Stories of the Promise - Rahab

The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. (Psalm 9:7) Amen.

The story of Rahab is a story of judgment.

Rahab knew judgment was coming. All the citizens of Jericho knew, too. They heard what the God of the Israelites had done to the Egyptians with the plagues and drowned the Egyptian Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. They heard how the Israelites, newly escaped from Egypt, overwhelmed the nomadic Amalekites with Joshua and Aaron holding up Moses’ arms during the battle (Exodus 17:8-16). They heard how the Israelites had defeated the Midianites with one thousand soldiers from each of Israel’s ten tribes (Numbers 31:1-8). They heard about the Israelites defeating the Amorite kings Sihon and Og (Deuteronomy 2-3).

Even though the inhabitants of Jericho were physically stronger and bigger than the Israelites (Numbers 13:28-33), even though they had had a huge wall fortifying the city of Jericho, they were terrified that the Israelites were encamped so close to their city (Joshua 6:1).

The Israelites sent twelve spies to scout the land of Canaan. Two spies came to Jericho and entered Rahab’s house.

“Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men from Shittim to be spies. He said, ‘Go and look over the land and Jericho.’ So they set out and came to the house of a woman who was a prostitute. Her name was Rahab. They settled in to spend the night there.” (Joshua 2:1) Notice the genius of the spies in going to Rahab’s house. With the jittery state that Jericho was in, they would surely have been detected and apprehended if they had gone to stay at a local inn. But spending the night at the house of a known prostitute should not have attracted special attention.

However, someone did notice them. “It was reported to the king of Jericho: ‘Some Israelite men came here tonight to spy on the land.’” (Joshua 2:1-2)

Rahab hid the spies from the king’s men under the stalks of flax she had laid out her roof. Before the spies went to sleep for the night, she had a conversation with them. She said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land. Because of you, terror has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land are melting in fear before you. ¹⁰ Indeed, we have heard that the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea in front of you when you came out of Egypt, and we heard what you did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan—to Sihon and to Og. We heard that you devoted them to destruction. ¹¹ We heard, and our hearts melted, and no one’s courage could hold up anymore against you, because the Lord your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. ¹² So now, please swear to me by the Lord that since I have shown kindness to you, you in turn will show kindness to my father’s house. Give me a trustworthy sign ¹³ that you will preserve the lives of my father and mother and my brothers and sisters and everyone who belongs to them, and that you will spare our lives.”

¹⁴ The men said to her, “If you do not reveal what we are doing, our lives are pledged for your lives, even to the point of death. Then when the Lord gives us the land, we will show mercy and faithfulness to you.” ¹⁷ “When we come into the land, we will be free from this oath that you made us swear ¹⁸ unless you tie this bright red cord in the window through which you let us down, and you gather your father and mother, your brothers, and your father’s entire household into your house. ¹⁹ If any one of them goes outside the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be free of guilt. Anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads if a hand is laid on him. ²⁰ If you reveal what we are doing, we will be free from the oath that you made us swear.” (Joshua 2:8-14, 17-20)

Rahab immediately agreed to everything they said.         When they left, she quickly tied the scarlet cord in her window.

Several weeks went by. The citizens of Jericho made sure the city was shut tight for fear of the Israelite army. Judgment was coming. While the stories of God’s victories had inspired fear in the hearts of the residents of Jericho, those same stories had awakened faith in Rahab’s heart. She had confessed to the spies, “the Lord your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.” All she could do now was trust the spies’ promise. She waited. And, finally, the Israelites’ came! So many people. She had never seen so many people at one time. The Bible says that there were specifically 601,730 men (Numbers 26:51). That means with women and children, there were approximately two and a half million people!

Rahab saw the Israelites gathering that first day. Seven priests were carrying trumpets leading the Ark of the Covenant around the city. The entire army of the Israelites followed the Ark.

We don’t know exactly how big Jericho was, but the average size of an ancient city was from five to twenty-five acres. That small area would have made it easy for the hundreds of thousands of Israelites’ armed men to march around the city while still more were waiting in line to start their march.

But it was eerily silent. There was no noise … except the marching feet. No shouting. No trumpets. Nothing.

