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The Grace of Rahab By Graemme Marshall Often we feel as if there is nothing that we can do, that anything we might do is too insignificant to count, but one person can change things in a big way.
In the two Israelite spies' "chance" meeting with Rahab, they discover she knows much about Israel. She is, in a way, counting the cost of leaving her polytheistic background. Could God have led the spies directly to her, as He did Peter to the gentile centurion Cornelius? Did God intend to call her to the faith? We can't say for sure from the account but we can read how her faith is commended twice, once in Hebrews 11:31 and once in James 2:25. Rahab, in her fledgling faith, is more concerned over saving the spies than about telling a misleading story to the king. By her subterfuge, the king's troops are misdirected to the fords of Jordan while the spies hide under drying bundles of flax on Rahab's roof. After the troops are gone she goes to the spies with a remarkable confession -- she recounts her newfound faith:
"We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites...whom you utterly destroyed" (verse 10). This was a remarkable statement. Although the two kings were fairly recent news from across the other side of Jordan, the Red Sea event occurred some 40 years prior. How old was Rahab? When did she learn this? Did it come from her parents when she was a child? It shows significant awe of biblical events had spread during the wanderings -- neighbouring nations were familiar with Israelite history. The defeat of the two kings suddenly brought the "end time" into sharp focus for a city next on the list. Rahab believes the reports and is now converting to Israel's God. It seems too that her parents, brothers, and sisters are all equally believing. We know this because the spies tell her all must remain in the house and not leave. It appears they obeyed (see Joshua 6:25) -- and were saved through the grace offered Rahab. She acknowledges, "for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven and on earth" (Joshua 2:11). The spies trust her to not tell the king of their escape until they are safely across the Jordan. In return for their safety they vow to protect her when the Israelite assault begins, provided she abides by two conditions. One: she and all her family must stay inside her house during the attack. Two: she must tie a piece of red cord to her window on the wall to identify the location to attacking troops. This way her house would be unobtrusively identified to an Israelite search party. The red cord tied to the window was to be the proof of grace given her from God. The two spies no doubt excitedly explained all these events to Joshua who in response accepted the vow to protect Rahab and her family.
Joshua immediately told the spies to take Rahab and her family outside the Israelite camp. Then they burned the city.
On Passover, Christians celebrate deliverance from the bondage of sin. With confidence in God's grace, we march on towards our Promised Land -- just as the Israelites and Rahab did many years ago. Further reading For more on Rahab, see her entry in our Profiles of Faith series. For more about Passover, read about it in our Frequently Asked Bible Questions. Copyright 2010 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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Keywords: Rahab deliverance grace
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