The story you are about to hear is true, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent: Several years ago while on routine patrol in a marked police squad car, I received a call to meet a woman on a theft. When I arrived at the address I meet a woman by the name of Rahab, a young nice looking woman. She told me that her boy friend had broken it to her apartment while she was out and had removed some of her personal property. As we were discussing the situation the fact that she was a prostitute came to light. She told me that her boy was in reality her pimp and that he had also taken a revolver from her apartment, which she had borrowed from friend to protect herself from him, for you see she was trying to get out of the profession. Her pimp was determined not let her walk away. Rahab, also told me that she had told other police officers about her situation, but know one seemed to care, after all she was just a prostitute. She didn't expect much help. As I was sitting there listening to her story, the phone rang, Rahab answered the phone it was her pimp. He told her that if she wanted to get her property back, she would have to meet him and go for a ride. He told her that he would be by to pick her up in an hour, she told him, no way and hung up the phone. Rahab then told me that she was afraid to go with him because she believed that if she did no one would ever see her again; at least alive. I then asked her if she wanted to get her property back. She said yes. How bad, I asked. Bad enough to take a chance? She said yes. At this point I called my supervisor and told him of my plan, he told me to go ahead, but to get another squad for back up. Rahab then called her pimp and told him that she was not willing to get in his car with him, but that she would meet him at the neighborhood bar. Her pimp agreed, The meet was set for an hour later at the bar. I then returned to team HQs and changed into real people clothes, picked up an unmarked squad car and returned to Rahab's apartment. I dropped Rahab off a block away and watched her insuring that she safely reached the bar, I then parked by vehicle and entered the bar taking a seat in which I could observe both the door and Rahab, who was sitting across the bar from me. I ordered a pop but instructed the barkeep to make it look like a regular drink. We then both waited for the suspect to arrive. Rahab had informed me that she believed that her pimp would have the gun on him and that he may attempt to forcibly remove her from the bar. The hardest part is always the waiting. After about 45 minutes a party similar to the description of Rahab's pimp entered the bar and cautiously walked around the interior of the bar and then approached Rahab. Rahab and I had arranged a sign so that I would know when the suspect entered the bar, she didn't give it, what was wrong? The party then left the bar. What went wrong? Should I approach Rahab and confront her, had she backed out? Just as I was getting up another male and the first male returned to the bar, this time they both went directly to Rahab, Rahab gave me the sign. Bingo, the play was on. Pretending to be drunk I walked into the men's room and called for backup, I then walked out towards Rahab and the two suspects. I removed my gun from my shoulder holster and placed it in my back pocket from behind a pillar in the bar. I then attempted to stagger towards Rahab and the suspects, trying not to move to fast or to slow. Feeling that Rahab's pimp was noticing me I stopped by another patron in the bar, I whispered in to his ear, Richard, dance with me; in street jargon this means to wrestle or fight. Richard rose and pretended to insult me, I pushed him back towards Rahab and the suspects, he pushed me back and finally we pretended to quit. I then staggered slowly along the bar pretending to gather myself until I was about 6 feet from the pimp and his friend. At that moment my backup entered the bar. I drew my gun from my back pocket and pushed the pimp into a video game while holding my gun to his head, saying, "police don't move or your dead".
Now, I told that story, so that I could tell you this story. After Rahab's pimp was taken to jail, I returned to Rahab's apartment to finish taking the report. Once there Rahab started sharing some the personal aspects of her life with me, because I had taken time to help her, she trusted and respected me. As I was listening to her I sensed a real loneliness and a sense of worthlessness coming from her. At this point I said to her, "what you need is a relationship with God". She stopped, looked at me and said, "I don't believe in God". " Tell me," I said, "What God don't you believe in maybe I don't believe in him either.
IN THE 2nd CHAPTER OF JOSHUA WE MEET A CANAANITE WOMAN WHO WAS A HARLOT
Who helped two Israelite spies and in doing so betrayed her own people . . .
Her name was Rahab . . . This raises an important question:
What kind of God did Rahab believe in?
DID RAHAB BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO WAS A RACIST?
In 1933 Germany, a man came to power with new vision for his troubled country
In emotional terms Hitler laid the blame for Germany's problems
With his homemade enemies, the Jews and other non whites
The German people believing Hitler to be their God ordained messiah
Bought into his "Blood and Soil" ideology
And so began the extermination of all non-whites, Gypsies and Jews
Only those who were part of this New Germany were considered worthy of life
The people were encouraged to enter into immoral and adulterous relationships
Selective breeding would provide a racially pure MASTER RACE
All other people groups were put into subjection, slavery or destroyed
Their euthanasia program was extended to even include orphan children
Who were considered racially impure
RACISM is still very active in our world . . .
It is so easy to blame the OUT GROUP for all our problems . . .
A Chinese man and a Jewish man were eating lunch together. Suddenly, without warning the Jew gets up, walks over to the Chinese fellow and smashes him in the mouth, sending him sprawling. The Chinese man picks himself up, rubs his jaw and asks, "What in the world did you do that for?" And the answer comes back: "For Pearl Harbor!" His response is total astonishment: "Pearl Harbor? I didn't have anything to with Pearl Harbor. It was the Japanese that bombed Pearl Harbor!" The Jew responds, "Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese--they're all the same to me. With that they both sit down again, and before too long the Chinese man gets up, walks over to the Jew and sends him flying with a hard slap to the jaw. The Jew yells out, "What did you do that for?" And the answer comes back: "The Titanic." "The Titanic? Why, I didn't have anything to do with the Titanic!" Whereupon the Chinese man replies, "Goldberg, Feinberg, Iceberg -- they're all the same to me!" --James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988), p. 431.
