Joshua's Conquering & Rahab's Saving Faith - Part 2 Series

Topic: Sunday Sermon Series – Living By Faith

Text: Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.- NIV

Title: Joshua’s Conquering & Rahab’s Saving Faith! (Part 2)

VI. The Salvation produced by faith!

A) Subject of salvation?

Joshua 2:1b “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

1. Rahab!

a) Her Sin?

i. Prostitution!

Q: What does the Bible say about prostitutes and prostitution?

Proverbs 23:27 For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. 28 She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind. -ESV

Proverbs 5:3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; 4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell. -NKJV

Q: So what in the world were these spies doing in here house?

ii. Probability?

a) Her brothel was built into the city wall!

b) Probably the easiest access into the city!

Joshua 2:15b for the house she lived in was part of the city wall.

iii. Point?

a. They weren’t very good at spying!

b. Nearly blew the whole operation apparently!

Joshua 2:2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.”

Joshua 2:3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

c, Response of Rahab?

i) Sinful?

Joshua 2:4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”

ii) Lied!

Joshua 2:6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

b. Why did she lie?

John McCarthur -This is a common vice among heathen, it’s known as lying. She was probably unconscious of its moral guilt to some extent because it was so much a way of life, but even more so because the laws of eastern hospitality perhaps even surpassed the laws of honesty. When someone came into your house, even if it was your greatest enemy, and ate salt at your table, you were bound to save their life whatever that meant. Honoring your guests was the highest moral law.

c. Was God OK with it?

i) No! He is never ok with sin!

Proverbs 16: 16 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, -NV

iv. Perspective: We need to see however is:

a) God didn’t focus on the falsehood she professed, God focuses on the truth she confessed, and by that truth confession God saved her! Hallelujah!

i. This narrative puts before us the….

v. Particular’s of what she confessed:

Joshua 2:8a Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land…

a) Her confession:

i. She Confessed the Lordship of Israel’s God

ii. She confessed their God, Israel’s God, is the real God, not the Canaanite God’s!

iii. The Canaanites had a number of deities, too many to count!

b) Point?

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

c) Then please note the strength of her conviction, not I think, or I believe, but rather I know, I know!

Joshua 2:8b, “I know that the Lord has given you this land…

a. Salvation starts there doesn’t it?

John 3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”