Joshua 2

CHAPTER 2THEME: Contact of spies with RahabHere we are introduced to a woman, a very shady character. She was a prostitute, and her name is Rahab. The remarkable fact is that in the New Testament she is listed with those who are commonly called the heroes of faith. “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb_11:31). I do not like to think of Hebrews 11 as a record of heroes of faith because that puts the emphasis on humanity. I like to put the emphasis upon faith. The men and women recorded there illustrate what faith did in all ages under all circumstances in their lives. For us it means that faith can do the same thing for us, seeing “we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses” (Heb_12:1). Another startling fact is that Rahab is in the genealogy of Christ! The New Testament opens with that genealogy, and you don’t read five verses of the New Testament until you come to this woman’s name. How did she get into the genealogy of Christ? She got there by faith. As you can see, the chapter before us introduces a remarkable woman.

Joshua 2:1

Notice that two spies are sent in. You may be thinking that this is another mistake. Earlier they had sent the spies to see if they could take the land. Now they are being sent, not to see if they can take the land, but to find the best way to enter the land. The purpose is entirely different, you see. Rahab, a citizen of Jericho, opens her home to the spies.

Joshua 2:2

She told her king an outright lie to protect these men. And in doing so, she actually jeopardized her own life. Now why would she put her life on the line like this? She didn’t have to. She is in a business, by the way, where anything goes. Why did she lie to her own people and protect the enemy? Before we see the answer to that question, let me raise another question. Is it possible to condone Rahab’s action? Scripture is very clear on the fact that we, as children of God, are to obey authority and those that have the rule over us. Rahab certainly did not do that. I do not think we could call her a child of God until sometime after this experience. That would be one explanation. However, there is another explanation that I consider meaningful to us today. A believer should certainly obey the authorities and those who have rule over us. A Christian should be the most law-abiding citizen in the land. But when the laws of a state conflict with God’s revealed will, then the Christian has no choice but to obey the command of God. This was the experience of Peter and John when the authorities attempted to silence them in their witness for Christ, “…Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Act_4:19-20). The believer is to obey the Word of God today rather than the word of man. That should be our attitude as children of God. Now we will let Rahab answer our first question: why did she lie to protect the enemy?

Joshua 2:8

She gives an insight into the thinking of the Canaanites at that time. The word is out that a great company of people is coming into that land. They believe they are going to take the land. The population is stirred up, and they are afraid. This is the report that Rahab gives the spies. I guess she was in a position to get all the gossip, and she could see that all of her people were terrified because of Israel’s advance.

Joshua 2:10

Notice: “We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you.” How long ago was this? That happened forty years before they arrived at the Jordan River! During those forty years God had been giving the people of Canaan an opportunity to turn to Him. How do we know that? Because God had said to Abraham that his seed would be strangers in a foreign land for 400 years; then in the fourth generation they would come again because “…the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Gen_15:16). That was 420 years before this. In other words, God was going to give the people of Canaan 420 years to decide whether or not they would turn to Him. The critic declares that the God of the Old Testament was a great big bully, that He was cruel and barbaric. When God gave the people of Canaan 420 years to repent, in my opinion, that is long enough. But God extended the time by forty more years and saw to it that they heard how He had revealed Himself by delivering His people from Egypt. God did not destroy a people that had not heard about Him. He gave them ample opportunity to turn to Him. My question, Mr. Critic, ishow much longer do you think God should have given them? In the New Testament God has not changed. He has made it very clear that those who reject Jesus Christ are going to hell. Does it shock you to hear that in this very “civilized” society that discounts the existence of hell? When God’s judgment falls, I am sure there will be some soft-hearted and soft-headed folk on the sideline who will say, “He should have given them more time.” More time? My friend, over 1900 years have gone by. God is patient; He is slow to anger; He is merciful. How much longer do you want Him to give us? He has been giving the world ample opportunity to turn to Christ. The harlot said, “We have heard.” And notice the reaction.

Joshua 2:11

Not only did they hear this, but they knew it was true. Even so, they did not turn to God. There are a great many people today who know as a historical fact that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again, but they are not saved. What saves you? It is trusting Him as your personal Savior. It is to have a personal relationship with Him. Now that’s not all Rahab said.

Joshua 2:12

She not only believed, but she is acting on that belief. This is her reason for putting her life in jeopardy to protect enemy spies. She heard; she believed; then she acted upon her belief. This is salvation, friend. When you hear the gospel, the good news of what Christ has done for you, you must not only believe it as a historical fact, you must trust Christ yourself. So this woman trusted the fact that God was going to give them that land. She turned to the living and true God. “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb_11:31). The spies promise to spare all of her family that is with her in the house when Jericho is attacked.

Joshua 2:18

And if the king of the city of Jericho had turned to God, he would have been saved. In fact, the whole city could have been spared if they had believed in God. Now we will look at the final verses of this chapter, the report of the spies.

Joshua 2:23

You see, the spies’ report is entirely different from the spies who went into the land forty years earlier. It is not a question now whether or not they will go into the land. They are going in. “All the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us” is the information they got from Rahab the harlot.