Rahab: The Woman Who Trusted God Series

God directed the spies to Rahab’s house because He knew her heart was open to Him and that she would be instrumental in the Israelite victory over Jericho.The New Testament describes Rahab as a woman of great faith and trust in God. And the basis for these statements rest in this short event recorded in Joshua 2. As we zero in on this event today I trust that we will find God often uses people with simple faith to accomplish His great purposes, no matter what kind of past they have had or insignificant they seem to be! Remember, one of the slogans we use here at HPC is "ordinary people who are part of an extraordinary plan". And that phrase was developed out of this simple belief – God will use ordinary people for his extraordinary plans when ordinary people have simple faith in Him!

So, What is it that stands out about Rahab?Her faith was based on who God is not who she is (v. 1, 9-11)

Joshua 2:1 (NIV)

1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

Joshua 2:9-11 (NIV)

9 and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

Let’s think for a moment what would have been going through Rahab’s mind as these spies entered her "inn" and she found out whom they were and where they were from? We already know that the city (and the surrounding countryside) was trembling in fear at the prospect of the Israelites knocking on their doorstep. No doubt there were some rather exaggerated stories floating around about this people from the desert but as exaggerated as they were there were too many collaborations from different sources to attribute it all to myth or legend.

It seems as though Rahab wasted no time in befriending these men and providing cover for them when her fellow countrymen came to arrest them. Perhaps as Rahab saw these spies she saw her chance for escape – what is important to recognize in this story is the fact that Rahab believed Jericho was doomed. It was not a question of whether it would happen but merely when.

Rahab was placing everything she had at risk for these complete strangers! These spies weren’t from a land or people known to Rahab. All she had heard was stories. How was she to know that these two men would help her in any way? By hiding them and aiding in their escape – Rahab clearly drew her line of loyalty. If any of the people of Jericho found out about what she had done then Rahab would lose everything. And yet, Rahab believed that if she didn’t side with the Israelites and their God then she would definitely lose everything. And therein lies the crux of the matter – Rahab wasn’t trusting in these spies for her salvation – she was trusting in the God of these spies!