Rahab: Harlot Turned Hero, Part 2

So God's providence is at work. See? So these spies go in and they find lodging at this woman's house, this woman called Rah. This woman had courage. She had faith. And you notice she had no fear.

You will notice in the Bible that those who exercise faith have no fear of the king. She had no fear of the king. S said, Wait a minute, Pastor, she lied. Yes, she did. She did. And I want to let you know that God never commended her because of her lie. He only commended her because of her faith. God never says Rah was great because she lied to the king. Her lie was wrong. And yet, there are many people who will say, well, you know, this justifies lying when it comes to protecting someone else's life.

Hmm. Does it? I love those situational ethics classes in college and in seminary. You know, is there ever a right to lie? That's like saying, is it ever a right to commit adultery? Is it e a right to steal? Is it e a right to murder? Is there ever a right to take God's name in vain? Is it ever a right to have another God? That's the question, right? Because the Bible says, thou shalt not lie.

So if you want to throw situational ethics into it and say, well, you know, there are times to lie to protect the life of someone else. Really? Give me chapter and verse. Well, Rah. And the spies. That's a perfect illustration, is it? God never commends her for her lying. Well, the Hebrew midwives, way back in Exodus chapter 1, they lied, did they? They didn't lie. How do we know? Well, glad you asked. Exodus chapter 1. Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shif, and the other was named Pua.

And he said, When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birth stool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death. But if it is a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, Why have you done this thing and let the boys live? And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous.

And they give birth before the midwives can get to them. So God was good to the midwives and the people. multiplied and became very might and it came about because the midwives feared God that he established households for them See, people say, Well, I see, they lied to the king. And because they lied to the king, they feared God, and God blessed them because of the lie. That's not what the Bible says.

Folks, you got to read your Bible. It never says they lied to the king. It just said that the Hebrew women are vigorous women. And when we get there, the babies are already born. It never says they lied. It says, if anything, that they delayed in getting there. And they always showed up too late. The baby was already born. What could we do? We got there too late. They purposely arrived late. See? They never lied. Never lied to the king. Can't use Exodus 1 as an illustration of lying to the king and it being okay.

Say, well, P Abraham, he lied. Yeah, he did. Remember Abraham? Father of our faith? The great pillar of faith, Abraham? God had brought him to the promised land. There he was. All of a sudden, the famine arose in the promised land. So, what do you do? Well, you got two choices: trust God or not trust God. What did Abraham do? Didn't trust God. So, where did he go? He went down to Egypt. What did he do when he went to Egypt? He lied. He lied. He said that Sarah was his sister. Well, she was his half-sister.

So I guess it was kind of like a half-truth, which in God's economy is a whole lie. So he lied. And of course, you know, the story, they took back a handmaid from Egypt. They would have never gone to Egypt in the first place.

If they just would have trusted God when they were in the promised land amidst the famine, instead of running down to Egypt and lying about the situation, they would have never found Hagar. Hagar would have never come back with them. We wouldn't have Ishmael and we wouldn have. The problem you got in Israel today doesn't make it right. Think that Abraham would have learned. He didn 't learn because in Genesis 20, he lied again. He lied again. But let me tell you something about Abraham, the patriarch, and Rah, the prostitute.

Abraham lied to protect himself. Rah lied to protect the sp. Say, what does that mean? Abraham was selfish. Rah wasn't. She was into protecting somebody else. And the reason Abraham lied was because if they found out that Sarah was his wife, they would kill him, and he didn't want to die. See? But you remember that in the life of Abraham, there were many consequences because of his lie. First of all, you'll need to understand that the Bible tells us as a result of Genesis chapter 20 that when Abraham lied, His character was corrupted.

His testimony was tainted. His call was completely camouflaged and his son followed suit. Because Isaac in Genesis 26 would also lie. Folks, there are always consequences for lying. Why did Rah lie? I don't know. But I do know this. She didn't have the Ten Commandments. She didn't know the essence of the God who is called the God of truth. Maybe she had just believed in the Lord God of Israel. And maybe she was just a new belie in the Lord God of Israel. And you know when you're a new believer, you don't know all you need to know to do what you need to do?

