Joshua 6:17 tells us the story of Rahab, a prostitute living in Jericho. She was an outcast by society, but one good decision transformed her reproach into heroism.
We don’t know much about her past. We don’t have any record of why she chose prostitution. But we do know that when she turned to God, she saw a bright future where previously there was none.
She found her deliverance because she recognized that God was with the people of Israel. She believed God would give His people her homeland, so she hid the men coming to spy on the city to overthrow it.
“The Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:11, KJV)
We can speculate about Rahab’s upbringing and why she turned to prostitution to care for her family, but we know she recognized that God was with the people of Israel. And she decided she would rather help the Israelites than perish with her people.
“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.”
“And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; and she said unto the men, 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.” (Joshua 2:8-13, KJV)
Rahab’s life before the attack on Jericho remains a mystery, but there are Scriptures that refer to her future. In the Book of Hebrews, she is mentioned as one of the heroes of faith.
“By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.” (Hebrews 11:31, KJV)
After the spies took over her city, she was spared and lived among the Israelites, but that was not the end of her story. When we look at the genealogy of Rahab, she did not remain enslaved to her past life; she appears in the lineage of Jesus.
“Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?” (James 2:25, KJV)
Rahab had a promise that her family would be spared from destruction. The stigma attached to her name would be erased, and she would be considered a hero. With one right decision, she obtained a future without reproach.
Here are a few lessons we can learn from Rahab’s obedience:
- She recognized that God was with Israel.
- She chose to do the right thing by keeping the spies hidden.
- She risked her life by hiding the spies.
- She kept her word.
- She was no longer a disgrace.
- She became a hero of faith.
We may have done things in our life that we are ashamed of, but the blood of Jesus washes our sins away. Let’s release the shame of our past and rejoice in our future!
“And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.” (Joshua 6:17, KJV)
Comments are closed.