334. RAHAB – THE PROSTITUTE THAT ESCAPED DEATH

(The Abundant Life Series – Batch 4)

Undoubtedly, Rahab in the Bible was a sinner. She was not from the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and was therefore not an Israelite but a heathen. She was in no way deserving of God’s mercy and grace and was worthy of condemnation, along with all the other people of Jericho, her being a citizen of Jericho. As a harlot (prostitute), she had clearly violated God’s righteous standard as provided by the law and was making a living from a clearly immoral and sinful lifestyle. The people of Jericho were all ungodly, deserving of God’s righteous judgment and Rahab, by the extent of her iniquity was high up on that list, her sexual sin being flagrant and an affront to God’s holiness.

Yet, despite this fact, when Joshua and the Israelites came to Jericho to destroy it according to God’s command and with his divine help, everyone in the city was destroyed but Rahab and her family were saved!

Once the wall of Jericho that had been protecting that city, fell down flat, the Word of God states of the destruction that ensued:

“…so the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out then the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 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. And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein…And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho” (Joshua 6:20-25).

The burning question then is, why was this vile woman saved when she was worthy of condemnation and death, her having sinned and come short of the glory of God? Why did she receive mercy and her life and that of her family’s spared, when she was perhaps more deserving of death than many other people in Jericho, who may not have lived such a sexually immoral life as she had? Surely, like the nation of Babylon mentioned in Revelation 18:5, which was referred to as a harlot and out of which “all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication”, Rahab’s sins were so great, that they had “reached unto heaven”. (v.5). Yet, while there were most likely people in Jericho who lived quiet lives, abstained from immorality, gave to the poor, tried to do some good deeds and to be good people, they were all destroyed but Rahab was saved! Why was this?

The Word of God tells us the answer. It tells us that Rahab was saved because she hid the messengers which Joshua had sent to spy out the land of Jericho. Why had she done this? It was clearly because she believed that the God of Israel was the true and living God, that he had given Jericho to the people of Israel and that this meant that Jericho would one day be destroyed and the Israelites victorious. Although she had never seen God, she had heard of him and she clearly believed what she had heard, which was true. Romans 10:17 states “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

When the two Israelites came to Jericho to survey the land therefore and lodged at her house which was upon the town wall (Joshua 2:15) because of what Rahab believed, she did not give them up to the king of Jericho when it was reported to him that two spies from Israel were staying at her house. Instead, she hid them and stated that they had come to her house but that they had gone out and she did not know where. She sent the king’s messengers on the wrong trail to try to overtake the men on the path she claimed they had gone and then when it was safe, instructed the Israelites to escape to the mountain, to stay there three days and then to make their way back to the Israelites. The two men then heeded her instruction and returned to Israel safely, telling Joshua all that had happened to them (Joshua 2:23).

When helping the men to escape, Rahab had told them:

“…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, 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. 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: 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.” (Joshua 2:9-13)

Rahab therefore did all that she did in hiding and protecting the men of Israel and helping them to return safely because she believed (just as she confessed with her mouth) that the God of the Israelites was Lord over all, the true and living God and would inevitably give the Israelites the victory over Jericho. She believed that her only hope of salvation from the doom that awaited the people of Jericho was through kindness and grace, if shown by the Israelites toward her. She therefore acted on what she believed by helping the Israelite spies, instead of turning them in and then used this to plead her case and to ask for mercy and it was granted her! The men agreed to spare her life and that of her family if she did not utter their business, using the scarlet (red) thread or chord which she had let them down through the window by, as a token. They told her:

“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. 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…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.”

So sure was Rahab, that the God of the Israelites was the Lord God of heaven and of earth and that he would give Israel victory one day over Jericho and so grateful for the opportunity of salvation that had been promised her, that she did not wait until the Israelites returned to the land to destroy it, to bind the line of scarlet thread. She did it when the spies left!

Rahab therefore acknowledged with her mouth the truth, that the God of the Israelites was Lord over all and this she did because she believed it in her heart. She demonstrated that she truly believed through her actions (she hid the Israelite men) and by faith in this God and the promise she had received that she would be saved, she acted further by doing exactly what they told her to do. She bound the scarlet thread in her window and she influenced all of her family to leave where they were residing and come to her house. When the Israelites returned therefore and the wall of Jericho fell down, they were all within her house and were therefore saved.