And sometimes you go back to your old pagan ways to begin doing things, thinking that they're the right way, not knowing what you should be doing. And when push comes to shove, she just lied. She didn't know what else to do. I'm not trying to excuse her because the Bible doesn't excuse her lying. God would use the lie. God would use the sin of Rahab to protect the spies, yes. But what would have happened if she would have spoken the truth? We don't know. We don know. All we know is that she did. in fact, not tell the truth to protect these men.

She trusted in a sinful solution. To protect herself and the sp. But you know what? God honored her faith. He did not honor her lie. You must remember that. She is never commended in the Bible because she lied. She's commended in the Bible because of her f in God. Remember, her ethics were based on the corrupt culture of the Canaanites. That's all she knew. Except. Point number three, what we know about our confession.

We move from the courage of Rahab to the confession. Rah. This is so good. Look what it says. Verse 8. Now, before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, I know. The Lord has given you the land. I know this. I know we occupy your land. Interesting that this prostitute would know who owns the land. And people today don't know who owns the land. But she knew. And that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.

For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, the Si and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And when we heard it, Our hearts melted, and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you. For the Lord, your God, He is God, in heaven above, and on earth beneath. Folks, this is all she knew about God. She said, I know that this land Is your land. And I've heard.

I've heard about your God. I've heard how he dried up the Red Sea. I heard how he gave you power to defeat the kings of the Amorites. I've heard what God has done. I've heard it. And I know that your L is the God of heaven and earth. Folks, she knew all she needed to know. To believe in the one true God, she was one who believed in one God, not one who believed in many gods. That there's only one. And notice she says, The Lord your God.

Whose God is that? That's the God of Israel. Nobody gets saved unless they believe that God is the God of Israel. He is called the Lord God of Israel 10 times in the Bible. He is called the God of Israel 203 times in the Bible. He is never called the God of any other nation Just the God of Israel and nobody gets saved unless they believe in the Lord God of Israel And that's who she believed in. I have he, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by An ex wor about the Christ. A specific word about the Christ.

She had heard a specific word about the Lord God of Israel. What was the specific word? Word she heard, she knew that this land was their land because God had given it to them. She knew that their God, the God of Israel, had parted the waters they went through on dry land, and Pharaoh and his army was destroyed. She knew that, and her heart. Melted. Notice she said, Our hearts melted.

There are many of the Canaanites, many of the Amorites, whose hearts Whose hearts melted because of the awesomeness of God, but there was only one in Jericho who gave their life to God. Only one. And that was Rah. She believed in the Lord God of Israel. And their hearts melted. Isn't that what God said? Remember back in Exodus chapter 15? The song of Moses, Exodus 15, verse number 14. The peoples have heard, they tremble. Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed.

The leaders of Moab trembling grip them. All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. Terror and dread fall upon them. By the greatness of thine arm, they are motionless. As stone until thy people pass over, O Lord. Folks, that was the reaction of the lost, and that was in the Song of Moses after they crossed the Red Sea. And all that now was fulfilled, as was prophesied in the song. Everyone now was terrified. Everyone was afraid of the Lord God of Israel. Their hearts had melted away. Just like it had been foretold.

Over in Deuteronomy 2, verse number 25. It says this: This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, shall tremble and be in anguish because of you. God says, because of what has happened in your life, because of what I've done in your life, everybody who hears about you will tremble, will be afraid.

Rab says, I was afraid. My heart trembled. But she says, I know. That your God is the God of heaven and earth. I know. You know, she kind of puts to shame the nation of Israel, doesn't she? Because they didn't know that. That's why that whole generation died in the wilderness, according to the book of Hebrews, in unbelief. And they had seen more than just the whole Red Sea thing. They had the manna from heaven, the water from the rock, they had the fire by day or by night, and the cloud by day, they had miracle.

After miracle, after miracle, after miracle, and they had seen all that God did, but never sa God. Rahab. All she heard was just a little bit about God. She believed. That was her confession. That's what saved her soul. And it kind of put the rest of Israel to shame. It put the rest of the Amorites and the Canaanites to shame too, because evidently they had heard and their hearts melted, but they didn't believe in the one true God of Israel. But Rahab did. Rahab did. Why? Because God had called her to him.

