Answers Bible Curriculum 2nd Edition Unit 7 Lesson 64
This week in Sunday school, we look at how Joshua sends spies into Jericho and how God helps Israel via a very surprising person: a Canaanite prostitute. Why did Rahab welcome the spies? Was it right for her to lie to protect them? And what was God showing Israel and us today about his great salvation using Rahab? We’ll consider these questions and more.
Our main text for this lesson is Joshua 2:1-24.
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all right well good morning everyone welcome back to Sunday school good to see you we’re looking at another kind of transition today we are coming to the end of our time in the Torah we’ve been in the first five books of the Bible for a while but we’re actually moving on to the book of Joshua today and we are going to be in the book of Joshua for the rest of our lesson unit so about the next six lessons or so this means that we start talking today about Israel’s conquest of Canaan proper last time we heard about how God prepared the way for Israel’s conquest we saw how God brought the people to the eastern side of the Jordan River he caused the people under Moses to vanquish two powerful amirite kingdoms and even turned one prophets attempt to curse Israel into a time of prophetic blessing on Israel so before the conquest has even begun the conquest proper God has made clear that his purposes for Israel his purposes involving Israel will not be stopped they will come to pass but will God still show favor to Israel when there’s a change in leadership because at this point because of Moses is sin at Meribah God has forbidden Moses from entering the promised land is instead called Moses his helper Joshua to lead Israel into the land and begin the conquest so would God still be with Israel under Joshua God had a special relationship with Moses Moses interceded for the lives of the people multiple times what God still show favor with Joshua we’re going to see the answer to that question over the next few lessons but we begin to see it today because God is in the text that we look at going to continue to prepare the way for Israel in an extremely surprising fashion God has a special agent that will act on Israel’s behalf and who is this special agent it is a Canaanite a woman a prostitute and a liar and yet not only would God use this woman Rahab and a critical way for Israel but she would also be an example of God’s grace and the life-changing effect of faith for all people of all time so let’s learn today about Rahab and how she helps the spies of Israel and let’s pray before we go on Heavenly Father we thank you for this account it is very hope giving account lord I pray that you help me to bill explain it well help us to appreciate the impact of just what a great God you are and how you demonstrate that whether Rahab in the spies in Jesus name Amen I please take your Bibles and open to Joshua chapter 2 Joshua chapter 2 and that will be page 224 for using the Pew Bible Joshua chapter 2 let me give you a little bit more reminders on the specific context of this account at this point Moses that great prophet and deliverer of God has died after giving a final exposition of God’s law to the second generation of Israel on the plains of Moab the plains of Moab that would be on the eastern side of the Jordan opposite the Fords that actually are on the way to Jericho now this exposition this last sermon of Moses is written down for us in the book of Deuteronomy after that sermon God led Moses up to the top of Mount Nebo where God granted Moses a supernaturally assisted look of all the land that God was finally about to give to Israel and then Moses died and was buried by God in an unknown location buried by God himself but now Joshua leads Israel and in Joshua chapter 1 got Commission’s and encourages Joshua to lead Israel into Canaan and he specifically charges Joshua to know and pay close attention to all the law of God as given by Moses people of Israel proclaim their support their loyalty to Joshua and they urge him just as God urged him to be strong and courageous this leads us to the beginning of chapter 2 where we look into the account and we’re gonna start just by reading the first seven verses of chapter 2 Joshua 2 verses 1 to 7 follow along with me as I read Word of God says then Joshua the son of nun sent you meant as spies secretly from Satine saying go view the land especially Jericho so they went and came into the house a harlot whose name was Rahab and lodged there it was told the king of Jericho saying behold men and the sons of Israel have came here tonight to search out the land and the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab saying bring out the men who have come to you who have entered your house or they have come to search out all the land but the woman had taken the two men and hidden them and she said yes the man came to me but I did not know where they were from it came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark that the men went out I do not know where the men went pursue them quickly for you will overtake them but she had brought them up to the roof and hidden him in the stalks of the flax stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof so the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the Fords and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out they shut the gate all right let’s pause here in our understanding of the account so we could just make some basic observations before crossing the Jordan River and actually entering Cain and Joshua sends out two spies and notice their mission given to us in verse one they are to view the land especially Jericho they find a place to stay in Jericho the house of a harlot or prostitute named Rahab in verse two however word reaches the king that these two Israelite spies are at Rahab’s house and so in verse three he orders Rahab to deliver the men over but how does Rahab respond she tells the tale she missed the men came to her do you search she did not know they were Israelites she says the men left through the city gate at dark and she does not know where they went but she encourages the King to pursue them meanwhile according to verse six Rahab has actually brought the spies to her roof and hidden them in stalks of flax back then flax that have been used for linen clothing would be first soaked in water and then dried in the Sun so she probably hid the spies underneath these stalks of drawing flax so she