By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe when she had received the spies with peace (Hebrews 11:31 NKJV). She had grown up in Jericho (according to the Midrash she had been there for nearly 40 years, possibly more). Thus, as God worked all things together for the good, using the humble and the most unlikely, God raised up a harlot to become the great-great-grandmother of King David. Abraham met with God at the city gate of Hebron (Genesis 18:1), and when Moses wanted to meet with God, he had to go outside the camp and wait by the city gate (Exodus 33:7). "Paul to TimothyII Timothy 2: 2KJV, We have Ads Running on this site. In a lot of modern churches, they claim theres not really a need for it. Jesus' own lineage shows how God powerfully uses us despite our past. Get our free Rahab Bible Study pdf worksheets! Despite living in a city that was opposed to the Israelites, she believed in their God and chose to help them. He is the recipient of the Legion of Merit. Still, the people of Jericho may have felt as if they could hide behind their walls. RAHAB peered from her window as the light of dawn streamed onto the plain surrounding Jericho. However, less well known is the account of Rahab recorded in Joshua 2:124, 6:25, and 6:2025. 2. I was so nervous but this post helped me tremendously! If this is so apparent to a common prostitute, why do the people of Jericho resist this all . And that boy would one day marry a widow woman by the name of Ruth (Ruth 4:5, 10). Thats how the entire line of Abraham started! The first time is mentioned in Joshua 2:4-7 when soldiers came to her door demanding she brings the spies to them. #purposedbook. The story of Rahab is found in the Book of Joshua, and it teaches several important lessons. to move into the home of a harlot in order to save their lives. She knew what she wanted for her life and she had to remain focused on it. Then they heard about the Israelites. The events recorded in Esther are celebrated each year with a holiday called Purim. In Rahab's day, it was normal for women to be bought and sold for sex (or even marriage). How did you decide Rahab was around 40 at this point? Cookie Monster's real name is Sid. Interestingly, Boaz went on to marry Ruth, another woman who was not originally from the tribe of Judah. She had to decide what she believed about God. Rahabs story is a picture of Gods plan of redemption, available to anyone who will believe Him by faith. This raises an important question: did Rahab have any family in Jericho? 5. He and his wife, Mae, reside in Western North Carolina. Partly because of her reputation as a prostitute but also because of the restraints put on women in those times. Rahab is best known for her role in helping the Israelite spies escape from Jericho, and for her subsequent marriage to Salmon, an Israelite. He has composed and performed original music for five albums. We dont know how invested Rahab was in honoring Canaanite worship practices but we do know that however invested she was, it wasnt enough to keep her from abandoning their falsehoods for the One true God. When they entered the wilderness they crossed the water of the Red Sea, That Miracle made the inhabitants of the land melt. But as hard as it is to have faith, there are rewards in the end. He was 500 years old when he had his three sons. In addition, she is a great example of the power of God to transform us from our sinful state into the person He wants us to be. But we can learn from their mistake and always obey God, even when it is difficult. Now, this isnt just any woman, shes a harlot. It is interesting to note that Matthew is the only biblical writer to tell us that Rahab was the mother-in-law of Ruth. Are you allowing regret, shame or confusion caused by someone else to keep you on a detour? Strange but true, the official flag of the United States was designed by Robert G. Heft in 1958 while Heft was a junior in high school. Michael A. Milton (PhD, Wales) is a long-time Presbyterian minister (PCA) and a regular contributor to Salem Web Network. 4. History The Book of Joshua marks the moment and describes the first movements of the Conquest: And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, Go, view the land, especially Jericho. And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there (Joshua 2:1). No matter the hairstyle and no matter the thickness, the average human being has around 100,000 hairs growing on their head at any one time. But Rahab believed in the power of the Hebrew God, all she had heard were stories but she believed He was powerful enough to deliver Jericho into the hands of His people. As they began yet another march around the city, the dust rose in their wake and the blare of horns again pierced the air. What has been your experience? Scholars disagree on whether it was 1406 BC or 1250 BC. 23. She Was "Declared Righteous by Works". The wall was built to protect the city from invaders. But what happened to Rahab after that? Belief Rahab believed in Gods promise of salvation, even before she had seen any evidence of it. She chose an unknown God because she believed He was greater than all that she had known. )She was a "harlot", and probably combined the trade of . This is a BIG DEAL. Not only that, but this unknown God would save her family as well so she wouldnt live the rest of her life mourning them. Belarusian. So here we are 40 years later, a new generation of Israelites (with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, none of the Israelites from the previous generation were still alive). It's also known as the "bleu, blanc, rouge", which means "blue, white, red". [23] While they are hibernating, bears do not urinate. Covenants In the Bible (Starting In Genesis), Nimrod and the Story of the Tower of Babel, 6 Examples of True Repentance in the Bible. His name means "lofty, exalted, or high mountain." There is no information about his birth or his early years. Rahab. The spies disobeyed God by not going into the land when He told them to, and they were punished for it. We first meet Rahab in Joshua chapter 2. Xhosa. That's who she is. City gates in the Bible were places of community and commerce. Courageous Rahab was courageous, as she hid the spies and lied to the kings soldiers. My friend, you can be like Rahab the prostitute, you can choose to live a life that pleases God. Get your copy of Rahab Woman of Jericho. I loved this! It took a lot of faith to acknowledge that the Hebrew God was greater than any of the gods of Jericho. A woman who risks her own life to save others. 