And God was going to use her in a great and mighty way to protect these men. And to destroy a city. I know, she says. Remember, Paul said in 2 Timothy:, I know in whom I have believed. And am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him unto that day. I know. He didn't say, I know what I believe. He says, I know in whom I believe. Christianity is about believing in the one true God of Israel and knowing him personally. That's why Paul could say in Philippians chapter 1, I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ.

It's about confidence. We have to have confidence in the one true God. That was her confession. The fourth thing I want you to see is the concern of Rah. She had a concern. She knew that the land was theirs. She knew that they had to go. But she said, You know what? Can you spare my father? Can you spare my mother? Can you spare my brothers and my sisters? They said yes. Providing you keep silent, providing you don't tell anybody what's going on here, we'll do that. Because if you do, you'll die.

But what you need to do is put a scarlet thread out your window. This is so good. A scarlet thread out your window. And that will keep your house sa. Where was Rah's house? On the wall. Can you imagine what these two spies must have been thinking in Joshua chapter 6? When God tells Joshua, this is how you're going to destroy Jericho. You're going to walk around it. You know the story, you walk around it. We'll talk about that when we get there. When you make the shout. What's going to come tumbling down?

Ooh. Right hand lives on the wall. What are we going to do? Folks, the walls came tumbling down except for the one wall that held Rahab's house. That's the only way she could have survived. They had to stay in the house. If you go outside the house, you'll die. We'll kill you. You got to stay in the house. So, can you imagine when all the walls come crumbling down, they all come? There's vers one standing right there. That 's Rahab's house. Folks, this is an incredible story about the providence of God and the protection of the people of God.

What an incredible thing. So, you can imagine what must have taken place in the minds of these spies as they're getting the orders to march around the walls and they're going to shout and they're going to come tumbling down to thinking, oh. There's that scarlet thread, man. She's we're gonna yell, and oh, she hurled. We told her she'd live, and oh no, it's gonna come tumbling down. What are we gonna do? They couldn't yell up, yo, Rahab! Get out of there while you can! They couldn't do that. You know what are they going to do?

God had it all worked out. God knew exactly what he's going to do. I love the story in Joshua chapter 6. It's so good. Verse 20, so the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets, and it came about when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat. So the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city, and they utterly destroyed everything in it The city, both men and women, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, go into the harlot's house. The house was on the wall. And bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her. So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rah and her father and her mother. and her brothers, and all she had. They also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel, and they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.

However, Rahab. The harlot and her father's household, and all she had, Joshua spared. She has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. You know, I don't know what it was like when those spies would go into the house that was still standing. And Rah and her family were in the house, and they could hear the destruction in the city outside. And maybe some of them wanted to go outside, and she would say, No, no, no, you got to stay. They said, We to stay in the house.

Look, all the walls have fallen except for this one. God has protected us. Joshua says to those two spies. Go get Rah. Go get a family. Could you imagine the door opening up? You stayed. Good job, Rah. It 's a good thing you stayed. God is true to His Word. You are protected. Let 's go. Wow, what a scene! God wants you to remember Rahab. He doesn't want you to forget. The constellation from Rah is the next point. Then in verses 22-2. And they departed and came to the hill country and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned.

Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them. Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun. And they related to him all that had happened to them. Folks, this is the cons from Rah. What did they relate to Joshua? Everything that took place in Jericho. and how they were hid in Jericho, and how they hid for three days outside of Jericho, and what God did by bringing them into Rahab's house. Her life brought comfort and encouragement to Joshua, to those who spies, and to all of Israel.

And listen to what the spies say, reminiscent of what Joshua had said 40 years earlier. S the Lord has given all the land into our hands, and all the inhabitants of the land, moreover, have melted away before us. It's ours. Joshua, hearing those words, would think to himself, I said that 40 years ago. But now it will become an absolute real. All because of one woman, her faith in God, her belief in the Lord God of Israel, and her impact. The comm, the commendation of Rah, Hebrews 11:3, it tells us very clearly these words.

Rah the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient. That means everybody else didn't believe. But she did believe in the one true God. You see, God commends her for her faith in Him. God commends her because she believed in God. She trusted in God. And when she had no one else to turn to, she turned to Him and believed in Him. And God commends her because of her faith she pro her belief in God. There are many things I want to tell you about her life, but I'm going to have to wait till next week to help you understand that your past never prohibits Never prevents, never precludes God from working in and through you.