says one thing to the king but she really knows what the spies are which means her story to the king is really a way it’s a lie maybe partly true but it’s a lie but as a result of this tall tale notice the Kings directions or the King spies I’m sorry the Kings meant they pursue the spies by going east east from Jericho toward the Jordan along the road to the main crossing point affords of the Jordan River and who would be on the other side of the Jordan at this crossing point the people of Israel that makes sense that the King would pursue the spies in this direction now with these basic observations let’s ask some interpretation questions might find it odd that the Israelites these two spies they take lodging in a harlots house but surely they did not do so for an impure purpose why Lodge with a prostitute but in name that’s where transient people could go unnoticed all right this is a place where they can hopefully catch as little attention as possible house of ill-repute or a house or people who are just coming and going can go it would be a place it’d be a perfect place for spies to hide and so they figured all right let’s stay here it’s also possible that since we learned later on her house was on the edge of the city actually in the city wall that it would serve as a convenient place of escape if they really needed to get away so it was a very strategic choice to stay at Rahab’s house nevertheless God made it so that the spies were discovered Rahab lies about the Israelites being in her house but her lie was very significant everyone knew that these spies would be in the city for one main reason what would be coming later if the spies were already there yeah to invade the land to conquer Jericho so the situation was very dire for the king and the people of Jericho to protect the city from the Israelites it was vital the nd Israelite spies be discovered apprehended and probably executed it all being the name was saving the city but Rahab protects the spies so by protecting the spies what had Rahab decided about purse she knew was going to be destroyed yeah go ahead do you say well or attack or at least attack she knew that the city would be attacked and I think you’re even right to say she knew that it would be conquered she’s throwing her laden with the Israelites in fact we could even say she’s really turning her back on the city this is not her merely hedging her bets you see gray hab was not really just lying here she was committing treason she’s separating herself from her Gentile people her Canaanite people she’s distant distancing herself from their way of life and she’s decided to stand with the Hebrews does this remind you of anyone else that we’ve seen in the Torah the midwife the midwives to certain extent but also Moses is a man who was raised among the Gentiles he knew all their education in their culture but what does Hebrew say about Moses he considered the treasures of Christ or he’s considered Christ and the rewards of Christ greater than all the treasures of Egypt and decided to stand with his brethren who were slaves rather than continue in Pharaoh’s household we say Rahab going through a similar process here she decides to turn her back on her people and stand with Israel and in doing so she saves the lives the spies who come to her but it’s part of this process Rahab tells a lie was her lie wrong was it righteous was it excusable now we’ve talked about the issue of lying and righteous lies when we talked about the Hebrew midwives back in Exodus it’s worth bringing up the issue again here though because how central Rahab’s lie is in bringing about this situation we see in our text was her lie righteous now the rest of the scripture is gonna have a lot of interesting remarks when it comes to Rahab interactions here and I want to just briefly take you through the majority of those so take your Bibles first and take a look at Joshua chapter 6 verses 17 and 25 that was still in the same book just a few pages over this is later on when Jericho is actually conquered Joshua 6:17 and notice what comment is made about Rahab there it says the city shall be under the ban that is devoted to destruction it and all that is in it belongs to the Lord or Yahweh only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live because she hid the messengers whom we sent I’ll go down to verse 25 verse 25 says however Bray have the harlot and her father’s household and all she had Joshua spared G has lived in the midst of Israel to this day where she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho and mints what we learn here about Rahab from Joshua six she her family and her possessions they are all spared in Jericho’s destruction and she even continues to live in Israel afterward but notice the specific reason why she is spared it says because she hid the spies now let’s look at the New Testament jump all the way over to Matthew chapter one Matthew 1 verse 5 where we see matthew’s genealogy of Jesus the royal genealogy likely the line of Joseph here and notice what we hear in verse 5 regarding Rahab matthew 1:5 it says salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab Boaz was the father of Obed by ruth and obed the father of Jesse how very interesting which is Matthew report to us about Rahab she becomes part of the line of Israel’s kings which culminates in the Messiah this means that Rahab sometime after the events of reported in Joshua she apparently married a Jew named salmon and became the mother of Beau Epps also later the mother-in-law of Ruth what kind of man was Boaz it was a righteous man a generous man and also notably kind to foreigners coincidence let’s look at Hebrews now look at Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews 11 verse 31 see another comment about Rahab Hebrews 11 31 says by faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient after she had welcomed the spies in peace the writer Hebrew tells us specifically Rahab is an example of fate even saving faith in the actions that she did on behalf of the spies what specifically did she do to the author Hebrews she welcome to the spies and peace that’s how she proved her faith Jason James says something similar about Rahab turned over book of James chapter 2 James 2:25 James 2:25 I mean the author James is making the point in his book special in the beginning that true faith always produces births and he points to Rahab as an example here’s what he says James 2:25 in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by