Whispers of Christ

Recently, I asked my girls what I should write about and one of them recommended I do a study on one of the women in the Bible and what we could learn from her life. I love this suggestion as there is always something to be learned from older women. 

Since I’m working my way through the Old Testament, Joshua 2 was the next chapter to read. It’s Rahab’s story. I’ve never been madly in love with her story but God has a way of blowing off the dust and making all things new. She was no exception. Now be warned that this one is a long one but it’s so worth it! 

Before I jump into the take-aways, here is the link to the chapter: Joshua 2. If you don’t have time to read it – here is the skinny. Rahab is a prostitute in Jericho. Joshua sends spies, 2 men, into Jericho to scout it before he marches the Israelites in there to take over. They are to wipe out everyone (man, woman, and child). Somehow they end up in Rahab’s home. She hides them from the king’s men and sneaks them out the window by a scarlet cord. Tells them to wait 3 days in a cave and makes them promise to leave her home and family alone when they come back. They promise, she sends them away, and when the Israelites come knocking, Rahab and her family are left alone. There is a cool blip at the end of her story, which I’ll share later in the post, so stay tuned! 

So what can we learn from a lying prostitute in a city set for demolition? Check it out! 

1. You don’t need to see to believe.

I think what I really find crazy is that the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness. A whole generation saw and crossed the Red Sea. They saw and ate the manna. They saw the serpent on a bronze pole. They saw the glory of God on the mountain and received the 10 commandments. But they didn’t really believe in God. Then there is this woman. Someone who would have been at the lowest of the low in any society, she’s never even seen God’s hand or his works. She’s not even an Israelite. But guess what?! She believes. Just based on the stories that she has heard from all the other people in the kingdom and country. It reminds me that we don’t need to see the physical manifestation of God, nice as it is, to believe that God is who he says or has the power he says he does. 

2. Fear God more than man.

I know that we always say that we should fear God more than we fear man, but do we really? It’s so hard to fear something that you can’t see and not fear something that you can see. But again, this woman who has only heard of what God can do, chooses to believe that if He can do those things, he can take care of her and is worthy of her fear and worship. She stares the king’s men in the face and chooses to fear God. If they had found out about the spies, she would have been executed. What I want to point out is that it’s a choice. Looking fear in the face and choosing to fear God, to believe God, to walk with God in spite of what you may be thinking or feeling, that’s a choice. God never said you wouldn’t feel fear, but that we are not to walk in fear. 

3. Ask and then ask again. 

This part reminded me of Jacob. Jacob saw an angel on the mountain and started wrestling with him. They wrestled so hard that Jacob’s leg was dislocated and he had a permanent limp afterwards. But Jacob wouldn’t let go until the angel had blessed him. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus tells us to ask and keep asking. Notice that he doesn’t tell us to ask once but to continuously ask. Sometimes I wonder if that’s how we confirm that it’s really something we want. I’m not saying that God needs that confirmation, maybe it’s his way of making sure we know what we want. But Rahab asked. My commentary (The Bible Knowledge Commentary) says that she was persistent. Not disrespectful but persistent in asking for salvation for her family and herself. She knew that to walk with this deity who showed that much care for his children and retribution toward their enemies was not a small thing. She desired it and pursued it relentlessly. I’m just wondering what are the things that I’ve asked for that I need to keep asking for? What haven’t I pursued relentlessly that I should have? What about you? 

4. Obedience is based on faith.

This woman is so cool. Do you know why? Because not only does she do all that I’ve mentioned above but then she walks in obedience. I can hear you saying “oohhh big deal!” but it is. Obedience is based on faith, in fact I would say that obedience is faith in action. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) tells us “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” To me this says that we act in faith based on what we hope for. Like Rahab. The spies left her home with the promise that they would return and when they did, her home would be set apart and safe if it was marked by a scarlet cord. So she lets them out of the window and the first thing she does, before she gathers anyone, she puts the cord out. Why? Because she had faith that God would do what he said and she would be safe. Why not go gather people first? I actually thought about this, she puts the rope out first – you can gather all the people you want but if your home isn’t safe, it won’t matter, they will be dead. She didn’t wait. She put it out immediately. But didn’t she say that they should wait 3 days in the caves? Yes! She did, but I’m willing to bet that she knew 1) it would take time for her to gather provisions, argue with her family and get them into the house and 2) she knew that while she might plan, God could change things so why wait! Regardless of how many arguments she may have had with herself, what I find impressive is that her obedience wasn’t just based in faith, it was immediate. She didn’t wait, she didn’t think, she did the next thing that God commanded her – she stuck a scarlet cord out her window. 

5. Spiritual maturity is a process.

Ok this one is fun. So if you read the whole story, you will notice that she lied to the guards. I can hear the arguments already. I don’t know why she lied. I don’t know why it’s not addressed in the Bible as that was a big no-no. But I do know this – it would have been culturally acceptable. So the woman who we know to buck off culture norms, did something standard and acceptable in her era. And when I did some studying, here is the response I found that resonated with me: “Spiritual maturity is a process, not instantaneous.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary – Old Testament). This is what I mean, when you get saved, the first time you believe, you don’t know everything all at once. You learn things over time. How many lies did you continue to tell when you first got saved, whether to yourself or others? How many people did you continue to hate? How much forgiveness did you withhold? Everyone is a work in progress – Rahab was no different. She did the best she knew with what she knew and God’s grace covered the difference. 

