The Way Out Of Jericho
Heb 11:31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
1st I want you to notice that Rahab was a harlot, she was a prostitute. You didn’t read about the “murderer Moses” or the “drunkard Noah”, but here in the great hall of faith, her she is the harlot Rahab. Now we all know that the Holy Spirit wrote this book. So why did he label this woman as the harlot Rahab. I can’t tell you exactly why, but I can tell you why he didn’t write it .He didn’t do it to hold a title over her head. It wasn’t so I could say over 2000 years later this Rahab was a real bad sinner. No because the bible teaches us that GOD has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west.
Therefore I don’t believe that God is holding this title over her head, instead I believe that GOD in his wisdom wrote this about her, because He knew that over 2000 years later somebody would be looking for Him. He knew that there would be somebody with a sin problem, somebody who had made a mistake or two, someone who had up till now lived their life as they wanted, with no regard to GOD or His plan for their life. You may say Brother Greg, are you saying that GOD has a plan for me?
Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying .GOD has a plan just for you, just like he did for Rahab the harlot.
You see Rahab was worshipping the gods of Jericho. Worshipping the all mighty dollar if you will. Someone will say how do you know this, because she was a harlot. She cared more for money than her self.
Now news about the Israelites had been getting around for some time, but now it was evident that the Israelites were about to invade .You see Joshua secretly sent two spies to look over the land of Canaan “especially Jericho”. So they went and intered the house of Rahab and stayed there. When the king of Jericho was told this he sent word to Rahab to turn the men over to them, for they were spies.
Now Rahab instead of turning the men over to the king hid them on her roof. She told the king they were already gone. You see Rahab had made a choice; she was going to to surrender her life to THE LORD the one true living GOD.
She was tired of living in open sin, she was tired of worshipping these Jericho gods, tired of going to the Jericho juke joints. She wanted more than what she had in this life. You see Rahab had seen what they had to offer. These Jericho gods had nothing to offer her that would last, or give her happiness, peace, joy, and contempment. You see she needed something that a Jericho god could not give. Rahab wanted and needed what those Israelites had, the power of GOD working in her life. She needed a God who would be there, to guide her, love her, a GOD who could destroy her enemies if needs be, but most important she needed a God who could save her!!! Not just from her self-destruction, but from the destruction of Jericho.
You see all of Jericho had heard of the Israelites, how they served the living GOD. How God dried up the red sea for them when they left Egypt, how the two kings of the Amorites were completely destroyed. The bible says that there hearts melted because of the Israelites.
You see Rahab grabbed a hold of something then that most people today don’t get. She realized that she was headed for destruction, that there was no way out of Jericho, except to surrender to, and serve the one true living God. That’s exactly what she did. You see at first glance you would think that her actions is what saved her, but her actions was a result of what happened to her spirituality. How do I know this? Because people don’t just wake up one day and say I am going to serve GOD today. People just don’t put their lives on the line to hide someone who has come to spy on them, who’s intentions is to destroy their city.
Rahab could have been killed for harboring these Israelites. Her whole attitude was changed, her life was changed. Any time a person is converted to Christianity their whole life is affected. There will be a noticeable difference; it will be like day and night. Rahab went from a harlot who didn’t even care for herself, to someone who put her life on the line to save someone she barely knew.
You see my GOD is an awesome GOD! My GOD can and is able to deliver you from this very Jericho. I am not talking about just this jail; I am not just talking about this world. I’m talking about the very thing that separates us from “THE TRUE LIVING GOD” I am talking about sin. I am talking about your sin nature.
You see Jericho was to be destroyed because of sin, the Israelites were given the city because the people of Jericho refused to repent and serve the true living GOD. This was God’s judgment. Can I tell you today that God’s judgment is coming on this world. I don’t know when, but I personally don’t think it will be very much longer.
You see we find ourselves in the same position as Rahab, we are at the crossroads of life we are at a critical point of our life. If we stay where we are at we face the judgment of GOD. If we choose GOD, then HE gives us life. He provides the way out of Jericho. Perhaps there is someone here today that is looking for the same thing that Rahab was looking for. Maybe there is someone here tonight who needs a GOD who can part a Red Sea in their lives. A God who can make a difference, who can bring forth change, who has a plan for your life just as He did for Rahab the Harlot.
Rahab accepted God’s plan for her life, not only did she live, but she lived more abundantly. You see Rahab was the great-great grandmother of KING DAVID. Look her up in Matthew 1:5.You see God can use us no matter who we are, where we come from, or what we have done. IF WE ARE WILLING TO REPENT OF OUR SINS AND SUBMIT TO THE TRUE LIVING GOD. You know one great thing about God is you can come to Him with nothing but past and leave with nothing but future. For all old things have passed away, and all things are new. AMEN.