her by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way so James two points to Rahab as an example of faith the true kind of faith that produces the deeds and what’s the specific worker Good Eats was James points she received Israel’s messengers and sent them out another place that they would not be caught now do you know it’s from all these verses that we just looked at which part of Rahab’s actions is left out and every biblical writers praise of her are like it’s not mentioned at all it’s not commanded not mentioned other things she did are commended but not her lying this is very notable and on a slightly different tack is the Bible very clear about whether lying is a sin it’s quite clear and I’ll just bring you through a quick survey verses you don’t need to turn to these zombie a little bit quicker with them that you have them listed there on your screen X is 2016 10 commandments you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor this is basic to the law of God proverbs 12:22 lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh and those but those who deal faithfully are his delight so God strongly condemns the habit of lying revelation 21:8 says but for the Cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons sorcerers and idolaters and all Liars their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death revelation says that lying is the characteristic of those who will burn forever under God’s holy wrath in a lake of fire washes 3:9 says do not lie to one another since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices so as Christians part of living the worthy life worthy walk because our salvation means having a righteous mouth putting off the old sinful way of actions including lying Titus 1:2 Titus 1 to give you a little fragment here but it has an important phrase in the middle it says in the hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie promised long ages ago so Paul is talking about God’s promises in this passage and he says he’s reminding Titus that lying is impossible for God God’s nature requires him to speak the truth and only the truth all the time this is to give us confidence in the Word of God and then first John 2:20 1 first John 2:20 1 says I’ve not written to you because you do not know the truth but because you do know it and because no lie is of the truth so no lie comes from or has anything to do with the truth now just this brief survey verses and there many more in the scriptures that talk about lying or telling the truth do any of these verses list exceptions for innocent permitted or even righteous lies they don’t and they’re all lies are grouped in the same category in these verses and they’re all condemned but this shouldn’t be too surprising because of the truth captured in Titus 1:2 and that is God cannot lie and this is what we’ve focused on in our previous discussion about lying as God is the basis of all righteousness if it is true that God cannot lie then lying can never be good because anything that is anything that is loving anything that is righteous or just must already be in God because God is God if there’s something that we can do that’s good that God cannot do then there’s some flaw something lacking in God which would contradict God’s very nature if flying wherever good ever right God would be able to do it or some goodness would be lacking in God but because God cannot lie this shows us that lying is never good lying is never right it is never loving it is never what a Christian is to do now it’s true that God sometimes withhold information doesn’t always say everything that he knows sometimes he allows people to believe what is false but he never lies so the scriptures are clear lying in any situation is sinful so bringing us back to Rahab we can be confident that in lying Rahab sinned but someone may say well if Rahab sinned and why did things turn out so well for Rahab we’re gonna see this a little bit more later on she was just honoring God why did God bless her what’s the answer the reasons God decided not to bring punishment or chastening to her for her lie God was being merciful to Rahab I mean there are other times in the scripture where God still blessed his people who sinned sometimes righteous people who are not demonstrating full faith maybe by lying and God still blesses them or all the times God chooses to show undeserved mercy to the wicked who lived their whole lives in opposition to God he still allows them to experience good on the other hand they’re people who walk faithfully with the Lord in the scriptures and they suffer for it some of them are even killed for it is that a sign of God’s disfavor no ultimately we can’t look to how a situation turns out to know what God thinks is right or praiseworthy we have to look at what God actually said what he commanded what was his own example what is his own nature and for those things we see that lying is sinful regardless of the consequences but another might ask well affray have sinned she lied how could she be held up as an example of faith in the rest of the scriptures is a lie kind of tainting her example of being a faithful person well it’s true that righteous acts if you’re doing a particular righteous accurate the thinking aright just thought and sin enters into it it does become tainted and that’s why apart from Christ there is truly nothing good that we could do even the really nice things or what seemed like righteous things on the outside if they’re tainted by a selfish motive or by some sinful component then they are not honoring to God and everything that we do is like that apart from Christ nevertheless it’s also true according to the scriptures that a person can do something righteous while at the same time doing something unrighteous or very shortly after doing something unrighteous and we can see this in a number of places in the scriptures I’ll just give you a few examples think about the woman who had the bleeding issue in the New Testament a member this woman she had this bleeding issue for four years but she has faith in Jesus and in Jesus’s healing power that she can be healed if she comes to Jesus now that is a righteous leaf and she’s commended even by Jesus for seeking him out for healing at Matthew 9 22 Jesus says to this woman daughter take courage your faith has made you well at once the woman was made well Wow one example of righteous faith but the woman’s specific method for obtaining this healing was actually sinful and unloving