Faith of Rahab

This series of devotions on
The Lonely Road of Faith continues with
Faith of Rahab

31. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
Hebrews 11:31

9. And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

10. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Armorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

12. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:

13. And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

14. And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

15. Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

16. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

17. And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

18. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.

19. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

20. And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

21. And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. Joshua 2:9-21

22. But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye swore unto her.

23. And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
Joshua 6:22-23, KJV

Faith of Rahab

The faith of Rahab, the harlot, is shown to us in Joshua 2. What began as a plan for survival became a test of her new found faith in the God of the Israelites, which she professed to the spies who came to spy out the city of Jericho. Hers was not the normal reaction of the citizens of Jericho. Only the family of Rahab was spared in the destruction of Jericho.

God constantly reminds us that Jesus Christ came to die for sinners, but not the righteous. In the faith of Rahab,we find a harlot being used by God to save her family. Even though God primarily worked within the circle of the children of Israel during Old Testament times, this is not the only example of God granting faith to those outside of the Jewish people.

The faith of Rahab holds a special significance to us today. First of all, our sins are never so great that Christ's shed blood can not cover them, and second, though we may not be physical descendants of Abraham, God grants His great salvation to all who come to Him in faith. As a matter of fact, salvation in Christ only comes by faith in Him; even those who are physically descended from Abraham must come to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rahab's words are a great demonstration of the faith of Rahab: The LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. To believe in God is not sufficient; the Bible tells us in James 2:19 that, The devils also believe, and tremble.

The faith of Rahab shows us that she understood that God is more than just God; God is the Ruler and Magistrate in heaven above and in the earth beneath. He was not just God; He was her God.

Pray today that God will grant you the faith to accept God not just as God, but your God: your ruler and master.

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