Joshua 2:1 – “Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.”
Unfortunately, somebody saw them go into Rahab’s house and reported it to the king and as a result, the king asked some emissaries to go check them out. When I say asked, I mean ordered, because disobeying or refusing the king as this point was as good as asking for death.
So, we’ve got Rahab and two enemy spies who are currently at her place. They didn’t come with the intention of exploiting her sexual tendencies, but rather with the intentions of turning it to something good, a place to hide without alerting those nearby, but it just didn’t work out the way they expected it to. The emissaries were on their way. There was absolutely zero reason for Rahab to hide these spies – it’d be as good as signing her own death warrant, yet, for some reason, Rahab chose not to reveal the presence of the men.
Yes, she was putting her life at risk, but despite this, she hid the men on the roof while telling the emissaries they had just missed them.
She even goes as far as to say, “pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them,” as if they had a chance to “catch up” with them, in verse 5.
–So there are situations where it is okay to lie and deceive people? –
Of course I was not there, and can only attempt to rationalise things, but I see this as one of those situations where you get too caught up in wanting to do a good thing, that you end up pursuing it in the wrong way; often a way which was in excess of what God had asked of you. In this case, I do believe that the hiding of the men was in line with God’s instruction and desire for Rahab, but in her, let’s say immaturity and passion, she took a step of her own and lied, in order to further what she saw as God’s goal.
After this, Rahab returns to the roof and talks with the two spies as seen from verse 9.
“I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
–What is she trying to say here?-
In essence, Rahab laid it out for them saying, “We know all about your people. Well if I’m being completely honest, we’ve known about you lot for what, 40 years now. Since God opened the red seas 40 years ago, we’ve been watching, afraid. That’s why I hid you. Not cause of who you are, but Your God. His reputation is far too great. Your God is the God of heaven and earth.”
Rahab was moved by her faith, choosing to help the two men over the king. Let’s be clear. These men were not only the enemy of the king, but also the enemy of herself and her people. She chose to align with those who identify with God rather than her kingdom, simply because she feared God more than any man.
–How do we know that she was moved by faith and not by fear? –
Hebrews 11:31.
31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
–Can’t argue with the word–
So, it’s clear that Rahab’s decision was made due to her faith and that she acted it on. Rahab may have already had those beliefs, since she always had knowledge of God as she said, but it was through hiding the men that her faith was revealed.
I think now is a good time to recognise that faith is and needs to be more than just a feeling. Our feelings will fluctuate. We may convince ourselves that we believe, yet never act in faith. We can do the church routine for our entire life but never call on God and try to follow His will. Faith is and requires function.
In our lives, it’s probably going to be a battle between feeling and faith. I don’t know Rahab personally, but one thing I do know is that she was woman of faith, but despite this, I can only imagine how she felt in that moment.
Let’s really imagine this.
These diplomatic representatives have turned up at her spot, while they’re on their shift, so she knows it’s something serious. Maybe after hours it’d be a different vibe, if you know what I mean, but in that moment, she knew something was wrong.
“Oh wow, you’re early. Rough day in the office? I can take care of that.”
Sorry, I feel like I ruined the imagery there.
Anyways, these representatives ask about the men and immediately her heart starts racing. Palms all sweaty yet her we’d have her mouth, drying up in an instant. In that moment, Rahab fully understood the consequences of hiding those men and her body most likely reacted to that feeling of pressure and anxiety.
This if of course all speculation, and we may never know what she felt. However, there is something we do know.
She moved.
She let her actions do the talking.
Where her feelings may have shown fear and anxiety, her actions displayed faith and courage.
Now, if the spies hid at her spot and nobody saw them, you could argue that her being used was out of her control. That being said, in them being seen, she had to make an intentional decision. And because her actions were intentional, she made a request in Joshua 2:12-13.
12 Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, 13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”
In other words, Rahab said, “I know you and your friends are about to kills us all, so before all that happens, I want to cut a deal with your God. When you come to destroy and tear this place apart, I want you to have my back, because I just had yours.” She cut a deal with God’s people. I guess you can say that she offered up a trade, wanting an exchange.
Kindness for kindness.
An exchange? Almost like when she used to exchange her body for…
My Sunday Skl 