how so Oh in the account surrounding that statement I just read we see that she an unclean woman went into the midst of a people risking making them unclean and she deliberately touched another person which would have made him unclean too now she said I only want to touch the fringe of His garment but hey you touch His garment he’s wearing the garment he’s gonna become unclean and the Old Testament you’re instructed if you’re unclean you stay away from people and you do not make them unclean that is very unloving to make them ceremonially unclean and who are we talking about here we’re talking about Jesus this great teacher this miracle worker and more than that he is the perfect Lamb of God she’s gonna defile she’s gonna make ceremonially unclean the Lamb of God just so that she can be healed that’s not very loving of course Jesus is holiness his power is such that no unclean touch could defile him anything unclean touches Jesus it becomes clean but nevertheless you see with this woman even though she was demonstrating true faith and even righteousness by coming to Jesus to be healed her method of carrying this out obtained or was including a sinful component or to point to another example that we’ve already seen think about Moses back in the book of Exodus New Testament commends his faith even when he’s part of Pharaoh’s household I going to check out his brethren and identifying with them and even defending an oppressed Israelite taking vengeance this was righteous he was saying I’m not gonna stand with Egypt anymore I’m gonna stand with Israel and I’m gonna stand up for my brethren but how did what Moses in his faith and what he was demonstrating how did that include a plainly sinful part he committed murder he murdered an Egyptian he had no reason to murder this Egyptian other than he wanted to obtain vengeance but was not his right in that situation didn’t appear to be necessary so Moses even though he was demonstrating righteous faith he was also sinning and the way that he sought to carry out that righteous impulse so we see something similar with a brick hat we observed that she is righteous and she welcomes the spies she stands with Israel she fears the God of Israel she makes sure that the spies lies our lives are protected but her protection her faith that it contained a sinful choice along with it and that was to tell this lie now someone may say well what else was she gonna do she didn’t lie how else how on earth where she and the spies gonna get out of that Jam happy she saved their lives was there’s no other way she could have gotten out of that well is that really true we asked or what else could she have done that’s really a fair question because we don’t know there’s no way to know what else she could have done or what else God could have done to accomplish deliverance here maybe there was another way to protect and conceal these spies that didn’t involve telling a lie maybe she could have been more strategic with what she shared with the kings in tell the truth but withhold information that wouldn’t have resulted in the spies being discovered or maybe God could have done something miraculous or maybe she would have told the truth or just refused to say anything and they’d find the spies they’re all taken prisoner and they’re later rescued maybe they all were killed as holy martyrs and believers in Yahweh and we certainly know that honoring God is more important than life itself and it’s rewarded with eternal life so any number of things might have happened but God allowed these events to happen just as they did just as he desired because it was part of a larger purpose God did not force Rahab to sin it’s all part of what he ordained he actually suddenly arranged that the spies would be delivered by a faith filled yet failing prostitute he determined that this way would be the way that would give him the most glory so in one sense it couldn’t have happened any other way of course it’s worth mentioning that it’s quite amazing that Rahab did anything righteous at all considering the amount of Revelation she had about God considering what kind of person she was her background does she even chose to welcome the spies is amazing and God himself had performed this work inside of her yes it’s true she shouldn’t have lied but Wow considering her situation I can’t believe we should be amazed as she did what she did now on this question of necessity of lying just one other thought about it you know that the vast majority of lies in our day are excused any lies that is tried to be have an excuse his excuses being necessary I had to tell this lie it was for a good purpose I had to do it but as believers we know from the scriptures that nothing is necessary except God and following God’s Way if we can escape danger in a situation that we face righteously without sinning we do so it’s not necessary that we actually just go out there and ask for suffering walk into the middle of a dangerous situation is they do do everything who wants me and Jesus even tell us the disciples that they persecute you and once did he flee to another you’ve got more work to do you don’t have to sit there if you’ve got more opportunity for ministry so if there’s a way we can righteously escape danger we can do so and we can even get strategic and creative about how we do so you remember and I brought this up before the book of Acts when also put on trial by the Jews they they don’t like that he’s preaching the gospel of Jesus they’re accusing him of untrue things and Paul realizes he’s not going to get a fair trial with the Jews and so what does he cry out says brethren I’m being put on trial today from my hope in the resurrection which was true but it was also a very strategic thing to say because the people who are trying him disagreed on whether the resurrection really was going to happen one group of people who are trying to kill him turned against another people and they say hey we stand with Paul so that was a creative way to get out of that situation but it didn’t involve any wrongdoing so again we can do that too but in the end if danger or punishment cannot be escaped that’s it and we accepted we accept that danger or that punishment merely trusting God to provide and deliver because he will do so in this life and or in the next you know it just comes to my mind right now who’s a great example of this three friends of Daniel they knew that if they just bowed down dude statue that never considered one of them to do so they could