Course: Jesus Son of...(Equipping Series)
December 09, 2021 | Dave Rueter
Passage: Joshua 2:1-21
Rahab—Joshua 2:1-21 and 6:22-25
When the people of Israel were finally prepared to enter the promised land, Joshua sent out spies to scout out the city of Jericho. While there, they came to the house of Rahab, who is identified in the text as a prostitute. The king of Jericho heard that there were spies in the city and sent word to Rahab demanding that she turn these men over to the king.
Rather than turn the Israelite spies over to the king, she tends him men that the spies had indeed been there but that they had already left through the city gate prior to it being closed for the night. Rahab had instead hidden the spies, keeping them safe from the king and other authorities in the city.
The reason that Rahab had hidden the spies instead of remaining loyal to her own people in the city of Jericho, was that she and the people there had already been hearing about the mighty deeds that God had been doing for the people of Israel. She knew that God was giving the land over to His people and the implications that this had for her and her household in Jericho. In exchange for her help getting them safely out of the city, Rahab asks for her and her family to be spared when Joshua and God’s people take Jericho.
The spies agree that she and her family would be spared in exchange for her help. When they report back to Joshua, they explain what they have learned and that “Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.” (Genesis 2:24) Rahab is thus spared along with her family and we then learn in Matthew 1:5 that Rahab becomes the mother of Boaz, who we will hear more about next week.
Thoughts for Reflection
Read Joshua 2:1-21 and 6:22-25. Knowing that Rahab becomes a part of the people of Israel, marrying into the Jewish people, what does this tell us about her trust in the Lord beyond merely her fear of being destroyed by His people?
What can we learn about God’s use of Rahab in bringing forth the Messiah and Matthew’s inclusion of her in his genealogy of Jesus?
Course Information
This Equipping Thursdays series runs parallel with our Advent worship series on "Jesus the son of..." We are specifically taking a look at the women in the genealogy of Jesus. This week we will begin with Tamar and the rather unorthodox way in which God preserved the lineage of Jesus.
