Rahab
Joshua 2
1. A bright future means that we must deal with our past. v.1
2 Peter 3:7; Matthew 3:12; Hebrews 11:31; Colossians 2:13-14; Matthew 11:28-30
2. A bright future means that we grab hold of our responsibilities. v.6 ?
Proverbs 31: 13, 15
3. A bright future means protecting those we love. vv.12-13
4. A bright future means depending on the provision of Jesus. v.21
Two ministerial students from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, were doing summer evangelistic work in a rural area near Montgomery. One hot day they stopped their car in front of a farmhouse and proceeded up the path through a gauntlet of screaming children and barking dogs. When they knocked on the screen door, the woman of the house stopped her scrubbing over a tub and washboard, brushed back her hair, wiped perspiration from her brow, and asked them what they wanted.? "We would like to tell you how to obtain eternal life," one student answered. ? The tired homemaker hesitated for a moment and then replied, "Thank you, but I don't believe I could stand it.
Turn with me to Joshua 2? Happy Mother’s Day! On Mother’s Day, we hardly have to turn the lights on because all the mothers have this glow about them! Some get breakfast in bed. Some get to go to their favorite restaurant for lunch. Others get flowers and candy and sweet Mother’s Day cards. A couple of my favorites…(Mothers day card 1, 2, & 3) But every mother here knows deep in their soul how difficult being a mother is and sometimes they feel so inadequate for the job. Some of the mothers here today have already launched their kids and are praying that eventually they land on their feet. Some mothers here are in the midst of the battle of raising kids and are praying for the strength to persevere and the patience not to eat them.
This fits in perfectly with our series we’re in right now, Fail Forward, because every mom, no matter how good they are, has times when they blow it and feel like a failure. And in this series we are looking at some Bible characters who failed, but failed forward.? It’s amazing how the Bible does not try to hide or gloss over the huge character flaws of the people on its pages. We’ve looked at 4 characters so far: Simon Peter, Samson, David, and the Apostle Paul. Each of them had huge failures in their lives, yet, God used each of them to demonstrate His amazing grace and awesome power.? And this morning we’re going to examine the life of Rahab, the harlot. I know, I know, it does seem odd to preach on a prostitute on Mother’s Day. When I told Sue that’s who we were going to study today, she said, “You sure you want to do that? Highlight a prostitute on Mother’s Day?” But why not? Like the others we’ve studied, and like many of us here this morning, the story of Rahab is a story of redemption and hope.
So let’s dig into her story:?
Moses died; Joshua leader?
Poised to cross the Jordan and take the Promised Land?
Jericho: fortress; archeology
Joshua sends 2 spies into the city?
King of Jericho is informed that 2 men have entered the city and were seen at Rahab’s. He sends messengers to apprehend them but Rahab tells them they’d already left and headed back across the river.? But in reality she hid them on her roof amongst the stalks of flax that she kept up there. Ancient Near East houses did not have pitched roofs like ours; they were flat so that the residents could store things on top.? After the soldiers leave to go chasing after the guys, Rahab climbs up on the roof and strikes a deal with the two men: “I have helped you, now you help me. When your people come and lay siege to the city, don’t harm me and my family.”? The guys agree on one condition: “when we attack, tie a scarlet cord to your window so our soldiers will know it’s you.”? Then, because her house was a part of the wall that surrounded Jericho, she let them down thru that window and they escaped and got back to Joshua and told him all that had happened.? So what can we glean from this story about Rahab?
1. A bright future means that we must deal with our past. v.1
“Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia Grove, saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there.” Joshua 2:1
Now this is a very interesting situation. Some scholars believe that her life of prostitution was a former life. They point to the fact that she had stalks of flax on her roof, from which fine clothing was made. This could indicate that she had transitioned to a respectable business woman. Others point to the fact that the king trusted her word, she said the spies had left and that was that.? But it also could be that the 2 spies were directed to go to Rahab’s place because as a prostitute, she would entertain a lot of travelers and it would not seem unusual that 2 unknown men entered her house.? It kinda doesn’t make any difference. She had a past. Each of us here has a past, right? We all fall incredibly short of the standard. Have you dealt with your past?? Guilt and shame are awful, awful task-masters. When we don’t deal properly with our past, guilt and shame eat away at our peace, our joy, our hope. We begin patterns of self-destruction: research indicates that guilt and shame can prompt us to over eat, over drink, over medicate, even become more accident prone. We can carry rage or bitterness and even become abusive.? How did Rahab deal with her past? Look at vv.8-11 “Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.,c 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. 11 When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.” Joshua 2:8-11
This woman was repenting. She was terrified at the judgment of the all-powerful Hebrew God. 1500 years later, Simon Peter wrote, “The present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” 2 Peter 3:7 Jesus Himself said, “His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat.” Matthew 3:12? All human beings instinctively dread the judgement of God. So what do we do about it?
