B. Chp 2 Stepping out in faith
Vs. 1-11
“The precious from the vile”
I. Intro
II. Vs. 1 Abounding grace
III. Vs. 2-7 From fear to faith
IV. Vs. 8-11 The gifts of Rahab
Intro
Joshua is a book of conquests and God using Israel to judge a wicked people apart of which was the Amorites and one of them was named Rahab and as we shall see she was certainly deserving of judgment as she was a harlot but God is interesting in the conquest of mercy over wrath. This is the first story in the book of Joshua as they are coming into the land where there are more enemies and obstacles then there is in the wilderness but this story is not of destroying the enemy but rather one transforming the enemy.
Paul wrote to his young friend Timothy in 1 Tim. 1:15 saying, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” Oh how thankful I am daily that my Jesus came into this world to same me the chief of sinners. Do you know that God can’t save “good people” how fortunate for us all that according to Romans 3:10-12 that “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” Simply put we all qualify to be objects of His abounding grace.
Vs. 1 Abounding grace
The Acacia Grove or Abel-shittim is the place where the nation had been encamped during their previous two victories over the kings Sihon and Og. But it was also here that the Moabites under the direction of Balaam seduced the Israelite men to sleep with the Moabite women to incur God’s judgment. Now I mention this because there is something to say about venturing out in faith from the place of victory where we can recall God’s faithfulness during a past season of uncertainty as well as remembering what caused you defeat.
God had told Joshua three times to be “strong and courageous” then the 2 ½ tribes on the eastern part of the Jordan admonished him to be the same yet when it comes down to it Joshua wants to send out two spies to check things out before the nation goes for it. Apparently Joshua didn’t want a repeat of 40 years earlier so he sent out only two guys the same number that has said go for it 40 years earlier and some suggest one of them was Caleb who guaranteed a 50% successful response rate. Now when we get to verse 24 we are told the response of the two spies is “Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.” Though we are never told their names tradition says that these two were Caleb and Phinehas but we can’t be sure. Most of the commentators put the emphasis upon their mission to “go view the land” and very little upon their calling which was to be a witness which was first to Rahab and her house but the nation had already become aware according verse 9-10 that the Lord had given them the land and had done great and mighty things on their behalf. All of this takes place after the initial command of verse 11 in “three days you will cross over this Jordan”. There are two things that this indicates:
- Faithfulness: Joshua’s words did not go unheeded as they imitated a plan by which they were ready to act when the order went forth.
- Preparation: Equally impressive to their faithfulness is that Joshua found two unnamed individuals who were prepared ahead of the rest to go into the land and as such they were the first two folks to walk into what God had promised them.
Friend’s success is dependent upon God’s leading and empowerment and our faithfulness to respond to this as seen in our preparation. These two qualities are best summed up by what Jewish tradition suggest were the two men sent out by Joshua and Caleb whose life is best described as faithful and the High Priest Eliezer whose responsibility it was to daily prepare for the temple sacrifices.
Hey friends do you realize that the Lord has called you into the land to testify to its inhabitants that the Lord is strong and powerful on behalf of those who put their trust in Him? These two fellows were the first to walk into the promises and the inhabitants of the land had already heard of God’s greatness. I rather think that these two guys needed to hear what Rahab said concerning the testimony of God’s greatness as Jericho was surrounded by a massive wall and some recent findings suggest that it had two walls.
There are only two women mentioned in the Hebrews 11 “Hall of faith” Sarah and Rahab and there are many great women of the Bible but the Holy Spirit choose these two as illustrations of faith. Sarah was a godly woman who became the mother of the Hebrew people but Rahab was a pagan gentile harlot but both of them exercised saving faith. Even more amazing is that in James 2 Rahab is linked with Abraham is as a person who demonstrates their faith by works. Rahab becomes a living example of Paul’s words in Rom. 5:20 “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound”. There are some who will bring out the fact that the word for harlot can also be translated “Inn Keeper” but most experts in Hebrew will tell you that the word is rightly translated “Harlot”.
