall of Faith" chapter – chapter 11.
There are only two women mentioned by name in this chapter… The first is Sarah, the wife of Abraham (Hebrews 11:11), and Rahab… Look at what the writer of Hebrews records about Rahab –
Hebrews 11:31
By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
It is more than interesting that Sarah, a godly woman – a Hebrew, and the wife of Abraham is the first woman mentioned in this chapter… And Rahab, a Gentile, pagan prostitute is the other woman mentioned… These two would be about as opposite of two women as you could find…
Warren Wiersbe – "Sarah … used her dedicated body to bring Isaac into the world. But Rahab was an ungodly Gentile who worshipped pagan gods and sold her body for money… But from the divine viewpoint, Sarah and Rahab shared the most important thing in life: They both had [experienced] saving faith in the true and living God."
Rahab is also mentioned by James, the half-brother of Jesus… James wrote about how genuine faith is not a mere matter of belief in the mind, but it also involves life-transforming change in the will! One lives out their faith, they don't merely proclaim their faith!
Let's read about it, in its context… Listen to –
James 2:21-26
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 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? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
James cites that both Abraham, and Rahab, illustrate for us, what true faith looks like! It shows in what one does, not just in what one says…
There is another place in the NT where Rahab is mentioned, and this too is … significant!
Let's look at one of those passages that you sometimes want to skip… It is Matthew's recording of the genealogy of Jesus, found in Matther 1…
Matthew 1:1-6
1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. 4 Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. 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.
Stop there… Did you see it? Verse :5, "Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab"... This is the same Rahab!... There is only one woman named Rahab mentioned in the Bible, and it is this one!
Rahab, by God's grace in her life, becomes one in the bloodline to bring the Messiah into the world!... Rahab was the great-great grandmother to King David… which makes Rahab the 32nd great-grandmother to Jesus!...
God truly did a great work in Rahab – so that He could do a great work through Rahab… (That's the nature of grace!)
So… what is the work that God did in Rahab?... He brought her to faith! The same faith described by Jude –
Jude 3
… the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
This is the same faith – saving faith – that comes to all who are regenerated – all who are saved!
It is the same kind of faith the Apostle Paul says we are saved by –
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
So… how does this kind of faith show up in Joshua 2?... Let's return to our text, and quickly peruse it, with this in mind… (Here is where I have borrowed somewhat from Wiersbe's outline of this chapter.)
Let's begin by considering the example of –
1. The Necessary Courage in Faith
Joshua 2:1-7
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. 2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land." 3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have 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, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that 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 hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.
Courageous faith is seen in several people in this text… It is in Joshua – who has been challenged by God, and His people in chapter 1, to be "strong and courageous" (Joshua 1:6-7, 9, 18)... He orders two spies to cross over Jordan, scope out Jericho, and to bring back report…
There is no repeat of forty years ago… Only two spies came back with a positive report then – now only two spies are being sent!... Joshua doesn't need a large committee to determine where to go first. He just needs a report from two … courageous and faithful men!
Courageous faith is certainly demonstrated by the two spies sent over by Joshua! And it is demonstrated by Rahab… The writer of Hebrews, and James both write about the faith Rahab demonstrated in her decision to receive the spies in her home, protect them, and sent them out safely (Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25)... It took courageous faith on her part to do what she did!
Another major truth we need to glean from this text, and really, it is the main point we should glean, and it is this –
2. The Obvious Providence behind Faith
I use the word obvious, but this is a truth that is seen between the lines… God's unseen hand was at work to bring all of this about!...
These spies were given a simple assignment, but how did they know exactly where to go, and how to get there without being found out? They were strangers to Jericho as far as we know… How did they come to meet Rahab?...
As it turns out, Rahab is the only one in Jericho who has already come to know the life-changing … courageous faith that comes from the Lord!
It was God, in His providence that brought these people together! Otherwise, there was no way for two, Godly men, to seek refuge in the home of such a woman as Rahab was…
There are those who have tried to "rebrand" Rahab… The term translated "harlot", is a Hebrew word that, depending on context, could be translated; "inn keeper"... And so, there are those who say that Rahab was simply an inn keeper… But, when we turn to what is said about Rahab in the NT – both the writer of Hebrews and James use a specific word to describe Rahab that has only one meaning. It is the word "harlot" (Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25)... A harlot is a prostitute…
Hebrews 11:31
By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
James 2:25
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?
And it's the Lord – in His wonderful grace – Who did the work in the heart of Rahab to save her, and bring her out of that background!... And in God's grace, He transformed her skill in deceit, and … providentially uses it to protect these spies… Her purposeful act of deceiving those who were out to kill these men, is an act that God … providentially used to accomplish His purposes on that day!
Rahab lies to the king of Jericho, in her desire to protect these Hebrew spies… If she had been found out, the result would certainly had been
This raises a question – a troubling question that every Christian has to face… Given that Rahab is now a believer, and demonstrating that in her courageous faith, how can her … lying be considered acceptable?
We understand that lying is an offense, and offense to God, as well as to others…
Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
So, how do we reconcile Rahab's willful, purposeful, deception?... This is a matter that every Christian will grapple with at some point… Sometime, over a cup of coffee, we can have a long discussion about the ethics of our words. We all have opinions, but we need to make sure that we our convictions stem from the biblical ethic in these matters… But for now, let's simply stay with our text and think about this out loud…
Rahab was faced with two options – and both of them were bad! The ethical dilemma was clear and quick: Lie, or someone dies!...
