Rahab’s life had been centered around a different god and a different worship all her life. We do not know when she began seeking the true God, but it was known throughout the land that the people of Israel were coming. Jericho was one of the leading cities of the land, traders from the east as well as from Egypt would have stopped in Jericho to sell and to buy goods. Traders and travelers always brought news of things happening from the places they had been.
Hebrews 11:31 – By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
The Bible says Rahab was a prostitute. This was God’s view of her, and it was true.
Introduction
There are many women named in the Bible. This in itself should be enough to make us take notice, because in the culture of those times women were rarely mentioned since it was their husbands who did whatever was needed to care for and protect them.
I am troubled.
Actually, I am deeply disturbed.
It seems I am confronted almost weekly with stories of pastors who have fallen to some type of moral failure. Maybe it’s adultery. Maybe it’s addiction. Maybe it’s abuse. But it seems to be of epidemic proportion.
Saul came in at the time when the Israelites needed a judge. They specifically asked for a king so they could be like other nations. In response, God gave them a king - Saul. Not only did Saul fulfil their desire of being their King, he was also someone who led them into battle.
The idea that we need someone else’s help to do what seems to be our responsibility is hard for many people to accept. Living a “clean” life is our responsibility, and we can’t pull it off on our own. Have you ever made a resolution to improve your life in some significant way, and been disappointed to find that your resolve lasted about thirty days (or thirty minutes), and then you were back to your old ways? I’m not talking about something as simple as changing your eating habits or exercise. I’m talking about change of the heart. “I’m going to start being a patient person—right now!” “I’m going to decide not to have this hot anger inside that keeps burning other people.” “I’m going to stop obsessing about the things I want and stop being jealous of others who have more than I do.” I, I, I. It’s like asking a man standing in a barrel how far off the ground he thinks he can lift himself.