As we follow this story we shall see that though Joshua viewed this mission as a military one God viewed it as a redemptive one. “Check out Jericho boys”, said Joshua but instead they spent time hiding under the shingles of Rahab’s house learning that God had already conquered the hearts of the inhabitants of Jericho. Friends there is a valuable lesson in this and that is that God’s mission is always going to involve hearts not just territory. And notice to whom God directs these two, to a harlot named Rahab God wants her; He wants to take the precious from the file. There are a great many who feel very uncomfortable that these two guys as they went to the house of a harlot, they want to make her an innkeeper but the Hebrew is Harlot. Friends Jesus said it best in Mark 2:17 where He said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Paul in writing to the Corinthians said in 1 Cor. 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Jesus has come for such a person as Rahab, hey friend listen carefully as it isn’t important what you WERE it is important what you ARE. Rahab received these two fellows and I’m a man whom like Rahab received my Joshua and He has made His home into my heart. Do you realize friend that there is only one person that can not be saved and that is the person who doesn’t realize that they need to be!!! All the inhabitance of the city had heard of God’s work on behalf of His people and clearly the vast majority of the city was afraid but only one in the city Rahab allowed her fear to drive her to faith! Friends never worry about where you are at only where your heart is at because clearly God can always find a heart that seeks Him. We are inclined to judge people as unredeemable or un-useful but God sees the heart and any heart that desires to know Him qualifies. Remember Jesus the friend of sinners was proud to have a Canaanite prostitute in His family linage.
Vs. 2-7 From fear to faith
Jericho was one of many “city-states” in Canaan, each one ruled by a king. The city covered about eight or nine acres, and there is archeological evidence that double walls about fifteen feet apart protected the city and based upon verse 15 Rahab’s house was on the outer wall. The city was under a lock down; all strangers into the city were viewed with suspicion because of what God was doing with His chosen people. These fellows went to the one place in Jericho that wouldn’t raise any suspicions for new arrivals. Yet that didn’t guarantee their anonymity as word leaked out to the king. Flax was what they used to roof houses in those days so she literally hid them under the roof shingles. So how did the king know where to find these two guys? Well I suspect that he was a regular customer of hers so in other words God sent the two spy’s to hide in plain sight a the local brothel to reach the Madam of the establishment where as the king came for other reasons.
Looking at Rahab’s actions we can see both positive things as well as fleshly actions. She went out of her way to protect these two spies’ but she crossed the line by lying and being deceptive she risked her life but then by not trusting in the Lord sought to protect it. Just because the Bible reports her lie does not mean that it supports her telling a lie. Now one can argue from silence saying that had she not done this they would have been caught and all would have been lost but that limits God who is perfectly able to hide those two guys without the help of Rahab’s lies. This brings up the issue of “situational ethics” specifically is it all right to lie in certain circumstances? Are there times when it would be better to lie than to tell the truth? Now first just because the Bible records it doesn’t men that it condones it. Now we have the answer to this in Proverbs 12:22 where we are told that “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” So she would have been better served to have said nothing rather than to lie. Her lies to the king demonstrate that though ones faith may be enough to save them such faith doesn’t automatically mean that they won’t struggle with the old nature. Abraham the father of faith as well struggled with lying as twice we are told that his fear and lack of trust in God caused him to denying that Sarah was his wife calling her instead his sister.
Vs. 8-11 The gifts of Rahab
Rahab as a harlot was obviously a sinner but based upon verses 9-11 she had a conversion when she had heard what the Lord did for those who followed Him. The proof of her conversion is told us in Hebrews 11:31 we are told that “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.” There is a scarlet thread of redemption where she is trusting the Lord to deliver her as He had the Israelites. The above Hebrew passage is what is commonly called the “Hall of faith” and what is interesting to me is she is included where as Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah didn’t. Then in the genealogy recorded in Matthew we are told that in the earthly linage of Jesus is Rahab who was the mother of Boaz. Her name means the “proud one” but in the end she became the humble one. Interesting that in the end what remained of Rahab’s testimony is her trust in God not her failure. Jeremiah 15:19 the Lord said to Jeremiah that he was to be a spokesman for Him that “takes out the precious from the vile”, now what I love about this is that is how the Lord treats us isn’t it? Think of that as it relates to your life as in the end 2 Cor. 5 tells us that the things in our lives like Rahab’s that is hay wood and stubble, those things that were flesh driven, self motivated and insecure laden will burn away before Him and all that will remain and be remembered is that which is precious. So why not start now in the refining process? You see my friend God is in the refining business He is great at it in fact if he wasn’t into extracting that which is precious from that which is file we wouldn’t be here would we?