have saved their lives and in a way they could have come up with all sorts of rationalizations they could say even though I’m bowing down I’m not really worshiping you know it just kind of looks like a wish meeting but I’m not but didn’t even go that route they knew that would be a compromise they said look Nebuchadnezzar we know that our God is able to deliver us even from you and your threats but if he doesn’t just know that we’re not going to bow down to your gods this should be the same for us let us never be what some Christians were accused of being in Romans 3:8 the word that’s some people were saying that Christians were saying was that let us sin let us do evil that good may come I think a lot of people are tempted to believe this when it comes to lying hey there’s a good outcome for this life though it’s permissible when does that ever true in the Christian life I’m just not sin that good come I’ll just do good trust out of the result now you may still have a practical questions when it comes to flying and telling the truth but I do believe the scriptures are clear and that God’s character is clear that there’s no such thing as a righteous lie of course there are times when we say things that are technically not true but are not really lying like we tell jokes are you sarcasm or act on stage use figures of speech use certain kinds of paraphrases etc but in those instances we have indicated to our audience in one way or another that we are speaking in a special mode so I would not consider that lying but outside of those instances if we write or say something untrue we lie and we’ve come unlike God and we dishonor God through our words because we testify that his quality of total truthfulness is not glorious it’s even a flaw in God so my dear brothers and sisters let us speak the truth whenever we speak let’s not even lie to make some surprise birthday party for somebody no lie is of the truth the scripture says it won’t always worship God without word but I’m actor ray Rahab’s lie was not righteous but her hiding the spies was and actually this was incredibly courageous and a faith filled act but why did she do it what was motivating her to treat Israel’s pie is this way we’re gonna find out as we read the rest of our passage look at Joshua chapter 2 back to Joshua chapter 2 and we’re gonna read from verses 8 to 24 Joshua 2 starting in verse 8 along with me as I read we’re used to saying now before they lay down she came up to them on the roof said to the men I know that Yahweh has given you the land that the terror of you has fallen on us that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you that we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came up when you came out of Egypt and what you did to the two kings the emirates who were beyond the Jordan to Sion and AAG whom you utterly destroyed when we heard it our hearts melted and had no courage and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you for Yahweh your God He is God in heaven above and on earth now therefore please swear to me by Yahweh since I have dealt kindly with you that you also deal kindly with my father’s household and give me a pledge of truth and deliver our lives from death so the men said to her our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours and it shall come about when Yahweh gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you then she let them down by a rope through the window for her house what’s on the city wall so that she was living on the wall she said to them go to the hill country so that the pursuers would not happen upon you and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return then afterwards you may go on your way men said to her we shall be free from this earth you which you have made us wear unless when we come into the you tie the cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you led us down and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street his blood shall be on his own head and we shall be free but anyone who is with you in the house his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on but if you tell this business of ours then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear she said according to your words so be it so she sent them away and they departed as she tied the scarlet cord in the window they departed and came to the hill country and remain there for three days until the pursuers returned now the pursuers had sought them all along the road but had not found them then the two men returned came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of nun and they related to him all that had happened to them they said to Joshua shortly Yahweh has given us all the land into our hands moreover all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us let’s observe this latter section notice what it is that Rahab has heard about the Israelites and their God according to verse 10 he’s heard about the Great Red Sea deliverance and the conquest of Israel against Sion and hog what had this news done to her and her people she says it filled them with terror they lost all their courage and notice also according to verse 9 what Rahab concluded what would happen to Canaan she said God has given this land to you to Israel I know that and notice what else she Berkeley knows about God in verse 11 she says Yahweh is God heaven and earth let’s not forget who’s saying these things Cain and I prostitute Canaanites were wicked people they were devoted to destruction according to the Torah they were to be too devoted to destruction and yet she one of them a notorious sinner among them she’s saying all these true things about God and then in the verses that follow these amazing declarations rehab requests that the Israelites swear to her that when they conquered Jericho but they spare her and her relatives and the Israelites agree on certain conditions and we see those conditions in our passage Rahab is not to tell anyone about their business she and her family at her stay inside the house during the attack on Jericho and she’s to tie a scarlet cord in her window this cord is apparently a different item than the rope that she used to help the men climbed down a different word in Hebrew also she ties it after they’re led down so it wouldn’t it wouldn’t have been tied already but this was going to be the sign the mark the people of Israel don’t mess with that house Rahab also gives the spies advice how to turn safely to their camp in verse 16 he tells