Hebrews 11:31 NIVUK
[31] By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
There are some Bible stories that simply take you aback and give you quite a surprise.
And I love that about the Bible. I love that it’s real. And open. And ruthlessly, uncomfortably honest.
This is one of those times.
It’s like hearing that someone who has committed a crime has walked away free – but you don’t know all the facts, so it frustrates you.
Because here we see a woman of seriously dubious character, from a race whom God has commanded the Israelites to destroy, who has betrayed her nation, committed treason, perjured herself before her own king, and yet is rescued from the ruins of her city and given a highly privileged place in both Jewish and Christian history.
At first glance, it makes no sense.
And yet, if we examine this story more closely, it will.
There are three phases to this story.
The first is fear.
Joshua 5:1 NIVUK
[1] Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.
Joshua 6:1 NIVUK
[1] Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No-one went out and no-one came in.
The inhabitants of Jericho were terrified. Despite their ancient and renowned fortifications, they were scared witless. Not of the Israelite army, but of their God.
Why?
Because their God had enabled His army to cross the biggest natural barrier that protected them – the River Jordan.
Because their God had driven the waves back for them.
As we saw earlier that Rahab had explained:
Joshua 2:8-11 NIVUK
[8] Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof [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 sank and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
They knew that if God had conquered the waves, their walls would be as nothing.
All of us have lived through fearful times. All of us experienced life under a global pandemic. We know how it feels.
But we also know that people facing fearful times react different ways.
Some simply comply with what they are told, batten down the hatches and seek to ride out the storm.
Others give way to panic, loose all shred of rationality, and behave like a spooked headless chicken.
Others choose to be cynical and invent conspiracy theories that offer an alternative explanation, but frame their rationality in a pack of lies.
Still others use the Roman logic of ‘eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die’ and throw themselves into mindless, feckless hedonism and immorality, denying themselves no earthly pleasure, and then wake up when it’s all over with a hangover and regrets by the ton.
Now, I don’t doubt for a second that someone in Rahab’s profession may have profited immensely from this situation. Because, you see, from the context of fear, we move on to felony.
It is absolutely clear that the occupants in the Promised Land were facing their own destruction because of rampant sin:
Deuteronomy 12:31 NIVUK
[31] You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshipping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
Although we might consider this among the worst of sins that they could be committing, the Bible doesn’t flinch at highlighting others. For example:
Sexual deviancy - Genesis 19:5 NIVUK
[5] They called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.’
Idolatry - Exodus 23:31-33 NIVUK
[31] ‘I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the River Euphrates. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you. [32] Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. [33] Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.’ https://bible.com/bible/113/exo.23.31-33.NIVUK
Exodus 34:15-16 NIVUK
[15] ‘Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices. [16] And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same. https://bible.com/bible/113/exo.34.15-16.NIVUK
Sometimes, both:
Numbers 25:1-3 NIVUK
[1] While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, [2] who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. [3] So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them. https://bible.com/bible/113/num.25.1-3.NIVUK
False spirituality:
Deuteronomy 18:9-31 NIVUK
[9] When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. [10] Let no-one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practises divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, [11] or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. [12] Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. [13] You must be blameless before the Lord your God.
But Rahab took things to another level.
She was a prostitute.
Possibly even (although the Bible doesn’t state this), a shrine prostitute, as sexual deviancy was often used as an act of worship in the ancient, pagan religions.
Now, there have been many Christians over the generations who have sought to rationalise this and to escape the uncomfortable reality. They have called her an ‘innkeeper’. But that is not accurate. The Bible is starkly clear in the Hebrew: she was a prostitute. She made her income from having sex with men for money.
But before we stand on our moral high horse, we need to realise that this is not the first time people on the wrong side of the tracks have been spoken to and reached by people on a mission from God. Jesus Himself reached out to such people:
Matthew 9:10-13 NIVUK
[10] While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ [12] On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill. [13] But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’
Matthew 21:31 NIVUK
[31] ‘Which of the two did what his father wanted?’ ‘The first,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
So Rahab was basically a sinner living among other sinners in a city condemned to be destroyed (Joshua 6:17).
But we now move on to the third phase of this story, from fear and felony to faith:
Joshua 2:8-11 NIVUK
[8] Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof [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 sank and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
This is faith was borne out of a very simple comparison.
The people of Jericho likely worshipped a number of different pagan gods, each in charge of a different aspect of their daily lives.
However, the Jewish God – Yahweh – was clearly greater than all of those fake gods, because He had given Israel victory over stronger, more numerous enemies, and He had dried up the River Jordan for them.
Now, the rest of the city were filled with nothing less than bone-chilling terror when they heard this. They did not dare to put up any form of resistance outside the city walls. They simply locked down and hoped to get through it.
But Rahab – immoral Rahab – reacted differently.
What she did, from their point of view, was treasonous and a clear betrayal. However, from her point of view, it was the only logical thing to do. The gods of Jericho were failing. The God of Israel was going to succeed. Her choice was to have faith in the God would win.
When we put our faith in God, regardless of whether our culture sees this as treasonous and a betrayal (which it often does), we are making the same choice as Rahab. We are putting our faith in the strong God who wins. Every time. Without fail.
And He is this God:
John 6:37 NIVUK
[37] All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
Even if we come from a background steeped in sin and failure. Even if we have done nothing good in our lives.
Even if we are deeply, desperately in need of grace.
We can still come. And He will still accept us.
As I write these lines, an election is coming in my country. It has been interesting to see how people react to it. Over one hundred Members of Parliament have said they will not stand for re-election, because they could not face the humiliation of defeat. A few have done what many do in other countries and changed political party.
Some of us might see that as a betrayal. What we need to appreciate is that politics is their life. It is their job. And so they do what they need to do to stay in that job.
Even if we consider it to be thoroughly lacking in principle.
What Rahab did would have been seen as her fellow citizens of Jericho as nothing short of betrayal. She switched sides.
But why did she do it?
Because of faith. Faith built on evidence. Faith built on evidence that Israel’s God was greater. And that faith led her to be part of the family of Judah, and part of the ancestry of the Messiah.
Do you believe?
Where could that faith take you?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that You could accept a woman like Rahab. Accept me too, I pray. I am a terrible sinner, but I have faith in You. I trust only You to save me. Amen.
Questions
1. Why did Rahab betray her people?
2. Why did this show faith?
3. Do you believe she should have been saved and accepted into God’d people? Why / why not?
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