There are those who suggest that the most important thing is that people believe in something even if it is themselves. They make belief the power instead of the object of belief, friends there is no power in belief, no magic potion in belief. Belief is only as powerful as what it is in and your relationship to it. James said it this way in James 2:19
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe–and tremble!” True saving faith involves “the whole personality”: the mind is instructed, the emotions are stirred, and the will then acts in obedience to God. We see the example of this is Heb. 11:7 in Noah”
- The intellect: “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet”
- The emotions: “moved with fear”
- The will: “preparedan ark”
Rahab showed more faith in the Lord than the ten spies had exhibited forty years before, when she said, “I know that the Lord has given you the land” she said in verse 9. Look at Rahab’s confession in verse 11 and all of this from a woman who had grown up in idolatry and had lived her life in immorality. As wonderful a confession of Rahab as this is if it was not backed but her works her trusting would have been mere words but clearly we see that he words were backed her works. In Acts 26 Paul on trial before King Agrippa said, that he declared to “those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” Rahab had only heard of the redemptive acts of God on behalf of the Israelites but she knew nothing of the promises, praise or protection of those whom He has set His love upon, yet she with limited knowledge still trusted. Where had Rahab heard of these things? No doubt from those from her town who spoke of them to her in her brothel. God doesn’t excuse our sin but He is not hindered by it in reaching us either and Rahab serves as an example of extending grace while in the life of sin even before the rope was lowered to pull her out. Rahab an immoral, pagan woman who in the midst of practicing her sin hears about the trusts that He will do so.
- She put her life and life of her family on the line for those she believed knew the God she had heard of.
- She forsook her past for an uncertain future, her way of living, her familiarity and life style all forsaken by her for what she couldn’t imagine as the people she was going with were new in the land.
- She chose to be identified with the people of God rather than her own people thus being dead to the world she once knew. She was no longer fit for the world she had known and didn’t yet know the world she had been adopted into.
Though she was a woman, Amorite and a prostitute she was immediately accepted as a full member of the new nation would marry a man named Salmon have a son named Boaz who would marry a gentile named Ruth who would have a son named Obed who had a son named Jesse who fathered a son named David who became the King. Oh how Rahab my friend is no 2nd class citizen she is royalty as are all who trust in Jesus. There are two things evident about Rahab:
- She knew who she was: A harlot a sinner deserving of judgment
- She knew who the Lord was: One who shows mercy and grace
There for she did what all should do she took who she was and laid it down at the feet of who God is. The secrecy probably had as much to do with the nation of Israel as it did those in the city of Jordan. Rahab gave these two fellows two very needed things:
- She gave them shelter from their enemies
- She gave them encouragement for their souls
Vs. 12-24
“A scarlet cord”
I. Intro
II. Vs. 12-13 A true token
III. Vs.14-21 Three signs of life
IV. Vs. 22-24 All the land into our hands
Intro
In 1965 P.F. Sloan wrote a protest song eventually recorded by Barry McGuire called the “Eve of Destruction” what Sloan wrote about and Barry sang about in 1965 my friends is a lot closer today then it was then but it is still Jesus who offers deliverance from the eve of destruction.
In the 2nd chapter of Joshua there is a story about a woman who no matter where you read of her she almost always carries a moniker of “Rahab the Harlot”. She was a gal from the wrong side of the tracks living a life of ruin, no husband or children, no hope. She heard of a God unlike the gods she worshipped:
- A God who kept His promises to those that worshipped Him.
- A God who was pure and holy that always went before His people overcoming the greatest of obstacles defeating the greatest of enemies.
And she thinks, “Oh if only I could know this God maybe He would love me” and then two fellows show up at her place of business but they aren’t like all the other fellows who show up every day. No these two fellows come in and they look into her eyes not her chest they aren’t staring at her undressing her they are looking out the window, watching the soldiers and she realizes these aren’t customers. And this Rahab with such a reputation that her name is always Rahab the Harlot sees her chance; “Save me” she asks them.
Vs. 12-13 A true token
This is an entire chapter written about a prostitute who lives on the wall and surprisingly it contains nothing militarily or strategically necessary to defeat the enemy yet after meeting this remarkable woman the two spies will proclaim that “Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.” There is no report of them doing any espionage they simple come into the city stay at the house of a prostitute on her roof for a day then leave hold up in the mountains three days and swim back across the Jordan and confidently declare to Joshua and the nation that not only was Jericho going to be defeated but all the lands and all the people.