All of Jericho braced for an attack. But nothing happened.

On the second day, the Israelites marched around the city again. Jericho waited.

But no attack. Only silence.

Then the third day. Then the fourth day. Then the fifth day. Then the sixth day.

Nothing changed. No attack. Only silent marching.

The walls were still standing. But not for long.

Then the seventh day dawned!

The people of Israel marched around Jericho. Then they marched around again. And again.

Even though the Israelite army remained eerily silent, there was fear and confidence in the air. Fear from the citizens of Jericho. Confidence from the Israelite army.

When the Israelites marched the seventh time around the city, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout, because the Lord has given you the city! ¹⁷ The city will be devoted to destruction. The city and everything in it will be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute will live—she along with all who are with her in the house—because she hid the agents whom we sent” (Joshua 6:16-17).

Then the silence was broken! There was a crescendo of sounds. The priests blew their trumpets. The numerous Israelite army shouted.

Rahab’s family trembled. The ground trembled. The walls of the city trembled. Then the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. And the citizens of Jericho were put to death.

But not Rahab’s house. Inside the house with the scarlet cord everyone was safe.

As the fighting raged within the city, the two Israelite spies came to her door. They came to bring Rahab’s family to safety because of the promise they made to Rahab for hiding them from the king’s men.

“So the young men who had acted as spies went and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and everyone who belonged to her. They brought out all her family members, and they settled them outside the camp of Israel. ²⁴ But the city and everything in it they burned with fire. ²⁵ But Joshua spared the lives of Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and everyone who belonged to her, and she has lived within Israel to this day, because she hid the agents that Joshua sent to spy on Jericho” (Joshua 6:23-24a, 25).

Judgment came for Rahab that day. But she was safe because of the promise made to her.

Friends, judgment is coming for you, too. But you are safe. Not because of anything you’ve done or offered, but because Jesus has made a promise to you. Just like the spies kept their promise to Rahab and kept her safe from the day of judgment brought upon Jericho, so Jesus will keep you safe, too, on the great Day of Judgment that will be brought upon the Earth.

I referenced earlier that Rahab was a prostitute. By God’s grace, he forgave Rahab for her sin of prostitution. By God’s grace, he did something even greater! He allowed Rahab as a former prostitute to belong to the family of forgiveness. She married an Israelite named Salmon. They were blessed with a son named Boaz. Their great grandson was King David. Jesus, the Son of God, is also the son of David. That makes him Rahab’s Son, too!

When the Scriptures speak of Rahab, they mention her prostitution, but not in a way to emphasize her shame. Rather, they emphasize God’s grace! “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with the unbelievers, because she welcomed the spies in peace” (Hebrews 11:31). “In the same way also, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute shown to be righteous by works when she welcomed the spies and sent them out another way” (James 2:25)?

On the Day of Judgment, you will be judged. But like Rahab, through the faith given to you by the Holy Spirit; through the righteousness put on you by Jesus; through the grace shown you by God the Father, you are safe. You are declared “Not guilty!” Not because you’re innocent. But because Jesus has separated you from your sins – adultery and addiction, gossip and grumbling, impatience and ingratitude. Your sins are removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). This happens through Jesus, the descendant of Rahab.

Jesus was the Innocent who was declared guilty, so you might be set free.

Jesus endured his Father’s vengeance so you might be declared victorious.

Jesus suffered the just penalty for your perversions so you might be gifted with paradise.

Jesus paid for your release from the hellish dungeon, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and innocent suffering and death.

You don’t need to fear the Great Day of Judgment when the walls of the world come tumbling down. That’s because you received your judgment already when God’s Son died on Calvary’s cross. You received your judgment already when the crucified Christ broke free from death’s grip on Easter morning. You received your judgment already when the pastor poured God’s water and Word over your head at the baptismal font. You receive your judgment of innocence in God’s words of absolution: “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” You receive evidence of your judgment on your lips when you taste God’s forgiveness in the Lord’s Supper.

The Day of Judgment is coming, but you have nothing to fear. All because Jesus, Rahab’s descendant! Amen.

He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (Revelation 14:7) Amen.