We repent. Repentance doesn’t mean to feel sorry for it. It’s much more powerful than that. It means to turn away from. It’s obvious that Rahab was ready to turn away from her old life.? The second thing she did was believe. She professed faith in the God of the Hebrews. Essentially she said, “Look, I know the Lord is the One True God and I believe in Him—not the little gods sitting on my shelf.” Hebrews 11, the great Hall of Faith chapter says about Rahab: “ By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.” Hebrews 11:31? What do we do about our past? Cover it up? Deny it? Blame it on someone else? No. We repent of it, turn from it, and turn to the God of the Bible. Forgiveness, that’s what we desire and that’s what we get. Redemption, that’s what we desire and that’s what we get. “And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14. Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. Believe that forgiveness and redemption are yours in Jesus.
2. A bright future means that we grab hold of our responsibilities. v.6 ? This truth applies to all of us. If you want to have a bright future, grab hold of your present responsibilities. Students, if you want to have a bright future, do your homework assignments, study hard for exams, and yes, keep your bedroom picked up and clean. Here’s a pic of one of our kids rooms (find a pic of messy room) When my kids were younger, I would tell them, “A messy outward life reflects a messy inward life.” They poopood it; “Dad, you’re crazy.” But now that they’re older, they’ve come back to me and acknowledged the truth of it. Inward discipline shows up in taking hold of responsibilities. This applies to the student and the adult. How many futures have been hindered or lost because someone didn’t take hold of the responsibilities in their lives and they were passed over, passed by, or cast aside?
As I mentioned earlier, the presence of flax on her roof indicates that Rahab was engaged in making fine clothing. She was industrious and provided for her family.? I love what the Proverbs say about a godly woman: “She selects wool and flax and works with willing hands. 15 She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and portions for her female servants.” Proverbs 31: 13, 15? Now let me go one step further: a godly mom doesn’t just take care of this world responsibilities…she takes care of next world responsibilities as well. Forgive me if I brag on my wife for a bit…acting out Bible stories (I’ll provide pics); prayer life; even now, nana/pops camp; lunches…
3. A bright future means protecting those we love. vv.12-13
In our neighborhood, we have ducks. Sometimes you’ll see the momma leading a group of 5-6 young duckies across the road. If you get too close to them, she will come after you like a banshee! That’s what mom’s do. They protect those they love.? You see this in the life of Rahab. Vv.12-13 “ Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my father’s family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.” Joshua 2:12-13
Perhaps you’ve heard the story of how a mom would tuck her daughter into bed and read a Bible story and then pray with her. One night the little girl said, “Mommy, your hair is beautiful..I love your hair. Your eyes are beautiful mommy, I love your eyes. Mommy your eyes are beautiful, I love your eyes. Mommy, your face is beautiful. I love your face. But mommy, your arms are ugly, I can’t love your arms.”? The mom explained to her that when the little girl was a baby, the mom had placed her in a carrier in front of the fire place. The logs shifted and one rolled out, across the hearth, and onto the carpet where the little baby was. When she noticed it, the mom reached through the flames and rescued her. But in the process, her arms were burned and disfigured. The little girl was silent and fell asleep.? The next night, after the Bible story and prayer, the little girl said, Mommy, your hair is beautiful, I love your hair…eyes…face... But mommy, your arms are the most beautiful of all; I love your arms.” ? Protecting the ones we love can be difficult and painful. But it’s always worth the cost. Not a parent here who woulnd’t do what that mom did or what Rahab did. But will we be just as protective of the things in this world that can damage our children even more than a fire? Be careful what you let them watch, what you let them listen to, what you let them experience. Carve out a bright future for them by protecting them from a culture that is morally bankrupt and leaving millions of children filled with fear and anxiety and without purpose.
4. A bright future means depending on the provision of Jesus. v.21
Not a mother here; not a person here, who is perfect. We all have flaws and weaknesses and failed attempts to be the person we want to be. I don’t know a mother who feels they did their job well. Every mother I’ve known wishes they had done a better job with their children. Truth is, the job is impossible. Made even more difficult because each child has its own bent; its own will and ultimately chooses their own path.? Our future is in our children, the saying goes. And that’s partially true. But not completely. For the believer, Jesus is our future. We look to Him for grace and mercy and strength despite our shortcomings.? Rahab said in v.21 “Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.” Joshua 2:21
I don’t have time to develop this theme of the scarlet thread. Scarlet of course representing blood that was shed all the way through the Old Testament that would be the means of forgiveness and redemption. A foretelling of things to come when finally Jesus shed His blood on a Roman cross to secure the ultimate gift of forgiveness and redemption. ?Let me just say that a bright future depends on the One who lights up our lives and our path. Put your trust in Him. Walk with Him. Grow more in love with Him. And despite the darkness of your past, and the difficulty of your present, you’ll see a future that is filled with light and life and hope.
