Today my mind wonders at the remarkable faith of a canaanite harlot. For what Rahab did, the Bible says, she did by faith. (Hebrews 11:31) And my mind wanders back easily to the circumstances of her world.
The whole country was filled with fear. The massive multitude of the children of Israel (perhaps 2 1/2 million) had destroyed the kingdoms that tried to stop their move toward the Land of Canaan.
The Bible describes the state of the area's kings; "Their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel" (Joshua 5:1).
The inhabitants of Jericho, a Canaanite city-state, were terrified. Yet in the midst of a frightened population, one woman exercised faith so great it gained for a good report from God and a place in two Bible 'halls of fame': the lineage of Jesus, and the elders of faith. (Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:2,31.)
Every circumstance of Rahab's life and society was against her exercising such faith. The headlines- so to speak- of the day warned of impending doom. Her religion was against her. The Canaanite religion sacrificed children in the fire and centered on sex. Jehovah's plan seemed to be against Rahab. The Creator of the Universe determined it was time to execute judgment upon her society. AND she lived in the most dangerous spot on the globe! Her house was on the city wall which God decreed must fall!
Rahab's faith deserves close consideration. For it reveals a way to use the power of the Blood in the face of today's events.
Joshua sent the two spies into Jericho. They lodged at the harlot's house, possibly because it would not arouse suspicion. When the king of Jericho heard it , he sent men after them. Rahab hid the spies under stalks of flax upon her flat roof while she managed to get rid of the king's men. Before the Hebrew spies left she said to them:
JOSHUA 2:9-11
9...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 Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan...whom ye utterly destroyed.
11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neith did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, He is in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.
Rahab heard the same news everyone in town heard- the supernatural acts of Israel's God. Fear filled the hearts of the overwhelming majority. FAITH filled Rahab's heart, for she decided to BELIEVE Jehovah must be the true God.
Based upon her belief, her FAITH spoke.
JOSHUA 2:12, 13
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 true token:
13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethern, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
Rahab dared to ask for the lives of her father, her mother, her brothers, her sisters-and she wanted all their posssessions! Their material goods. Their belongings.
It's a good thing she hadn't talked to some people today. They'd have talked her out of such audacity!
It evidently pleased God! (Hebrews 11:6,31) Rahab also wanted a true token-a sign. If the spies had not been running for their lives, they might have slain a lamb and placed the same token upon Rahab's doorposts which was sprinkled upon the Hebrews' doorposts when judgment was coming to Egypt forty years earlier. This time...a scarlet cord would have to do for Rahab and her family. A scarlet line would represent the Blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
JOSHUA 2:21
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.
Sometime later, with no natural weapons, Israel executed God's plan to the utter destruction of Jericho. Rahab, her family, and their possessions, were saved!
If a Canaanite harlot's faith can protect family and goods, how much more can a New Testament believer's fatih in the power in the Blood of the risen Redeemer protect loved ones and possessions?
If we cannot draw a Blood line around our loved ones and property in this hour of peril and even judgment, then we do not have a better covenant based on better promises.
BUT WE CAN! (Hebrews 8:6)
Tokens are signs. They are to be displayed. We are to continually display the token of the Blood of Jesus and its power over the doorposts and boundaries of our lives. How? By faith. By the words of our mouth because we believe in our hearts.
Take hold of the gift of faith within you and draw that line around your homes, family and possessions!
It will be worth it!