them to go into the hill country and stay there three days now they appreciate the significance of this remember Jericho is part of the valley of the Jordan the bottom of the valley is the Jordan River and it’s to the east of Jericho and this is where the king’s men went to go look for the spies so the edge of the valley well where would it be the hills the the higher elevations it would be on the west on the other side of Jericho so she’s actually telling the spies go the opposite direction that anybody would think you would go go to the west go to the hills you can hide in the hills and then return later so the spies follow her device they escaped the city by climbing down the window climbing down the rope from Rahab’s window because her house was in the city wall and they do as she instructs and they come back to the camp of Israel and then once they return they tell Joshua what happened and notice their conclusion in verse 24 they say Yahweh surely has given us this land where all our enemies are melting with fear having made these observations let’s talk interpretation once again two main questions really having to do with the whole passage think about the results of the spying mission why did God have the two spies go through all that they did aw gee with Rahab nearly being discovered and then later returning to Joshua with their report what do you think I was thinking about the verses you mentioned earlier about the genealogy and and the explanations in the New Testament and to me it just seems like God really gets a lot of glory through using someone so imperfect accomplish his purposes right huge part of why this had to happen was so that we could see the God glorifying faith of Rahab we’ll talk more about that just a second but saw another hand yes yes yes well he doesn’t reward or punishment for her lines I think I was doing a study on Rahab and she’s like the first recorded Gentile that accepts Christ down the road one of the other things is that it’s like a foreshadowing of how in the New Testament Jesus said he’s going to bring peace between the Gentiles and the Jews and she’s like the first Gentile that accepts Christ and it’s through her fear what she saw happening in the land and one other thing I want to say is that I thought it was interesting that they told her to hang the red scarlet port down and it made me think of Passover and because she had accepted Christ it was like that house was redeemed yeah interesting parallels there just to recap what you said briefly Rahab stands out as the first or one of the first Gentiles to embrace Yahweh you say embrace Christ obviously she didn’t know it she didn’t know that name at that time but in a sense that’s true because anybody who saved is saved by Christ and she was looking to God provision even though she didn’t know the specifics of that yet yes she is one of the first and actually this is consistent with God’s entire purpose for Israel God says in the Torah you ought to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation oh wait I thought the priests veiss how can they be a kingdom of priests or they were going to function as priests for all the nations of the world they’re gonna be interceding for them and even drawing all the nations to Yahweh by being a holy people by having justice in their land and by having God do such mighty works in their behalf they were going to be they were designed to be drawing the Gentile nations to Yahweh now of course we’re going to read through the rest the Old Testament that that’s a mission that they largely failed to accomplish they will accomplish it one day when God causes Israel to repent and establishes his kingdom in Israel nevertheless we see that purpose already beginning in a very strange way with Rahab because this is the moment of conquest destroyed the Gentiles they’re evil wicked get them out of the land and God says I don’t want you to miss the fact that I’m actually intent to draw Gentiles to myself and Rahab is certainly one example of that he also noted the parallel between the Scarlet cord and the Passover certainly a similar idea it’s kind of like there’s a sign this house is redeemed this house this house is under the protection of Yahweh and ultimately that does have a connection to Christ so yes very interesting so it is important the spies needed to meet Rahab go through what they did because God was gonna glorify himself in revealing Rahab’s faith in showing his protection for a Canaanite Gentile prostitute he was going to show that he is able to deliver not just Rahab but also the spies go let’s face it the spies also needed help we’re about to die if we’re if we’re caught God says look I know how to protect you and I’m gonna do it this way and also certainly this would have been immensely encouraging to Israel not only seeing the faith of this woman but also her report that everyone in the land even in Jericho this strongly fortified city they are terrified of Israel not because Israelites are so great but because of Israel’s God and that’s why the spies say what they do in verse 24 surely God has given us the land cuz look look at the way the people are quaking in their boots let’s believe the Lord let’s obey Yahweh let’s go obtain the land all of this wouldn’t happen unless they had run into Rahab and experienced what they did they needed to hear her report they needed to see her faith they needed to experience her protection now along those lines let me ask another question because rehabs actions were not only helpful at that time they’re recorded in meticulously in the scripture for all future generations to behold so how what does Rahab’s example not only meant to encourage Israel but even us today toward obedience we see in Rahab how God provide for anyone who trusts in him despite their history of sin despite their social station despite their ethnic background God says you look to me I will vindicate your faith the rest of the Scriptures will certainly be clear especially in the New Testament just how powerful God is to forgive cleanse and transform sinners no one is beyond the grace of God I mean you can’t get that more clearly than with Rahab I mean she is the most notorious of sinners she is one of the most notorious sinners at that time and Israel’s eyes and God says look look at what I’m able to do even for her when she looks to me and faith it’s also amazing when you think about it it’s not like Rahab was saved and then just went on to live an immoral life no because