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06 May 2013

Rahab

Have you ever read the story of Rahab in the Bible? It’s an interesting story and very telling of the faith one woman had in a God not of her people.

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, 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. 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.” ~ Joshua 2:8-13 (NKJV)

If you recall in previous post(s) I mentioned that women during these times were not allowed to have independent thoughts or lives. That said, things were no different for Rahab. Her father gave her to the King of Jericho when she was a young girl – as a prostitute! Growing up in this way, the only option she had as an adult was to continue as a prostitute. Rahab, however, was wise enough to realise that she could use her skills as a means to get information for the king from men. So, she became a spy.

After reading the story of Rahab in A Lineage of Grace I find myself applauding her choices. She could have chosen to rat out the Israelites to the king. She could have chosen to just continue as a prostitute and not make a life for herself. She could have even been greedy and not included her family in her plans to survive the fall of Jericho to the Israelites. Instead, she kept the men safe and at the appointed time, gathered her family into her home. She kept faith in God, knowing their lives would be spared…