“Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.” Joshua 2:1 (NKJV)
Rahab was a prostitute in Canaan. She was not valued by her own people and yet when the opportunity to help someone else came along, she willingly hid the spies from the Israelite camp from those looking to kill them.
Apparently, she had heard about the God of Israel. Even though by today’s standards information traveled much slower than now, human nature is to tell stories of major events over and over again. She had heard of the Egyptian army drowning in the Red Sea by Israel’s God.
Rahab lied to the men sent by the king. She told them that the two men had come and gone; yet, she had hidden the two men from Israel on her rooftop under flax. She sent the king’s men on a foolish rabbit chase looking for the Israelite men when they were still in her house.
Before the spies left, Rahab asked them a favor. Since she had spared their lives, she asked that when Israel took Jericho that her life and the lives of her family be spared. She feared the Israelites more than she feared her own king.
What can I learn from Rahab in this story? She showed mercy and hospitality to the spies – enemies of her own people. There may be times when God asks me to show mercy and hospitality to someone who I would not normally associate with. Rahab didn’t go looking for these men, they were brought to her by divine guidance to give her and her family an opportunity to escape the judgment that was to quickly fall upon the residents of Jericho.
Even though she used deceit for good benefit, it does not give me permission to use deceit any time I choose. This was an extreme situation. There have been times during World War II when citizens hid Jews and fed and protected them, showing mercy and hospitality. I do not know the future, but in situations similar to these, God may ask us to show mercy and hospitality to someone in need.
Listen to Casting Crowns as they sing “All Because of Mercy.”
Published on MyBibleRoom.com 1/25/25, 6:00 am