Scripture: Joshua 2; 6:22-25

Aim: To show how Rahab helped Israel because she believed that Jehovah had given the land of Palestine to the Israelites.

Golden Text: “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. 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 Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, out 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” (Joshua 2:9-11).

In last week’s lesson we saw how two Egyptian midwives surrendered themselves to be the instruments of God to help Israel in spite of the personal danger to themselves. In this week’s lesson we view a harlot named Rahab, who lived in Jericho. She aided two spies from Israel by giving them information, and by keeping them from being captured by the army of Jericho.

After Joshua led the Israelites to cross the Jordan River, the Lord instructed him to conquer the city of Jericho, which was the main city in the plains near the river. Joshua sent two spies to gather intelligence about the city in order to be able to conquer it.

I. Rahab, the harlot, hides two spies in Jericho (Joshua 2:1-8). The spies came to the house of Rahab, and she took them in to hide them (vs. 1). The word came to the king of Jericho that spies were in the city. The king confronted Rahab. She told him that they had gone from the city and sent the army to chase after them (vs. 5, 7).

She had taken them up on the roof and hidden them in sheaths of flax, which she was drying (vs. 6). After the king was gone she confronted the spies.

II. Rahab and the Lord (Joshua 2:9-11). The people of the land of Palestine had heard about the Lord drying up the Red Sea 40 years before. More recent events, the destroying of Sihon and Og on the eastern side of the Jordan from Jericho, instilled great fear into the hearts of the people. (Read the verses under the Golden Text above).

The result was that many people, and especially Rahab, were ready to surrender to the Lord rather than fight Israel. Rahab gave this information to the spies. She made plans to be on the safe side, the side of Jehovah God, the God of Israel.

III. Rahab secured promises from the spies for safety for her and her family (Joshua 2:12-22). She asked that in exchange for her silence and her help to the two men, that they would safely remove her and her family from the city before it was destroyed by Israel.

The men agreed and instructed her to place a scarlet cord hanging from her window on the outside of the wall (vs. 18).  The men returned to Joshua at Gilgal.

IV. Rahab was safely removed from Jericho before the battle took place (Joshua 6:22-25). Joshua commanded that Rahab, with her family and goods, be removed and brought to Israel.

Rahab responded with faith and trust in God when she was informed about the plan of Jehovah to take Palestine. She was willing to take a stand on the Lord’s side even though she was a Canaanite.

This is exactly in the plan of God. When one hears the gospel of Christ, it is expected that he or she will believe it and take a stand on God’s side by receiving Christ as personal Savior. Have you done so yet? Rahab did, and so can you.