Rahab
Key: Blue=Bible, Red= Author notes, Spirit
Hebrews 11:31 (NIV)
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient (or unbelieving).
Hello World!
I want to first wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all. If you celebrate it, I hope you had an amazing time with your friends or family, and most importantly gave thanks to the one who deserves it the most. Before starting this blog today, I took a look back to the first post of the Hall of Faith, back in August 7, 2017. My goal was to be finished by Christmas in 2017…it looks like I will be a year late 😊. This was going to be my last post, but because I said I will do the extra 6 people mentioned in Hebrews 11, I will have a couple more weeks of this, but wow! God has done wondrous things during this last year, and I know more will be planned. Let’s get started!
Last post we spoke about the Wall of Jericho, but the miracle would not have happened if it weren’t for the faith of Rahab. Women are amazing, and the Bible is not afraid to share why. There are many skepticism about the Bible because it seems to downplay women, saying they aren’t equal to men, or they are property owned by their husbands, but remember, without woman there would literally be no Bible. Because of women, we are able to exist, so how can you say that women aren’t important? God gave women the ability to give birth, although it was a “punishment” it was also the “solution.” But that is for another time. No matter what anyone says, the Bible is not misogynistic, read, pray, and attempt to understand. God loves all including his sons and his daughters!
As per custom, I always recommend reading the Bible for yourself before reading my blog! Please read Joshua 2, before continuing with this blog. Rahab the prostitute lived in Jericho and made her name in the Bible by the act she committed. When Joshua sent 2 spies to check out the land, they stayed at Rahab’s home. The king of Jericho sent a message to Rahab asking for the spies, but she lied to them, saying that they did stay, but then they left, while they were really hiding in the roof. The king’s men believed her and went to pursue the spies. She then spoke to the spies, telling them how they heard of the triumph from the Lord, and how the nation was trembling in fear of the LORD. She then made an agreement with the spies to keep her family safe. Fast forward to the Wall of Jericho, they eventually took all the land but spared Rahab and her family.
Joshua 6:25
But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.
Rahab was appointed by faith because she hid the spies, and she received the immediate reward of life instead of death.
Literally right now, I am brimming with excitement. There is so much to take from Rahab the prostitute, that I have to write it down in a different color. First of all, there is no reason to call her a prostitute, but the Bible gives her that title. WHY? God will use anybody, and here we see Rahab being used in such a way…a prostitute. I am being honest here: I look down at prostitutes, I never been to a strip club before, but I have seen things online. It is a degrading act to do, but I’m no better for enjoying watching it online in the comfort of my home. In fact, I am even worse. To look down at prostitutes only makes you look down on yourself even more. But God doesn’t just see Rahab the Prostitute. The Bible gives her that “title,” but the title has nothing to do with who she is. Do you see the picture? In our world we give titles to people all the time, and those titles define who they are. But Rahab the prostitute, isn’t just a prostitute in Jericho who sells her body for money. She is a woman who had more faith than the Israelites 40 years earlier!!!
(SIGH) Sorry about that, but I hope I gave a little glimpse of how I am feeling right now. But I would argue that her faith is definitely stronger than the faith the Israelites had 40 years earlier. Please read Numbers 13-14! Joshua sent 2 spies to check out the land, but 40 years earlier, Joshua was one of 12 spies who went to spy out the land as ordered by the LORD and Moses. This meant that he knew what it was like to be a spy in a foreign land. When he returned, he, along with another spy, Caleb, made a good report about the lands, while the other 10 spies were against going to war.
Numbers 14:6-9
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
Although Joshua and Caleb had faith that the Lord will do what he promised, the whole assembly wanted to stone them for believing in such a crazy idea. On the other hand, in Joshua 2:8-12, we see Rahab’s faith in the LORD, she feared that the LORD will kill her and her family if she didn’t keep the spies safe. She had more fear in the LORD than she had in her KING. Proverbs 1:7 is a scripture I hold close to my heart, because I feel that fear is truly the beginning of faith. (This is also for another time!) This faithful fear was what saved her AND her family. And the Bible has a wonderful way of showing contrasts. Not only was she more faithful than the Israelites 40 years ago, she was even more faithful than some of the Israelites who ransacked the town of Jericho. If you want to learn more just read Joshua 7.
BUT WE ARE NOT DONE! She was soooo faithful, that because of this one event, God used her for something amazing. He had a plan for her that exceeds this one instance in time. Yes, she was alive while all those around her passed away, Yes, she saved not only her but her family, Yes she made it to the Hall of Faith, but she is even included in the Line of David and Jesus!
Matthew 1:5-6
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.
So, there are some that argue whether this Rahab is the prostitute as mentioned in this blog or another Rahab. But one thing that the Bible does is that it won’t mention the name of a women for no reason. In this way, women are even more respected in the Bible, since we do not see their names as much as men. In the names mentioned in Matthew 1:5-6, I only really recognize Rahab, Ruth, Boaz, Jesse, and David. Salmon and Obed are not really memorable (lol). So unless this Rahab was a place (which is the only other time that name is mentioned) it must be talking about Rahab the Prostitute.
Which means the greatest king of Israel had a great-great grandmother who was a prostitute. And again, it doesn’t stop there. Rahab’s name was presented in Matthew 1, which is the Genealogy of Jesus Christ. So not only did her faith saved her life, but God used her life to be part of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hopefully you can see why I got so excited to write this blog. And I don’t think it stops there. There is so much more I can talk about Rahab. For example, how must it have been like to lie to the King’s men. To risk your entire life for these random 2 men who entered your home. What if she doubted and handed them over. I know she must have been truly fearful during that time… What would you have done in her shoes? If you were hiding 2 spies from a different country in your home and the president sent the FBI to ask to hand over the 2 spies, what would you do? But again, it doesn’t stop there. What about her family? How would they react to the decision you made? What about your faith? She NEVER EVEN WITNESSED GOD! She simply heard stories of the amazing feats that the LORD has done with the Israelites and was trembling with fear. Do we have that same respect to the LORD? I know I don’t…
There is a lot more I’d like to talk about 😊, but I won’t! I hope you enjoyed this read. Sorry for it being a bit long!
With love,
Ayodeji Alaketu
