Rahab: God Loving the Unlovable
Joshua 2:1-21; 6:20-25
Purpose: To show God’s grace toward a harlot.
Aim: I want the listener to be overwhelmed by God’s grace.
INTRODUCTION: ➔God is so great that He can forgive and use anybody!
One pastor recently wrote about one of his heroes: “Nate Babcock is one of these whom God has used in my life. He was a young man in the church where I was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was one of the few men in the church who was willing to teach Sunday school at the elementary level, because, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, this was mostly viewed as a woman’s Job. But Nate faithfully taught me and my little group of buddies. He’d take us on special outings and would even bribe us to memorize Bible verses. I can still quote Psalm 103 over three decades later, although the brand-new major league baseball that he gave me as motivation is long lost. Not many people have heard of Nate Babcock. I’m sure there were more charismatic personalities, more knowledgeable men and women, people more mature in their grasp of theology and more inspirational in their potential impact upon youngsters. There were those with greater reputations. But these people were not available; quiet, modest, unassuming Nate was. His impact on my life has been profound.” [ Huffman, J., John A., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1986). Vol. 6: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 6 : Joshua. Formerly The Communicator’s Commentary. The Preacher’s Commentary series (53). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.]
God used Nate Babcock, but our text today shows us that He can take even the worst sinners, forgive them, change them, and use them.
➔Rahab’s Problems
➔ Strike one: Rahab was an outsider. She was a Canaanite and a woman, not a man or a Jew. Jericho was part of the Amorite nation. They were a violent pagan culture that pursued every kind of evil imaginable. Because of their great wickedness God had ordered the Jews to completely wipe them out. (Deut.20:17)
➔ Strike two: Rahab was immoral. She was a prostitute who was profiting because she lived in a wicked city. Her home was right on top of the city’s wall. This is where the more expensive houses were. Portions of Jericho’s walls were 12 feet thick, allowing for individual dwellings to be built into them.[Spirit filled life study Bible. 1997, c1991 (electronic ed.) (Jos 2:15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.]
She probably had a lot of money. It is pretty safe to assume that Rahab was a temple prostitute. This would explain why the king’s messengers were willing to take her at her word.
➔ Strike three: Rahab was dishonest. She lied to protect the spies. Just because she used a lie to do the right thing does not mean that there are times when lying is OK. The Bible commends her for her faith, not for her ethics. She was a new believer who had much to learn.
Before we look at the details of this story, let’s review what has happened to the Jews up to this point. Moses is dead. All of the Jews who crossed the Red Sea were dead too. They refused to obey God’s command to take the Promised Land so they wandered in the wilderness for almost 40 years until all the adults had died. This was true for everyone except for Joshua and Caleb. Moses had given his final instructions to the nation and also gave personal words of encouragement to Joshua. Then God took Moses home.
As the Book of Joshua opens, about 1 ½ million Jews (the population of Philadelphia) are at the door step of Canaan. They were about 7 miles east of the Jordan River with Jericho dead ahead only another 7 miles further. Joshua orders an undercover intelligence operation by sending two spies to determine Jericho’s defenses. This is much different than the first time when Joshua was one of the 12 spies sent into Canaan. These spies were only to report to Joshua. They weren’t going to report to the nation so they could hold a vote and decide whether they should invade or not. Joshua wasn’t going to make that mistake again. Joshua was only concerned about God’s will – not popular opinion.
Now let’s look at the text. First, notice:
Vs.1-7 I. Rahab’s Faith
The NT put Rahab in the great “Hall of Fame of Faith” in Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace. (NAU) What made her faith so great?
We can learn at least two things about Rahab’s act of faith.
A. She was willing to risk her life
If the king discovered that she was protecting spies she would be killed, so we know she was willing to risk her life.
This is a good illustration of what real faith looks like. Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate [in comparison to our love for Christ] his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. “Whoever does not carry his own cross [a symbol of death] and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (NAU)
Rahab was willing to die for her new found faith. Luke 9:24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. (NAU)
Do you love Jesus enough to die for Him? Do you love Jesus enough to spend time learning about Him from the Bible every day? Do you love Jesus enough to sacrifice the time to pray alone and to take time to pray with other Christians?
Shortly before Jesus was arrested Peter boldly proclaimed that he was willing to die for Christ. At the last minute Peter took the coward’s way out and ran. Later, after His resurrection when Jesus met Peter on the sea shore, He asked him three times if he loved Him. Each time after Peter declared his love for Jesus, Jesus told him to “Tend My lambs…Shepherd My sheep…Tend My sheep.” In other words, “Peter, if you love me, then serve Me.”
