Interesting Bible People:Rahab

"Whatever is that woman talking about now," you say. "What self respecting Bible could have a story about a prostitute?" Well actually Jesus said that the prostitutes would go into heaven before the religious people, especially the ones high up like bishops and cardinals. You see God looks at what we are like inside, whether we are kind and caring or the ones making finicky rules for everyone to follow. Whoever we are we need the forgiveness that can only be found in Jesus, but it's the ones who make the rules who wont accept this. When you know your life isn't going the right way you are more likely to welcome Jesus into your life. The ones who make the rules think they are alright already. So now I will tell you the story of Rahab.

The Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Now the Lord God had brought them into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. The people who already lived in the land were hearing alarming stories about them from travellers journeying through the land. Rahab the prostitute loved to listen to these stories although they were frightening. It seemed these people had a God who was greater than any other God. There was no way of beating him.

One day two strangers came to Rahab's house. Nothing unusual in that you may say. Rahab made them welcome. They didn't seem interested in her usual wares they were just intent an asking questions about Jericho. Oh didn't I tell you that's where Rahab lived.


You know that song "Joshua at the battle of Jericho,Jericho,Jericho." They mentioned their God and then Rahab realized which God. The God she was so interested in. She would like him to be her God too.

Now it was Rahab who was asking the questions. She wanted to belong to this God and have his protection too.

There was a noise in the street. Rahab realized there was danger for her two guests. She told them to go up on the roof where they would find a huge heap of flax. "Get right in under it and hide yourselves she said." The men obeyed. There was a knock at Rahab's door. There was the equivalent of our police at the door but with no regulations to hold them back. They looked in and said,"Where are the men you had in here?" Rahab laughed,"Which men were that, I see so many?" "Those foreigners," they said. Quite coolly she said,"Oh, the foreigners, they went away ages ago." A young lad was sent to look at the roof and soon came back to say there was nothing up there. "Quick he said let's get the horses and join the search out into the countryside."

As darkness fell Rahab fetched the spies down from the roof. Her house was a part of the outer wall of Jericho and she told the men she would let them down by a rope and they must go and hide for a few days in the country until the hue and cry had died down and then return to their people. She knew these people intended to conquer her land and that nothing would stop them because their God was so mighty. She pleaded with them to save her and her family. The rope was red and the men said if she was to be saved she must keep the rope hanging from her window so that they could save her. All her family must stay in her house and not go out in the streets. Rahab said she would do this and helped them through the window.

Time passed and then they could hear the sound of marching feet. The Israelites were coming. Rahab called all her family into her house. This was going to be for them what the ark had been to Noah. The tension must have been palpable as each day the Israelites marched around Jericho. The temptation to leave the house must have been almost unbearable. Rahab sat by her window as the Israelites went past, her hand resting on the red rope. She was not only trusting the Israelites she was trusting far more in their God.

The final day of marching came. Round they went but this time six times and then a final seventh time. Everything was at fever pitch. Rahab's family were fretting and showing signs of bolting. But Rahab utterly at peace calmed them and forbad them to leave. Then the ram's horns sounded, a terrible eerie noise. All around the walls of Jericho were splitting apart, but Rahab's house stood firm. The two young spies appeared on the scene and Rahab and her family were taken to safety and from then on lived with the Israelites

From looking at Naaman, Ruth in other lenses and Rahab in this, we can see some common traits, that make them the sort of people God wants as His worshipers. They all three when they heard about the Israelite God were so taken by the wonder of Him that they were prepared to turn their backs on previous beliefs and life styles. Naaman was glad to be healed of leprosy but he was much more delighted to have found the true God. He turned his back on Rimmon his past god and wanted Israelite earth to take home, probably to build an altar where he could worship God.

The women showed even more desire to serve God even though it meant giving up their homes and everything they were used to. Both went to live with the Israelites and fully participated in the life and worship of their new country.

These three show us that the God of Israel was never intended to be just for the Israelites but also for the gentiles. It is as Paul says in the New Testament that Abraham is the father of all who believe. It is not a matter of who we are by birth but a matter of belief and now it is belief in Jesus the Messiah and Son of God that is the one thing that pleases God.