From Gentile Harlot to Faith’s Hall of Fame

Victory’s Battle Cry-A Study in Joshua-Part 4-From Gentile Harlot to Faith’s Hall of Fame

So, under the leadership of Joshua the people are preparing to cross over Jordan into the land that God had promised them. Their fathers had stood here once before; but, the people didn’t trust God and became afraid when the “spies” had returned with a fear filled report about the giants—that is all the spies except Caleb and Joshua. Caleb and Joshua had said, the land is good let’s go, God will give us the land as He promised. Because of the lack of faith of the majority, God’s judgment was that they would spend 40  more years wandering in the desert until that generation of faithless people would die and Joshua is now to lead the next generation into the land. In Joshua 2, he sends out two spies to view the land—particularly he sends them to Jericho. He knew and had been a part of the history, so why would he risk a repeat of the previous story?  Why would he send out spies?  Now, I wonder if he really sent the men to check out the land or if at God’s command he sent out the men, not even knowing that God’s plan was to find and save Rahab. Precisely it was her home where they ended up at and where they were hidden by her. Rahab was a harlot in Jericho; but, Rahab had heard the stories of this God of Israel and she believed with all her heart that He was the one true God over heaven and earth.

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She had heard of His miracles and she believed that God would lead His people into the land and to be victorious in taking that land. She believed that God was the one and true God who would deliver this land into the hands of His chosen. Rahab had seen God as Glorious and so worthy of her humble adoration, fear and awe. So when Rahab saw the men, she ushered them onto her rooftop where she hid them.

Listen to the conversation that followed.

Joshua 2:”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.”

Rahab’s faith lead to the salvation and protection of she and her family when the Israelite nation marched around Jericho and God gave them the city. Yet, more than that Rahab became apart of the ancestry of Christ because she was the mother of Boaz and thus became a part of the lineage of Christ (Matthew 1:5). Beyond that, she was named on the faith hall of fame in Hebrews 11: ³¹ By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Her actions were not what had saved her so much as it was her faith that caused her actions. Her actions were representative of the faith she had already held deep within her heart. She stood in awe and wonder at the Glory of God before she had chosen to protect these men. She trembled at the mighty power of God and knew of her own unworthiness. She protected them even before she knew they would agree to protect her.

1 Acted out of faith—as her acts demonstrated that she truly believed—the Lord your God, He IS God in heaven above and in earth beneath.

2 Her faith had come from hearing first Romans 10:” ¹⁷ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” She was willing to put her life and her family’s life on the line; because she believed so strongly that God would accomplish His promise.

3 God saw her heart and God sent the spies, so that she could hide them and so that they would in turn save her. God is a God of tiny details.

Seeing God in His Glory, trembling at His majesty, and believing that He is the great I AM ultimately results in our living a life that presents the gospel to the world. We may not have always gotten every step right; but, God looks at our trembling, broken hallelujahs born out of our awe filled hearts and uses them to His Glory.

Can you like Rahab, stand Firm in the Faith? Listen to this song and lift it up as a prayer, Firm in the Faith.

© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any brands, products or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”