6. God can use anyone at any time from anywhere for anything.

God is so good. I mean he really really is. I’m not sure where you are, sister. I don’t know what your circumstances are, what season of life you are in, what struggles you are facing, but I know this – God is good and he will work this all out for good. Rahab was a woman leading a less than desirable lifestyle. But God ordained that she should meet the spies. She walked in obedience to what was right, probably against cultural and societal norms. She did something that could have gotten her killed. God not only saved her. Yes – Joshua comes in and destroys all of Jericho but he instructs that her home and family in the home not be touched. They are then taken to the camp and basically integrated into the Israelites. I mean God took this horrible situation, full of anxiety and frustration and gave her a new life. But it gets SO much better than that. Matthew 1:5 tells us that she was not only saved and given a new life, but she was Boaz’s mother. Fun fact – Boaz (who married Ruth, another gentile woman of faith for another time) was part of Christ’s lineage. Meaning Rahab not only got to have a new life, get married, have a righteous son with a great story (and be the great-grandmother to King David), but also be an ancestor to Christ! When you walk in obedience to God, he will redeem you fully and give you double recompense for what you have had to walkthrough (Isaiah 61:7)

Symbolism: 

The Bible is amazing in the sense that it always gives us symbolism, even if we don’t see it. Rahab’s story is no different. Below were some of the symbolic items that I picked up on, there may even have been more! 

Ropes and Cords

Ok. There are two different words which are used in this passage regarding ropes and cords. English really is a very lacking language. Most other languages are very rich with meaning. Hebrew is no exception. When we first read the passage, it says she lets the spies down with rope (Hebrew word: Hevel). This would have been the word which is associated with a rope that was practical or used on a regular basis. The scarlet cord which she was instructed to hang out of her window is a different word (Hebrew word: Tiqvah). This word has several meanings: cord, thread, & hope. See that word (would that I could draw a big ole arrow) —-> Hope!!! How cool. God tells her to hang a scarlet thread out of her window (a lifeline if you will). The color – Scarlet. What is scarlet? Blood. She hangs something the color of blood and filled with hope out of an entry point of her home. The first thing that came to mind for me was the imagery of Christ’s blood covering our sins and being our lifeline to salvation. Second was the blood that the Israelites had to smear on their doorposts in Egypt. 

Identity Change

Rahab starts out as a harlot but by the time God’s done with her, she’s grafted into the lineage of Christ, and in Hebrews 11:31 called out as a matriarch of the faith. I mean here is what I want you to know, your obedience to God can overwrite any of the wrong you have done. God is known for taking the “underdogs” and making them kings & queens of his kingdom. Don’t let where you are now, what you have done, what has been done to you, or your family heritage define where you will end. God can do anything!

Additional Take-aways

I know that I said this blog post was about Rahab and it is. She’s the main focus, but I would be remiss if I didn’t share some of the other items that God showed me as I was reading. For those of you who are leaders, seeking leadership, learning to lead, or praying about it – here are some items that God brought to light from Joshua’s interactions in the story. 

1. Preparation matters. 

Joshua took the time to send out spies. He prepared his troops and set deadlines. There was preparation in all that he did surrounding the battle of Jericho. We know from previous studies that God values order. It would make sense that those who are chosen to lead his people would embody the same traits. 

2. Honor your commitments.

Throughout the Bible we see leaders who give firm answers. Consistency seems to be key. Christ says to let our yes, be yes, and our no, be no – meaning don’t go back on your word. Now I’m not super good at this one, specifically with myself. And I may be stretching this a bit so take it back to God but it seems to me that He consistently does what he promises. God is a “man” of his word. He says and he does and as his children we are called to mimic that to the best of our ability. So if you make a commitment, then you need to follow through on it to the best of your ability. I get it, life happens, but if you promise to be at an event for work, then you should be there. And if you promise to do something for someone, then you should honor that commitment. 

3. Discretion is the better part of valor.

Joshua made an interesting decision in verse 1. Notice that God tells us that Joshua sent the spies in secret. This didn’t make sense to me at first but the more I dove in to study it, the more it did. His predecessor, Moses, had sent out spies into Canaan. 12 of them. And their report disheartened the Israelites. Joshua sent out 2 and he did so secretly. They only reported to him. He needed to know what he was going up against but he learned from Moses and chose not to share it with the people as he didn’t want to dishearten the people. Sometimes God will call you to do something, but be selective in who you share it with. Before you make any large decisions, pray, seek God, and selectively share what you are up against with those who will support you in prayer. 

Final Words: 

I know it was a long post and a lot of information. But I want you to know this, you are not what you are, what you do, where you live, or what you grew up in. You are who God calls and says that you are. Don’t live life based on the rules of this society and culture. It’s unfair and unjust. Only God can bring justice and fairness, walk in obedience to him and watch how your life changes. He’s good at that. So, hang that scarlet lifeline out your window. Start by telling him you want what he’s doing for others and he will meet you where you are. You aren’t too far gone, too dirty, or unworthy – those are just lies, girl. Time to start new!

With all my love,

Hannah