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RAHAB THE HARLOT
(Josh 2:1-22) Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land." And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land." But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. "And it came about when it was time to shut the gate, at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them." But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate. Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth, and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death." So the men said to her, "Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you." Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. And she said to them, "Go to the hill country, lest the pursuers happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days, until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way." And the men said to her, "We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's household. "And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if a hand is laid on him. "But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear." And she said, "According to your words, so be it." So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. And they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them.
(Mat 1:5) and to Salmon was born Boaz by Rahab; and to Boaz was born Obed by Ruth; and to Obed, Jesse;
(Heb 11:31) By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
(James 2:25) And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
1. She Did Not Follow The Crowd~Heb. 11:31; Josh. 2:8-11; Acts 17:30-32
(Heb 11:31) By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
(Josh 2:8-11) Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath."
(Acts 17:30-32) "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this."
2. God Can Save The Worst of Sinners~1 Tim. 1:15-16; 1 Cor. 15:8-10; Luke 5:30-32; 19:10
(1 Tim 1:15-16) It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
(1 Cor 15:8-10) and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
(Luke 5:30-32) And the Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples,
saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax-gatherers and sinners?" And Jesus
answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but
those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
(Luke 19:10) "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
3. Rahab Is An Example Of A Justifying Faith ~
Josh. 2:10, 12-13; Rom. 10:17; Heb. 11:31; James 2:25
(Josh 2:10) "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea
before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the
Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
(Josh 2:12-13) "Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth, and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death."
(Rom 10:17) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
(Heb 11:31) By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
(James 2:25) And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
4. No Salvation Outside Of God's Location~Josh. 2:19; Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:23; 2 Tim. 2:10
(Josh 2:19) "And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if a hand is laid on him.
(Acts 2:47) praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
(Eph 5:23) For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
(2 Tim 2:10) For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen,
that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal
glory.
Even The Worst Of Sinners Have
Marks Of Strong Christians