Lessons From Rahab

The destruction of Jericho has always played  upon my mind, from even long before I had become a Christian.  Imagine, a couple hundred thousand bedraggled nomads, circle a walled city, blow their horns, shout and down come the walls.  Wow.

Kathleen Kenyon was a friend of my mother’s, or were they antagonists?  In any event I read a dusty copy of Kathleen’s work on her trench digging at Jericho in the 1950’s with great interest.  Of course, her work did not validate a Hebrew over throw of the city.  Why?  Because no one can agree upon which time the city fell that it was to the Hebrews!  Hmmmmm.

So, picking up your Bible you can read Joshua 2:1 - 13.

We are told that Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho.  The Hebrew spies, for reasons not explained, end up at her home/place of business.  She saves the spies and helps them to escape with their promise of protection for her and her family.  Eventually, Jericho is destroyed, Rahab and her family spared, and she goes on to become a direct line ancestor of Jesus.  Cool.

I think we look at this story from the wrong slant.  Everyone emphasizes the saving of the spies by Rahab and not so much on God and Rahab.  For some reason, known only to God, He reached out to her and saved her.  The spies were probably the tool or the opportunity it took for her to make a decision which must have been on her mind for a while.

Certainly, you do not have to possess much knowledge, if any!, to know God is the real thing.  No seminary needed, no books, no lectures, perhaps not even an active witness anywhere around you.

God is more concerned over your present faith in Him than in yesterday’s failures.  Yeah, we like to keep dredging up the past.  But, God does not do that, He is not even interested in the topic.  Where you are now, is what He is interested in.

Rahab was spared due to her faith in a God she knew almost nothing of.  The Caananites were destroyed without exception, save of her and her family.  God’s punishment/justice calls for a complete and thorough judgment for sin.

Rahab chose wisely…..