There are several key parts to Rahab’s salvation the first appears right here in verse 12 as we see that she did two things:
- First she acknowledged that the God of the Israelites whom she names specifically is the only one that can save her. There are a great many people who say they believe in God and they use that name generally with out in regard to the nature and character of God. That is not what Rahab did as she used the name used by the Israelites, which implies that she wasn’t trying to make a god that was fashioned to her own making.
- Second she recognizes that she and her family is equally deserving of God’s judgment as were the rest of the inhabitants of Jericho. There is no indication that she feels that she some how deserves God’s salvation only that she has done the works fitting her repentance.
Again there is no argument here saying that she and her family are “good idol worshippers” and clearly God wouldn’t judge them. No Instead she lumps her family in with herself and they equally have a need to be delivered. Remember we have already discussed that clearly Rahab doesn’t have it all together with regards to her lying to the king, yet what she does have is the awareness that she is a sinner and that only the God of the Israelites can save her.
Friends allow me a general observation here; anyone who has realized that they are deserving of judgment and has received forgiveness and deliverance will want those they love not to parish as well.
Rahab wanted assurance from the two spies by them giving their word and they respond to her request by offering their lives in support of their word. Friends that is what Jesus has done for us he promised in John 6:47 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” And then supported that by laying down His life as Jesus said in John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Oh friends that you and I would hate sin and our former life with such a conviction. In Luke 18:10-14 Jesus gave this parable saying, “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men–extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” What would happen if each person here today would at least daily make an observation of their own self and list the things about themselves that they are sick of and then cry out to go God to cleanse them of their sins? Why I believe we would have a pure and holy church that would effectively reach our world. Friends remember her Rahab was forsaking all she had ever known leaving her culture and people behind.
No person, no matter who they are, is a pawn in God’s plan they are people He is interested in and yes along the way He will use to accomplish His purpose but he wants you to know Him to enjoy life as you walk with Him. It is interesting to me that the stories she heard of God’s judgment also spoke to her of God’s love as she perhaps heard folks speak about how God destroyed the Egyptians and sent plagues upon them she thought of whom God was protecting the Israelites and said, “Oh how He loves them! I wonder if He could love me like that?” A God who can take slaves who were in bondage and set them free making them His own people. She may have thought, “I’m a slave to my own passions, I’m in bandage to my known immorality can you make me your own as well?” The stacking of flax to dry where by that would extract the fiber to make cloth indicates that there had been a change in her life, this was the Las Vegas of Canaan and she would not have lacked any business at the brothel so clearly she was changing which can be seen in this. And then just at the right moment there is a knock at her door, “Oh not now and don’t want this any more!” There are many of us at times that want and need positive assurance of His Love and we will never find a better one than taking a glance at the cross of Jesus. God’s desire is to save people and to do so in families and households. Rahab was a woman who had dwelt in the worst of the mire the world has to offer and once she had been pulled out wants only to see her family delivered as well.
Vs.14-21 Three signs of life
Vs. 14-16 God has prepared for us Himself as a refuge, a place where we can be safe and secure in His love where we can hold up while everything else is being destroyed around us. Hey friends there is a scarlet cord for you to hang on too that will keep you safe from destruction if you will grab a hold of Him, He longs to be the assurance for you.
This scarlet cord which was what was used for their deliverance was to be visible so that the soldiers would know that she was to be spared. What if she would have said, “Well I trust God but I don’t like red cords hanging out my window?” Well she went not have been spared and there are a lot of folks who say “Hey I believe in God but I don’t think that Jesus is the only way of salvation, as long as you are sincere and believe in something they that will be enough.” With this type of belief the instrument of salvation is our belief and sincerity not the object of our belief and our obedience. Rahab didn’t argue about it she immediately obeyed the words of the two spies, no delay no changing the directions. So as the army would come into Jericho the same Joshua that would be the judge to most of the people was the savior to Rahab and her family simply because she trusted and obeyed. What a glorious picture of God’s salvation as these two spies gave Rahab a “Scarlet Cord” as a true token of the assurance of her salvation. The very cord that she had used to deliver the two from the king became bound with a red cord which would signal her escape from judgment. She was to place it out the very window they had escaped from making it very visible.
