God And The City

Introduction:

A Joshua & Israel still are not in the promised land.

1 Jericho

a 8 acres, surrounded by two walls (outer & inner; 6ft & 12 ft, respectively) w/ both walls being 30 feet high.

b Many thousand people lived there, we only know one, Rahab.

2 She gave Joshua’s spies safe harbor/sanctuary.

a King gets wind & questions Rahab.

aa She lies to the king, betrays her city.

bb She hides them between her ceiling & roof.

b King sends his green berets on a wild goose chase.

B Joshua 2.9-14

1 Rahab had heard the word (gossip, grapevine) of the God.

a She refereed to God as "the Lord" 4 x’s (9-12), just as the spies did in v.14.)

b She heard & believed (faith) Hebrews 11.31

c She asked, "When you get here, spare my Dad, Mom, Brothers, Sisters, and their children." Vs. 12,13

aa Her kids? (Temple prostitutes)

bb I don’t believe she had a child she called her until later.

2 As Rahab is lower the spies down the wall . . . the spies re-negotiate their deal with Rahab.

a vs. 17-24

b When Joshua & the army go to take the city, Rahab was spared.

aa Plans were laid out . . worked around her. (v. 17)

bb v. 22, 25 (Spared, lived on the promise.)

I She was a lady with a story.

A She had a little bit of a rough past.

1 Harlot, prostitute, sexual immorality . . . not real good s.s. teacher material, choir, students, usher.

2 She comes from rough people (pedophiles, human sacrifice, occultists)

a Generational curses

b Demons of witchcraft, lust, murder, suicide.

c Pride (walls)

3 She comes from a rough place.

a Jericho was physically located in the promised land, but was under a curse.

b Bad town.

B Can you identify with Rahab.

1 Your past has some things in it that your just not real proud of.

a Sexin, Drinkin, Dopin, Cheatin, Stealin, Abortion, Porn, Homosexuality, Trouble w/ the Law, Abandoned a spouse/family (emotionally or physically)

b You not proud . . . but it’s there.

2 Your people are not folks your real proud of.

a (IL.) Cousin (Mark)

b You may have a similar story, family, people

3 Maybe the place you group up in was rough . . .

4 Can anybody identify with Rahab?

II She is a lady with bright future.

A She was saved!

1 The red chord was similiar to the blood over the door @ passover.

a The red thread is closely associated with Levitical rituals, esp. with the putting away sin & it’s consequences. (Lev. 14.4, 6, 51; Num. 19.6)

b The early church viewed the red chord as a symbol of Christ’s atonement.

2 Rahab had to tie her own rope to secure the promise of protection.

B She was set free! (v. 25)

1 After she had heard, believed . . . she never turned another trick, slept with a another john.

2 She spends the time she has left getting her family saved.

3 She was set free to exercise her gift (prophetic.)

a v. 24 (The spies told to Joshua)

b v. 9 (Rahab had told them verbatim. Why? God had revealed it to her heart.)

C She was set apart.

1 She had no children to call her own until her heart was set on following God.

2 Matthew 1.5-6

a The world may call her Rahab the harlot, but Jesus calls her Grandma (maw maw)

b PTL! It’s that heart allows Him to call us bro./sis./ saints/fellow heirs/child/ FORGIVEN!

CONCLUSION

A Because Rahab (& family) were behind the crimson thread, they were safe.

1 They may as well have been 400 foot underground in a concrete bunker!

a Sanctuary, safe, secure.

b Though the city was perishing, walls were falling, town was burning . . . behind the red!

2 Aren’t you glad you’re behind the red this morning?

a Regardless of what happens . . . your under/behind the blood of Jesus!

b No weapon .. . If God is for You . . .

c We have a good who takes . . .

Wine/wino, Junk/Junkie, disease/diseased, hurt/hurting, grief/grieved, sin/sinner.

d When this world hits its final hour . . . be sure the crimson is over you.

B Jericho knew of the power/strength God had given.

1 Israel doubted it (Num. 13.25-33, giants/grasshoppers)

a Self-defeating, negative, hopeless . . . devil.

b Giants/grasshoppers; strong/weak; fortified cities/tents

2 Jericho didn’t call’em grasshoppers/weak/ tent people.

a Josh. 1.9-11

b What the devil was saying "to" them was not what he was saying "about" them.

3 You might believe you’re too flawed to be used by God. (Devil)

4 The rest of us, be careful passing judgement when you see someone ministering who doesn’t fit your mold . . .