No where in Scripture do we read of Rahab being reprimanded for her deception in this matter… She is neither excused for the lie, or praised for it… I think we can settle on the same principle Joseph came to after all the evil that was done to him!... His brothers sinned against him by selling him into slavery. Potiphar's wife sinned against him with her lies that got him arrested. The cup bearer sinned against him by not keeping his word to Joseph… Joseph experienced a lot of grief over the sin of others against him … but in the end – once he revealed who he was to his brothers, he was able to say –
Genesis 50:20
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
The point is – God accomplished the work of protecting the spies by the means of a woman with a "morally compromised" background, and pagan upbringing – but one in whom God gave courageous faith to align herself with Israel, and trust the God of Israel!...
That is the providence of God, behind this whole scene!...
Next, we see –
3. The Reasoned Persuasion within Faith
Some people think that faith is the … choosing to believe something in the face of a lack of evidence to believe… There are many who claim a so-called intellectual argument against Christianity, claiming that we are guilty of … blind faith – that we believe something, without reason…
THAT is an absurdity… Biblical faith is not blind!
Biblical faith is based in truth!... Rahab demonstrated Biblical faith! She had become … persuaded of truth, by the truth that God – The One True God – is with His people, Israel … and she had already come to believe Him … before the spies ever showed up!
Let's pick up with verse :8 –
Joshua 2:8-11
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. 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.
Rahab's faith was based in the persuasion, that ... "God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath" and she became persuaded of this fact, because of … the 40 year old history of how God parted the Red Sea, and the recent history of how God gave Israel the victories east of the Jordan!
She has been persuaded of the truth that there is but One God, and He is not only the God of Israel – He is the God "in heaven above and on earth beneath"!
Next, we see –
4. The Demonstrated Unselfishness of Faith
When one experiences God's grace and mercy, they are not only blessed by the knowledge of His grace – they become even more burdened for others!...
Rahab gives evidence of life-changing faith, in the urgent appeal she makes in behalf of her family!
Joshua 2:12-14
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." 14 So the men said to her, "Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."
This is a natural consequence of the supernatural grace of God in one's life!
Rahab was immediately burdened for her family – just like Andrew was for his brother, Simon (Peter) (John 1:35-42)... It is a natural consequence of a transformed heart! You become burdened for others, especially those you love!
Rahab appealed to the spies to make sure her family is spared when the siege comes!...
The spies made it clear that Rahab was to tell her family, but not the others… She, and her family would be spared, only if she kept her word…
This leads to another truth we glean in our text… It is –
5. The Agreeable Covenant within Faith
Let's read the balance of our text, then talk about it…
Joshua 2:15-24
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 She said to them, "Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way." 17 The men said to her, "We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's household. 19 It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear." 21 She said, "According to your words, so be it." So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.22 They departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, "Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us."
To introduce this concept, let me share Wiersbe's comments on this section –
Warren Wiersbe – "A covenant is simply an agreement, a contract between two or more parties, with certain conditions laid down for all parties to obey. You find a number of divine covenants recorded in Scripture: God's covenant with our first parents in Eden (Gen. 2:16); God's covenants with Noah (Gen. 9), Abraham (12:1–3; 15:1–20), and Israel (Ex. 19–20); the covenant concerning the land of Palestine, as explained in Deuteronomy; the messianic covenant with David (2 Sam. 7); and the new covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ Jer. 31:31; Matt. 26:28; Heb. 12:24). You also find human covenants, such as the agreement between David and Jonathan (1 Sam. 18:3; 20:16) and between David and the people of Israel (2 Sam. 5:1–5)."
It is interesting that many of the covenants in Scripture have some sort of physical … expression… Abraham and his descendants are circumcised… Moses enjoyed the cloud and pillar of fire… Noah was given the rainbow… Our Lord broke bread and provided a cup…
In our text, we see an interesting symbol of this covenant between Rahab and the spies… It is simply the … "cord of scarlet thread" (:18)... There has been much speculation about this cord. It seems that it was a cord provided by the spies. It became a symbol of safety for Rahab and her family… As one commentator put it; "Just as Egypt's blood on the doorpost marked a house that the angel of death was to pass over, so Rahab's scarlet cord"...
"It is interesting that two ropes hung from the harlot's house resulted in two 'salvations,' first of the two spies and then of Rahab and her household."
We learn a lot in the second chapter of Joshua… There is drama, danger, and deception… There is risk, rendezvous, and rescue.
We also learn much about true faith, God's favor, and the fortune of eternal salvation!
The same Lord Who rescues Rahab, rescues us! We too deserve nothing but God's judgement, but those who come to Christ, find gracious, redeeming, salvation!
May the Lord call you to the cross – the scarlet emblem – where salvation meets the sinner!
Questions to Consider in Community Group:
- What do we know about Rahab's background? What might this communicate about God's grace?
- What should we conclude about Rahab lying to those who were pursuing the spies?
- What can we say to those who claim that Christianity is simply "blind faith"? What role does reason play in faith?
- What should we understand about "covenants"?
- What other "take aways" should we glean from this chapter?