Hey saints did you get that? Our witness is to be very visible not just very audible! Friends lets make sure that people can see the wisdom of our relationship Jesus in our lives not just her us talk about it. She was to go and get her family and bring them into the home where they were to be saved. If Rahab or her family left the protection of that place then they would not be safe and this is a good word for all those who believe that a profession while wandering in the world of destruction offers them salvation. Later when Rahab and her family looked out that window and saw the dust coming up under the feet of the army she would be at perfect peace even though she knew the man made security of the walls of Jericho was no match for the Holiness of God. Why were she and her family so at rest watching the army march around the city 6 days blowing the trumpets? Well because out her window lay a scarlet cord of redemption and she knew that the same God who was so holy that the walls of Jericho could not withstand His presence was so loving that He would protect her in the midst of the rubble of her former life.
Vs. 17-21 The spies promise to her that if she would show three signs to them that they would honor her request and spare her life and those of her family.
- Vs. 18a Visible Transformation “when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down”: She needed to make a visible sign of where she was at. Friends that is interesting don’t you think? The two spies told her that she need to weave into the rope of their deliverance a scarlet cord and that this cord would be a sign of her transformation. Her profession was accepted but she needed to make her calling and election sure and visible. There are those who profess to know Christ but there has been no visible fruit of that profession no transformation. I again can’t help to think of how messed up the world is with regards to the “red light district” indicating prostitution instead of indicting spiritual transformation.
- Vs. 18b-19 Verbal Conformation “unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home.” Secondly she had to make her confession before others in this case her family. By their gathering at her place it would seem that this is an indication that they believed as she had. Apparently they too realized that they were worthy of judgment and that the God who righteously was going to judge them could also mercifully save them.
- Vs. 20 Consistent Alienation “And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear.” Finally we see that Rahab couldn’t go back on her commitment, she couldn’t just say the words and then go back to the way she use to live.
She needed to keep a scarlet cord in the window, her family in the house and not go back on her word. There is an interesting truth with regards to the flax as it was what the rope and linen was made of in those days. The priest wore garments made from flax and Rahab made a rope from flax with a scarlet cord so that the same material was in both and it reminds us that no matter who we are we are still covered by the righteousness of Christ. The same rope that let down to saved the two spies saved a heather prostitute. It is said by some that house of ill repute (brothels) would paint their window sills red to let folks know what business they were in if that is the case then when she dropped the scarlet rope over the window sill it made the sign of a cross which you may recall was the same sign made at the door posts of the Jewish homes while they were in Egypt as the lamb was slain and its blood sprinkled on the two sides and the top and bottom. Friends it is the cross that saves us from our past, it is the cross that changes our path (our going out and coming in) and is the cross that saves us from the destruction we rightly deserve.
Vs. 22-24 All the land into our hands
After three days of hiding in the mountains the two spies swim back across the Jordan that they would soon walk across on dry land. There testimony was great but what they had gleaned from Rahab caused them to be strong and courageous “Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.” Notice they say, “has delivered all the land into our hands” not will, nor part of the land but all land right now and this based just upon the words of Rahab. Dear friends do we have such faith to realize that the Lord has delivered all lands into our hands all we need to do is cross over by faith? Since the men didn’t know God’s plan for taking the city, they couldn’t give Rahab any detailed instructions. For all they knew the city could be besieged, the gates smashed down, and the people massacred. They knew the city would fall and that ultimately the land would be taken but they didn’t know how.
As great a sign as this was in the window Rahab wasn’t saved by a sign she and her household were saved by trusting in the God of Israel. Many folks ware a cross as an object of direction, a piece of jewelry or a decoration in their homes but is it for a show or to go? Religious decorations don’t have any power to deliver or save but the God of the Bible does and only trusting in Jesus can deliver our souls from destruction.
The most interesting part of this story of the two spies sent into the city of Jericho is that militarily their reconnaissance was absolutely unnecessary God wasn’t interested in gathering information on how to destroy the most fortified city in Canaan He was interested in gathering a lady and her family who needed to be liberated from their sin and delivered from destruction. Oh how thankful I am that God can and does save those whom most people think are beyond saving. From the time that Rahab became committed to live as an alien in her own town she became a witness to those living in godless culture and too are we. She had nothing but a verbal witness of the acts of God and that was only very minimal, yet she new that she didn’t want to live any longer apart for the love of God. There are many more residents of Jericho than there are Rahab’s as they think they are safe within the walls of there world. The walls are thick and strong and nothing can pull them apart they with stood the test of time, you think but listen there is a God approaching and He is not impressed with your walls and it is your choice whether is has come to save you or judge you. Let your scarlet cord down won’t you today!