of what we see what bo asked Rahab must have grown in faith she must have become a wise and righteous woman in Israel because she rears up a faithful son and God was even pleased to have her be in the line of Messiah this is God’s powerful grace this is God’s saving and transforming grace which is not just available to Rahab but to any of us today no matter where you come from no matter what your situation is right now if you look to Jesus if you believe in him if you repent of your sin just the same way that Rahab did she said I’m not living that old life anymore I’m not going to continue to behave the way that the people around me behave I’m following Yahweh if we do the same thing in our lives and say I’m letting go of my old life I’m gonna trust in Christ instead what will God do Reagan has proof God says I will vindicate that faith this is a testimony a powerful Testament that we see in the life of Rahab we also see along with this the incredible power of God just in general because he’s not only able to save but he’s able to subdue all enemies all his enemies all his peoples enemies in terror and even cause them to turn to God when God so chooses you know one of the themes that we were talking about last line last time is that God is the unstoppable God makes no sense to rebel against God to oppose his purposes because you’re not gonna win that’s the sentiment behind the phrase in psalm 46 be still and know that I am God stop rebelling stop conspiring you’re not gonna win against me or Psalm 2 why do the nation’s rage and the people’s devise a vain thing they say let’s take off the yoke of Yahweh and take off the yoke of Yahweh’s king but what does Yahweh do says he in the heaven he who sits in the heavens laughs and he says as for me I’ve installed my King on Mount Zion I don’t know what you guys are doing but I’ve installed my King on Mount Zion it’s gonna happen look at even here whether Rahab how that truth is Illustrated all the people of the land are cowering in fear God says I’m able to make them do that and more than that God says look I’ll even turn this notorious sinner towards me that’s my power and so when we think about maybe notorious sinners today or enemies of God we do not need to fear them just as Israel did not need to fear its enemies because who who is in control of all who reigns Yahweh does our God does and he says look I’m able to subdue them in a moment I can destroy them I can cause them to run away in fear or I can even draw them to myself now of course everyone is responsible for his own actions Donal turn to God unless God is gracious to them though because of their evil hearts God says I’m able to do that so don’t fear maybe you have somebody who’s persecuting you maybe you have somebody who’s threatened you maybe you have somebody who’s just such a notorious Senate you say that person could never come to God it’s so rebellious this account shows us don’t forget the power of God he is the unstoppable God he can make anyone turn to him if you so chooses God revealing himself in such a way as he did to rehab and so that person says oh I want to follow him I wanted I want to be with the ahwe I see his beauty I see his glory I see his power I don’t want to go any other way why God is such a God he is so great in his power and he’s also so great in his grace Rahab is a testament to that to all generations so we need to heed that testimony already we’re thinking a little bit about application and so I do think that is the main application that I want you to take home from this text no one is too unclean for Jesus no one is beyond God’s grace or power God is glorified and saving transforming and providing for such people as Rahab he didn’t just provide for her you also provide it for the spies they provided for Israel as they were coming into the land to obtain the land and he’ll also provide for us now there are a few other application questions I want to bring to your attention I took these from the workbook from Answers in Genesis if you do now you’ll see the same questions there along the same lines what we’ve been looking at today so more questions that help you consider the implications of what we talked about number one what do we learn about God through this account we’re a lying prostitute was adopted in God’s chosen nation and became became an ancestor of the Messiah we’ve already seen the grace of God certainly display the power of God put on display but what else yes I see another hand yeah we all can be included no matter where we come from what we’ve done who we are you often be included it means surrender to God we allow him to come into our lives all things are washed away and we to the point where he was chosen to be of the line of the Messiah yeah the saving nature of God the the openness of this salvation he is a God even though there’s only one way to be saved and that is through Christ and nevertheless it is offered to all anyone anyone who turns they they have the possibility of salvation they will be saved if they turn God guarantees so yeah no matter matter where I’m from what else do we see yes go ahead what he was asked to do but his sovereignty and his sovereignty even though she lies God accomplished what he wanted through encouraging the spies that they do like he said Wow they’re afraid of us we can do this and it also shows us what faith can do when we yeah so more emphasized here the sovereignty of God and the power of faith or and how it how it translates into righteous action yes both of those things are true and that’s that’s all God’s God’s the one who’s doing that it’s Lee another thing we see here is how God wanted that kind of like a characteristic way that God loves to exalt himself and that is by raising up the humble as I said can’t get much more can’t get much lower than Rahab God says here is one that I will exalt she has faith in me and now I will raise her up not only by saving her protecting her in the time of Israel’s invasion again honor from all time being included in the scripture being put into the line in the Messiah that’s the way God exalts the humble who turned to him this is a truth from Scripture God is opposed to proud but gives grace to the humble and what’s the opposite that we see here Jericho this proud City this strong City the city that had trusted in itself in its own way what’s gonna happen to them they’re gonna be laid low they’re gonna be destroyed they’re gonna be annihilated by God this is the truth that we need to remember