Although in Jericho therefore, there was none righteous, no, not one and all had sinned and come short of the glory of God, especially Rahab and were therefore all deserving of death and destruction, especially Rahab, through her faith in the true and living God, which she confessed was Lord with her mouth, she passed from a sentence of condemnation, to life.

She had faith that God was Lord over all and therefore all powerful. She had faith that whatever he said he would do, he would do and therefore, that, despite Jericho’s army and the great wall which surrounded the city, he would one day give Jericho to the Israelites, his people. She had faith that, her having asked for mercy for herself and her family, that, once she obeyed by doing exactly what she was told to do, they would be spared, based on what the Israelite spies promised. In her life, Rahab had not obeyed God’s righteous law but had violated it and was therefore worthy of death. However, by grace, she was saved through faith.

The Bible states that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20) but Rahab’s faith was clearly alive and active, hence the reason she obeyed the instruction given by the spies. She bound the scarlet thread as they had told her and gathered her family into her house, where she too was found, when the Israelites came to destroy the city. Despite her being a sinner who had breached God’s law and was therefore worthy of death, she obtained mercy and was saved or justified by her faith, resulting in peace for her and her family, when the rest of Jericho were killed. She did not pay to secure her salvation. Indeed, there was no amount of money that she could have offered that would have been enough. It was also not of works, so she could not boast. Yes she acted on her faith by hiding the spies and binding the scarlet thread in the window but these of themselves were not works that were good enough so as to earn her being saved. No. She obtained her justification freely, solely by the grace that she was shown and solely because of her faith in the true and living God, which she demonstrated by her actions. The Bible states that “without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Although there was no way that she deserved salvation or could earn it by any works, God was pleased with her faith and she was saved! Her having accessed the grace that would be shown unto her and her family through her faith, one can only imagine how, after the Israelite spies left, she rejoiced in hope, that she and all found within her household when they returned to destroy Jericho, would be saved.

It is important to note that the God of heaven and of earth is still alive today, his reign being eternal and everlasting. As he did with the city of Jericho, he has promised to one day judge the world of sin and to destroy it.

He has declared all the world guilty (Romans 3:19), his Word stating “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “There is none righteous, no not one…They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10, 12). “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

This being the verdict, he has therefore appointed a day in which he will judge the world (Acts 17:31). His Word states:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness…Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:18, 29-32)

Indeed, as human beings, we have so flouted God’s law and sinned, that the Word of God tells us that “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight” (Romans 3:20). The law is perfect but we have so failed it and messed up, that it makes no sense at this stage, any man trying to keep it. Mankind has failed to keep it and will continue to fail to keep it because mankind is a sinner.

However, solely by God’s grace, there is hope that we, though all justly deserving of condemnation and eternal destruction in hell, can be saved. God has made provision through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, him having come to earth and shed his perfect blood as an atonement for our sins. God has now promised, that all who (1) believe in their heart that Jesus Christ (who came to earth many years ago in the form of a baby and was killed as a man by wicked men), rose from the dead after he had been crucified and (2) confess with their mouth the truth, that he is Lord, will be saved.

That is, like Rahab had faith in the true and living God and acted on that faith, all who have faith in Jesus Christ, will be spared in God’s day of judgment on this world. It will not matter then what our past lives had been like or how much we had sinned. Rahab was an undeserving sinful prostitute, selling her body for filthy lucre (money) and therefore engaging in vile acts of sexual promiscuity with different men. However, when she confessed the truth as to who was Lord and believed in her heart on him, through her faith in Him, she was saved. Through her faith in Him, although her sins were as scarlet, meaning really bad, she received grace and mercy and was justified, she and her household.

Faith in the true and living God therefore has power to save and God has promised us today, that if we have faith in his Son Jesus Christ, we will be saved.

Jesus Christ himself said when he was here on earth, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (John 14:6).