If we are not willing to spend time with Christ and then obey what He tells us, we should not claim to love Christ.
B. She was willing to forsake her wealth
Matthew 13:45-46 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. (NAU)
Rahab found the precious pearl of knowing the one true God and she was willing to forsake her career and financial security in order to have it.
➔Is there anything more precious to you than Christ?
Would we be willing to voluntarily be poor for Christ? Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (NAU)
Vs.8-14 II. Rahab’s Confession
Vs.8-11a A. She feared God “the LORD has given you”
2:9 As soon as we heard: The Canaanites had heard of the Hebrew defeat of over 60 fortified cities east of the Jordan River.[ Spirit filled life study Bible. 1997, c1991 (electronic ed.) (Jos 2:9). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.]
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (NAU)
Rahab did not fear the Jews, she feared the God of the Jews. ➔ The fear of God eliminates all other fear.
The reason Rahab was willing to defy a wicked king was because she knew that God’s power was much greater.
Vs.11b B. She declared God’s uniqueness “He is God in heaven”
Romans 10:9-10 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (NAU)
The LORD is NOT just another god. Deuteronomy 4:35 35 “To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord, He is God; there is no other besides Him. 39 “Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. (NAU)
Vs.12-14 C. She cared about her loved ones “deal kindly with my father’s household”
Rahab’s concern was not just for herself. If we really appreciate God’s grace then we will show a passion for others to experience that grace, too. Has God forgiven your sins? Then when was the last time you shared that news with someone else?
Vs.15-21 III. Rahab’s deeds
Rahab didn’t just talk about following Jehovah, she actually did it.
James tells us that real faith will show. Please turn to:
James 2:18-26 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works [i.e. a faith that doesn’t produce works] is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works [Abraham’s actions proved to us, not to God, that he really had faith] when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,”[righteousness comes only through faith] and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith [that is] alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.[i.e. a faith that doesn’t produce faith is a dead faith] (NAU)
6:20-25 IV. Rahab’s Reward
In the 1930’s and 1950’s, [archeology] teams discovered numerous store jars still full of grain from the last Canaanite city that existed at ancient Jericho. The conclusion of many scholars is that the city was conquered at the time of the harvest, but was burned, instead of looted. This evidence matches the biblical account of Joshua 6.
Vs.20-24 A. She was delivered from God’s wrath “bring the woman…out of there”
➔This pictures God’s mercy: escaping what we deserve.
If anyone deserved to be judged for her sin it would have been the harlot Rahab.
God’s salvation washes away all of our sin! 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (NAU)
The red cord hanging from her window is a wonderful symbol of the blood of Christ that delivers us from our sin. Maybe it was a reminder to the Jews of the blood they put on their doors on the night of the Passover.
Vs.25 B. She was accepted by God’s people “lived in the midst of Israel”
➔This pictures God’s grace: giving us what we don’t deserve.
Rahab wanted to escape the wrath of God, but God did MUCH more.
➔Christians lose God’s punishment and gain God’s presence. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 9 . . . you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. (NAU)
Rahab will forever stand as a testimony to the grace of God. No matter how stained by sin our lives become, the blood of Christ can make us as clean as snow. Isaiah 1:18 18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. (NAU)
If we are willing to turn from our sin Jesus can make us clean. This is why Jesus said, Matthew 21:28-31 28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 “The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. (NAU)
One of the greatest verses about the grace of God is found in Matthew 1:5-6 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. 6 Jesse was the father of David the king. . . . (NAU)
➔Rahab became the great-great grandmother of King David.
It is VERY unusual for women to named Hebrew genealogies, but there are five women named in Christ’s genealogy.
#1 Tamar A Canaanite woman who posed as a prostitute and seduced her own father-in-law, Judah, in order to have a child.
#2 Rahab
#3 Ruth A woman from the Moabite nation which was generally hated by the Jews.
#4 Bathsheba She committed adultery with David
#5 Mary She endured the disgrace of having a baby out-of-wedlock.
CONCLUSION: No matter what sins may checker your past; Christ can wash them all away and use YOU to glorify Him!! Either thank Jesus for His grace, or ask Jesus for His grace.
We are never nearer Christ than when we find ourselves lost in a holy amazement at His unspeakable love.
John Owen [ Thomas, I. (1996). The golden treasury of Puritan quotations. Includes index of authors. General index created by Christian Clasics Foundation. (electronic ed.). Simpsonville SC: Christian Classics Foundation.]
