Lessons from Rahab
Jos. 2
Joshua sent two of his men to spy on the land, especially Jericho. As they went, they came to the house of Rahab, a prostitute. But the people of Jericho heard that there were spies, they looked for them; but Rahab hid them. She also helped them to escape Jericho so that the spies could return to Joshua and report to him what they saw.
Rahab had heard of the Israelites. She knew that the LORD had brought them out of Egypt and that their enemies had fallen before them. She knew that the LORD was with the Israelites and said, “I know that the LORD has given you the land” (Jos. 2:9). And because of this, she made the spies to swear that they would also spare her and her family when they came back to take Jericho.
She was a ‘prostitute’ (Jos. 2:1; 6:17, 22, 25; Heb. 11:31; Jam. 2:25). The Bible does not accept prostitution. Proverbs 23:27-28 says, “A prostitute is a deep pit… Like a bandit.” Also see Deut. 23:17-18; 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 15; Gal. 5:19-21.
As for the spies, they returned to Joshua and reported, “Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands; moreover all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before us” (Jos. 2:24). What a contrast this report is from the reports of the spies Moses sent into Canaan earlier (Num. 13-14).
From this story, we can bring up several lessons from the spies and from Rahab herself. But today, we shall only take up the case of Rahab and glean three lessons:
1. God can forgive and save all sinners.
Rahab was also a prostitute, but she opened her heart to God and His people and ended up being saved. Today, whatever we may have been. Whatever our history may have been, let us also know that God can always forgive us if we open our hearts to Him. Let us return to the LORD and be saved.
2. God can use sinners.
Rahab was used by the LORD to save His people. She became a bridge for God’s people to cross over to Canaan. Do we still say, “I have sinned. My history haunts me”? Many people say this, and refuse to come to Him. It should not be like that. God is God and those He forgives are forgiven. Period. Let us also give ourselves to Him and let Him use us as bridges to reach the unreached, to save the unsaved and link all His people for His glory.
3. God can transform even the worst sinner. Rahab was a prostitute. But subsequent Bible references to her are always words of salvation and of her transformation. Though a Canaanite, she became a part of the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ! Matthew 1:5 says, “And Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.” This means that she became the great grandmother of king David, and also one of the progenitors of Jesus Christ.
Dear reader, where do you stand today? Are you just an ordinary person, unknown and insignificant? Rahab was also a mere prostitute in Jericho. But she opened her heart and came to be saved and transformed.
Get up and stand up! God wants to save you today! He wants to use you. Prepare to be used as you turn to Him. If you still say, “Ah! I am too insignificant” it would mean you doubted God and His powers.