he is this kind of God he loves to glorify himself by taking the low and exalting them but he loves to take those who will not glorify God those who exalt themselves he says I’ll bring you low because I’m jealous from my own glory God as opposed to proud but gives grace to the humble we could see other things but hopefully you can at least see those from this passage here’s another question how does an account like this one where a person sin is put on display both relying and err also her her past how does it demonstrate the authenticity of the Bible it shows no sin is too great that if we confess it God is faithful to redeem and also I thought about my sins were put on display by Jesus when he come for me so just thinking theological excel difficult yes we see that no one is beyond God’s grace and we see that even in our own lives on the cross our sins were accounted and paid for by Christ but just thinking about the authenticity of the scriptures as a whole this this story being recorded as it does how does it show that the Bible is true it takes the negative into a positive I mean most most acts in history most countries like Babylon and Assyria they they never really catalog their their weaknesses or they’re wrong but but God is willing to show what people come up short and how exhausting yeah so yeah just in comparison to other ancient nations other ancient texts this is very very surprising the way the israel’s history is related official was coming up with this themselves this is all made up they came up with their own past which is what many liberal scholars say today why would they choose this why would they choose to say all right we’re a nation of former slaves who were redeemed by Yahweh even though we were really sinful people no one would come up with that they say all by our righteousness we were once Kings but we were unjustly oppressed oh they come up with this this glorious tale which is not actually true but the fact that the Bible records Israel’s history as it does in a way that nobody would have made up it shows us that the Bible is true or looking at Rahab she becomes a hero of faith but is this the kind of hero faith anyone would choose no surely we need some sort of King we need some sort of noble person this our righteous woman who has been pure her whole life and she will be the example of faith that’s what we would come up with God says that’s not how I glorify myself and that’s not it’s not system with real life in real life we’re all Trail and failing people and yet God works powerfully in our lives by His grace we actually can take comfort in the authenticity of the Bible showing us even faith filled person’s failings because we say if God was still able to show mercy and show powerful transforming grace in that person’s life you can do it in my own but this is this is part of why we see the truthfulness of the Bible it doesn’t hide the reality of the world and the reality of the people the past shows us as they really were and yet we see God working a powerful way in them now one a last question for you to think about if you were faced with the situation where seemed as though lying would be the action that would best protect someone from harm how might you respond in a way that demonstrates your faith in God we’ve already talked about this question the answer basically is don’t lie you demonstrate faith and not lying telling the truth or saying something else even if it’s not everything that you could say something that’s not a lie God would never expect his people to sin to accomplish his plans he sometimes uses it but that isn’t his will for us that’s not what he’s prescribed for us he calls on us to be like him and know where we have failed in this and I don’t think there’s any single one of us who says who has never told a lie where we have failed we are forgiven in Christ if we have turned to Christ and faith and repentance we are forgiven even for every careless word we have spoken nevertheless we should not sin with the idea that thinking some good will come from it even God’s forgiveness and grace we can trust that God will accomplish his plans for us without a hint of sin so though maybe maybe circumstances may turn out to be more difficult for us because we tell the truth and must obey God I think as we know that he can take care of us any other questions about what you heard today I’m sorry what is your name you’ve raised your hands I roll times Liz okay good to meet you well if you have any other questions I’m sorry pardon me alright if you have any other questions or comments on today’s lesson please feel free to email me send out the emails about the sunday school previews each week you can get get me at Daffy cepacia at gmail.com that’s all for this week next week we’re gonna see more of how God confirms that he is with Joshua and he is with ischial because God is going to do something else very powerful and momentous Israel will cross the Jordan River even the raging Jordan River on dry ground now I look forward to talking to you about that next time let me close in prayer a Heavenly Father we thank you for this account for this testimony of how you are the unstoppable God even when it comes to transforming sinners who would have ever believed that Rahab would become a follower of Yahweh a powerful agent of your will a faithful person will come to raise up another generation of righteous Israelites who would have thought who would have thought that was possible and yet it’s possible through you salvation is impossible with man but it is possible with you we thank you for that God because when we’re honest we are all like Rahab deep down maybe we didn’t sin the same way that she did but we have all sinned and fallen short of your glory we all loved ourselves we all went the way of the world in one way or another but you had mercy on us just as you had mercy on her pray for any of those who are listening today who have not yet seen your mercy I’ve not yet experienced your transforming grace that Lord they would call out to you that they would look to you in repentance and faith they would trust in only you Jesus Christ to be their substitute to be their righteousness apart from works apart from any ritual god I pray that you would glorify yourselves glorify yourself in their salvation just as you glorified yourself in Rahab’s I pray Lord you bless the people at Calvary as they continue worshiping and learning about you today and Jesus name Amen you all see you again soon