The Jewish people at this time believed that the only purpose for the Canaanite people
Was as fuel, for the fires of Hell . . . Have we really changed all that much?
Jewish law forbid them from: intermarriage, adopting their customs
And from making alliances with the Canaanites
And that they were the only People God had called to serve Him
Jews were not chosen to be the exclusive recipients of God's blessing
But transmitter of that blessing
Ephesians 2:14 Christ broken down wall separation between Jew and Gentile
There can be no discrimination upon the basis of nationality or ethnicity
A first grader went on her first day to a newly integrated school at the height of the segregation storm. An anxious mother met her at the door to inquire, "How did everything go, honey?" "Oh, Mother! You know what? A little black girl sat next to me!" In fear and trepidation, the mother expected trauma, but tried to ask calmly: "And what happened?" "We were both so scared that we held hands all day." --James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988), p. 432.
In God's family there are no OUT groups, there are only family members holding hands
The Canaanite Rahab was accepted in God's family
She was accepted just like she was as a Canaanite
In fact in Matthew 1:5 she is listed Jesus' genealogy, Now that's acceptance!
No Rahab did not believe in a God who was a racist
DID RAHAB BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO IS A SEXIST?
The Jewish world was one in which women had few rights, at least fewer than men
A Woman could not act as a witness in court nor say the blessing at meals
In a Jewish man's daily prayers he thanked God not for three things:
For not making him a Gentile, a slave or a woman
Circumcision symbolized God's covenant with his people and was LIMITED to MEN
In special vows of personhood, a woman was valued at2 the price of a man
In all periods of Israel's history women were legally subject to men
As they were in the ancient world in general
In the early years of our country many leaders
Considered a woman's mind to be weaker than a man=s
Because of this belief they were not allowed to get an education
They feared if a women did have too much learning, she would go insane
They were not allowed to vote and were seen by many as only a sex object
In Matthew 14:21 and 15:38 we see that Jesus taught women alongside men
And in Luke 10:41 that Jesus encouraged Mary to listen to his teaching
Ephesians 5:21 We are told to submit to one another
There are no gender distinctions in the sight of God
Rahab willing RISKED HER LIFE IN THIS BELIEF and because of her faith
The household of her father was saved from Israel's destruction
No, Rahab did not believe in a God who was a sexist
DID RAHAB BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO SHOWS PARTIALLY
In the late 1700's, the manger of Baltimore’s largest hotel refused lodging to a man dressed like a dirty farmer because he though this fellow=s appearance would discredit his inn. So the man left, Later that evening, the innkeeper discovered that he had turned away none other than Vice President Thomas Jefferson! Immediately he sent a note to the famed patriot, asking him to come back and be his guest. Jefferson replied: Tell him I have already engaged a room. I value his good intentions highly but if he has no place for a dirty American farmer, he none for the Vice President of the United States.
Oh how we love to point our fingers at others and say look at them . . . judge
The Pharisees too loved to do this and to parade around in their religious outfits
They had no time for sinners and no forgiveness for them
Rahab the prostitute, a person who was considered an outcast . . .
The ancient cities had occupational groups which tolerated this group
But they did not like them nor would they associate with them, at least during the day
Acts 10:3435 God doesn’t show partiality or favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
Jesus in talking with the Priests and elders in Matthew 21:31
Tax collectors and Harlots will get to the Kingdom of God before You.
James 2:4 you have discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts.
A young Employee had secretly misappropriated several $100 of his business firm's money. When this action was discovered, he was told to report to the office of the CEO. As he walked up the stairs toward the administrative office the young employee was heavy-hearted. He knew that without a doubt he would lose his job. He also feared the possibility of legal action against him. Seemingly his whole world was collapsing. Upon his arrival in the office of the CEO the young man was questioned about the affair. When he was asked if the allegations were true he answered yes. Then the CEO asked this question; If I keep you in your present job, can I trust you in the future? The young man's face brighten up and he said Yes sir, you surly can, I've learned my lesson. The CEO responded, I'm not going to press charges and you can continue in your present responsibility. The employer concluded the conversation by saying; I think you ought to know, that you are the second man in this firm who yielded to temptation and was shown mercy. I was the first.
That is what God's accepting forgiveness is like
Rahab believed in a God who could make vilest of sinners into the eminent of saints
The nation of Israel had one chance in a million of defeating Jericho
They had no artillery, no siege engines, no welltrained army
Face the facts Rahab had an amazing faith, she genuinely TRUSTED God
She had heard the stories of their God and of his mighty works at the Red Sea
She completely put her trust in him and staked her future on the impossible
She Believed in a God who accepted all people
And who has extended his grace through Jesus to them all
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female for you are all one in Christ.
The HOPE of the Gospel is in its inclusive nature
Accepting all kinds of people despite who or what they are . . . God is not a God of partiality
HAVE YOU BEEN COMING TO THE WRONG GOD . . . the church is for all people . . .
I'd like to tell you that I lead Rahab to Christ that day but the best I was able to achieve
Was for her to go away knowing that her God was not the God of the Bible
Today lets be sure that our faith - like Rahab’s is tied to the true God
ADEQUATE - FULL - WHOLE - LOVING and ACCEPTING GOD
As I left Rahab that day, she gave me a hug and with tears in her eyes she said
Let it be as you say
I OFTEN WONDER IF RAHAB HAS YET TIED THAT SCARLET CORD OF THE CROSS TO HER WINDOW
