BY FAITH RAHAB PERISHED NOT
Wednesday – June 6, 2018, Sivan 23, 5778
Greetings and welcome back to The Three Minute Word and this wonderful faith building study of the Book of Hebrews. Faith is not built by accident. Faith is built by hearing, and our ability to hear spiritually, supernaturally, comes by the Word of God.
Romans 10:17 (KJV)
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Faith in God and His Word comes from hearing the Word of God not just by hearing stuff. Our ability to really hear, not hear casually, but on the spiritual, supernatural level comes by hearing the Word of God. This is hearing with purpose, diligence, not just casual, mindless hearing. In other words, our ability to hear anything and everything said is enhanced supernaturally by our persistent purposeful hearing of the Word of God. As we get ready to delve once again into our study let’s read our primary Bible text aloud.
Hebrews 11:30-32 (KJV)
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
As we focus on verse thirty-one have you ever wondered what these old boys were doing at Rahab the harlot’s house?
Joshua 2:1 (KJV)
1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
Going to her house seems to have been a planned event. But why? Joshua and the leaders of Israel may have reasoned that knowing the Laws of God a harlot’s house would be the last place the enemy would look but apparently not so. It seems that right away the King of Jericho knew they were at the harlots’ house. It seems the people of Jericho were on high alert for the children of Israel and very much afraid of them. As one reads the verses following we see how Rahab lied for the spies and hid them until she thought it was safe to let them down over the wall to return to their camp and Joshua. This is an example of honoring God and not the King for to honor the King would conflict with the law of God, the will of God. It seems to me that the following passage gives us a lot of insight into Rahab’s thinking.
Joshua 2:8-11 (KJV)
8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
She knew that Jericho was to be destroyed and that these Israelis were the children of God and that God was acting mightily on their behalf. She also disclosed that the people of the land were in great fear of the children of Israel. She had faith in the God of Israel and covenanted with these spies that day for her safety and that of her house. We also have a Covenant with God for our safety and that of our house (salvation).
Joshua 2:12-14 (KJV)
12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:
13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
When the city and the heathen therein were destroyed this woman, we might say very imperfect woman, because of her faith in God was saved with her house. There is a powerful lesson for us to learn here. We all know imperfect people that many in the religious crowd have judged as going to Hell, but they are not. Perhaps, one of us is one of these imperfect people. Look at what James has to say about Rahab.
James 2:25 (KJV)
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
James is talking here about faith being dead without works. So, let us look at how the Israelite’s honored their Covenant with this woman and her house.
Joshua 6:21-25 (KJV)
21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Not only did Joshua and all of Israel honor the Covenant the spies made with Rahab but so did God. Her house was the only one standing when the walls came down. We also find that Rahab the harlot by faith is in the lineage of Christ.
Matthew 1:5 (KJV)
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
The name Rachab is another form of Rahab and we see that she is the mother of Boaz who married Ruth and the great great grandmother of King David. The Bible discloses the good, the bad, and the ugly and demonstrates without question the mercy of our God. Many in the lineage of Christ are not Hebrews like Rahab and Ruth. Believe God, love His people and His mercy and favor will flood your life no matter your past. Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
3 John 1:2 (HCSB)
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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