Rahab Jericho Perhaps the Worlds oldest extant city

Rahab

Jericho • Perhaps the World’s oldest extant city… • Gateway to the Jordan Valley

Joshua 2: 1 ff Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho. ” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night. But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land. ” So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land. ”

Joshua 2: 1 ff Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them. ” (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out. ) So the king’s men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king’s men had left, the gate of Jericho was shut.

Joshua 2: 1 ff Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. “I know the Lord has given you this land, ” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.

Joshua 2: 1 ff “Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that 13 when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families. ” “We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety, ” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the Lord gives us the land. ” Then, since Rahab’s house was built into the town wall, she let them down by a rope through the window. “Escape to the hill country, ” she told them. “Hide there for three days from the men searching for you. Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way. ”

Joshua 2: 1 ff Before they left, the men told her, “We will be bound by the oath we have taken only if you follow these instructions. When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members—your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives—must be here inside the house. If they go out into the street and are killed, it will not be our fault. But if anyone lays a hand on people inside this house, we will accept the responsibility for their death. If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath in any way. ”

“I accept your terms, ” she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window. Joshua 2: 1 ff

Rahab in God’s Eternal Plan God has spoken! • The absurdity of a silent, confused God. • The obscenity of human replacements. – Only the Bible tells a coherent story. • This is not abstract: God’s plans affect you profoundly. – We do not live in an historical vacuum. – The stream of history is always moving. – God is at work in human history.

Rahab in God’s Eternal Plan God has spoken! Consider Matthew 1: 1 -5 “Genealogies” This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham: Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose Abraham the father of Isaac. mother waswas Tamar). Salmon was the father of Boaz Isaac was the mother father ofwas Jacob. (whose Rahab). Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.

Rahab in God’s Eternal Plan God has spoken! Consider Matthew 1: 1 -5 “Genealogies” – A Prostitute plays a prominent role in the genealogy of Jesus Christ! – Jesus identifies with “Sinners” ! Mark 2: 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, " It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. "

Rahab in God’s Eternal Plan God has spoken! …but Jesus. Matthew stooped down and“Genealogies” wrote in the dust with Consider 1: 1 -5 John 8: 3 -11 As he was speaking, the teachers of his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he When accusers heard this, they slipped one – A the Prostitute plays a prominent role inaway the religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let by one, beginning with the oldest, untilput only Jesus genealogy ofact Jesus Christ! had caught in the of adultery. They her in those who have never sinned throw the first stones!" was– left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. front of the crowd. "Teacher, " they said to Jesus, Jesus identifies with “Sinners” ! in the dust. Then he stooped down again and wrote Thenwoman Jesus stood up again andvery said act to her, "Where "this was caught in the of adultery. – Came to give up His life for you! M are your accusers? Didn't even one of them The law of Moses says to stone her. What docondemn you E! you? " "No, Lord, " she said. And Jesus said, "Neither say? “ “For God did not send the Son into the do I. were Go and sin no more. " They trying to trap him into something world to judge the world, butsaying that theyworld could might use against him… be saved through Him. ” John 3: 17

Rahab in God’s Eternal Plan God has spoken! Consider Matthew 1: 1 -5 “Genealogies” “The Scarlet Thread of Redemption” “only if you leave this scarlet – Passover rope hanging from the – “Day of Atonement” window. And all your family members—your father, – “The Passover mother, brothers, and all Lamb”your relatives—must be here inside the house. If they go “Christ, Passover Lamb, has out our into the street, they will be killed…” for Joshua 2: 18 -19 been sacrificed us. ” 1 Cor. 5: 7

Rahab in God’s Eternal Plan God has spoken! Consider Matthew 1: 1 -5 “Genealogies” “The Scarlet Thread of Redemption” A Picture of FAITH (James 2; Heb. 11: 31) – Josh 2: 9 “I know…” By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace. “Never forget how close you were 11: 31 to the Hebrews Kingdom of God” – Luke 10: 11 b

Rahab in God’s Eternal Plan God has spoken! Consider Matthew 1: 1 -5 “Genealogies” “The Scarlet Thread of Redemption” A Picture of FAITH (James 2; Heb. 11: 31) A Picture of DEFIANT Faith! – A Traitor! – With a HEALTHY PERSPECTIVE! …someone told the king of Jericho (v. 2) “God is the supreme God of the heavens …So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab (2: 3) above and the earth below. ” Joshua 2: 11

Rahab in God’s Eternal Plan God has spoken! "Wonder if I told you a kidnapper will sneak into Consider Matthew 1: 1 -5 your house tonight and steal“Genealogies” your kids? You'd say, Scarlet 'That's not possible. . . we have our doors “The Thread of Redemption” locked, we'd call 911. . . ' Then wonder if I told A Picture of FAITH (James 2; Heb. 11: 31) you that's happening every day your kid turns on A Picture the TV? " of DEFIANT Faith! A UNIVERSAL Faith! …“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…’ Matthew 28: 18 -19 a