Romans 10:9-13 states:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If we believe this truth and obey the instruction given to then confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, then like Rahab, through our faith in Jesus, we will be saved. Even as she was instructed that she and her family should abide in the house, we are instructed to abide in Jesus Christ. For, when he returns, all who are found in the household of faith, will be saved. As the Israelite spies gave Rahab a token of their promise in the scarlet (red) thread, God has given us the token of the (red) blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which he shed for us and God’s promise is sure.

As Rahab could testify, Romans 3:21-22, 24-25 and 28 state:

“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested…Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that BELIEVE: for there is no difference… Being justified freely by his GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God…Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

“Therefore being justified by FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this GRACE wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God…being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:1-2, 9) “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Of the futility and uselessness of vile sinners (which we are) trying to work to earn salvation, when God has already declared us all guilty, worthy of death and condemnation and our best works as filthy rags in his sight and that instead, by his grace, he has offered his salvation free of charge to all who would believe on his Son Jesus Christ by faith in Him alone and confess that he is Lord, the Word of God states:

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also described the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Romans 4:5-8).

Even as Rahab, although worthy of death and condemnation was not condemned but was allowed to live due to her faith, if we believe on Jesus Christ, his resurrection from the dead and have faith in him and therefore abide in him, we too will be safe. We too will escape spiritual death to our souls and condemnation when God judges this world. The Word of God states of us:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit… For we are saved by hope…But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:1, 24-25).

Jesus himself stated, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

Rahab’s life being preserved from death was nothing that she could boast of. She understood that, though worthy of death, perhaps moreso than many of the people in Jericho who had been destroyed, it was by the grace of God that she was saved and only because of her faith in Him, which had led her to do what she had done.

Similarly, Ephesians 2:8-9 states of all who have the promise of salvation, have been justified and are therefore hoping in Jesus Christ that their souls will be spared from eternal destruction in hell, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Ironically, after Rahab had expressed what she believed, confessed with her mouth that the God of the Israelites was Lord and through faith, secured the scarlet thread outside her window as she had been instructed to do, she had hope of salvation, a sure hope, as she had passed from condemnation to life. However, it is possible, given her past lifestyle, that people in Jericho may have still cast their eyes down at her and scorned her and ridiculed her, thinking themselves to be more upright than her. Ironically though, in the day that the Israelites came and Jericho was destroyed, these people perished but Rahab obtained mercy and was saved. Through her faith, her life had been preserved, transformed and she now got the opportunity to dwell in Israel, where the presence of God was. Undoubtedly, no longer would she be a prostitute but would be provided for by the God of Israel, in whom she put her trust.

When we follow God’s instruction as to how we can be saved (by believing on Jesus Christ, that he rose from the dead, confessing with our mouth that he is Lord and having faith in him), we too pass from condemnation to life. People may still look down on us because of how we used to live and decisions that we have made or simply because they consider us to be nobodies and that is okay. For, their opinions do not matter. When we come to Jesus Christ by faith, our past lives do not matter. We receive forgiveness for our sins (iniquities) which are blotted out and justification. We are made righteous according to God’s standard, as we are clothed and thereby covered in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Hence the reason that God pleads to this day with everyone in the world, which is ripe for his judgment, even as he pleaded with the people of Israel who turned from him and embraced a sinful lifestyle, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18).

In Micah 7:7,18-19, Micah the Prophet, who, like Rahab, had faith in the true and living God and in his willingness to show mercy and therefore had a sure hope, stated:

“Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me…Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

Indeed, in the book of Revelation, John, who believed in Jesus Christ and had faith in him, recorded what the risen and glorified Jesus Christ who is alive and in heaven, had revealed to him through his angel. In this book, he stated of some of what he had seen about the future:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

In that day when God judges the world by his Son Jesus Christ, only those who, while alive, have been made righteous through their faith in the same Jesus Christ, will be spared. God’s righteousness is only attainable by faith in Jesus Christ, nothing else. Hence the reason that Acts 3:21-22 declares, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested…Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe…”.

It is by this same righteousness, that God will judge the world of sin and through Jesus Christ. Acts 7:31 states:

“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

(Written on 23^rd March, 2025, added to thereaftee)

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