175 Random Facts So Interesting You'll Say, "OMG!" These fun facts about everything from the cosmos to the inner workings of your body will blow your mind. Rahab was one of the ancestors of Jesus mentioned in the first chapter of the New Testament. Rahab also had to convince her whole family to move into her house if they wanted to be saved. She falls smack in the middle of the children of Israels march to conquer the Promised Land. How very beautiful to think that it is a scarlet cord of the covenant of God's grace that binds all of the Word of God together. Rahab is listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew. Actually, lets rephrase that. Rahabs livelihood was her security. Rahab helped the spies escape over the city wall with the aid of a crimson cord lowered through her window, but not before the spies told her that she needed to hang that same scarlet cord in her window when they invaded. The more common introduction (the reason people are shocked that shed have the honor of being in the lineage of Jesus): This leads us to Rahabs real shining moment; The Story of Rahab and the Spies at Jericho, as given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. What I admire so much about Rahab is that she took the reckless route. From her, we learn that even though Jericho was a sinful city, there were still people there who were willing to turn from their evil ways and follow God. 95 Fun Facts That Will Amaze You By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer Published August 19, 2020 American flags left on the moon will eventually get bleached white by the sun. But instead, she protected them and helped them escape. The Bible calls her Rahab the prostitute because that was her defining trait. God instructed Joshua to have the Israelites march around the city walls once a day for six days, followed by seven priests blowing trumpets. In this article were going to explore the real condition of the land of Canaan in Rahabs day; before it transitioned to the promised land. Do you have the courage to stay the course? And God knew that all along. I always thought that too! If youve ever had to deliver a speech before an unknown audience you understand how much nerve it takes to speak up for what you want. In many ways, the gates represented the border between civilization and the wilderness. The prophet Ezekiel even saw a vision of the glory of God entering through the city gate (Ezekiel 44:2). When we abandon them we are essentially starving them; no longer allowing them to feast on the things that sustain them. 7. This surprises a lot of people because Rahabs life wasnt a pretty one, but it certainly belongs. She is popularly known as the prostitute who helped the Israelite spies. Im just constantly amazed the more I learn. You may get so hung up on the idea that theres a harlot in the lineage of Christ that you may never fully stop to consider the lessons we can learn from Rahab. Know yourselfwhat if Rahab hadnt accepted that she couldnt save herself from the invading army? This is the perspective taken in Rahab Woman of Jericho and its an interesting one. See, despite her many shortcomings, there is one character of Rahabs that Christian women in a sin-driven world should be eager to adopt: Abandon. 9. Because she was ready for the real deal. When they came back and gave an evil report, He was just in His punishment of them. She lived in a totally corrupt society that engaged in every kind of sexual perversion and idol worship which included child sacrifice. Rahab Villacres was born on Monday, 71 st day / 11 th week of 1996; 9. The answer can be found in Rahabs character. It's funded by membership dues, non-member donations, bequests and major gifts and donations from its 275 chapters. <3 Glad to hear this post was helpful! What was the Purpose of the Scarlet Cord? A terrific study does it ever say how did she become a harlot in the first place. Rahab wasnt content where she was. We find two names linked in holy matrimony: Salmon and Rahab. 2. Also, my 14 year old niece pointed out that the Matthew scripture reference should be Matthew 16:25 instead of Matthew 17:32-33 (which doesnt exist). Lets take a look at the things that Rahab chose to leave behind to gain life with God. Rahab is the ever-present message of God to you: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. This may explain why the Israelites were able to destroy the wall by marching around it and making a loud noise. Rahab helped the Israelite spies escape after their mission was complete. This suggests that she was close to her family and may have still been living with them. In fact, that is a big part of why God chose to destroy the Canaanites in the first place. And as soon as we heard, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the, This is one of my favorite chapters to work through in the Rahab Bible Study, For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, who you utterly destroyed. In this historical fiction, author Diana Wallis Taylor offers a beautiful story of intrigue that suggests Rahab was a descendent of Ephraim, one of the ten lost tribes of Israel. Rahab is praised for her faith in Hebrews 11:31. For forty years, the children of Israel had wandered in the wilderness without a home. Generous Rahab was generous, as she gave her own Jericho house to the spies. Had two sons who were wicked, so the Lord put them to death. It portrays a lack of commitment or diligence; sometimes to a task and other times towards a person or relationship. Some, like Welsh, are only spoken by less than 20% of a single region or country's population. God still uses those who have reverent fear of Him. 9 Facts about Rahab in the Bible.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'jesusleadershiptraining_com-box-3','ezslot_1',624,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-jesusleadershiptraining_com-box-3-0'); Rahab was a prostitute who lived in Jericho. 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, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. Rahab had faith! Simply the best collection of interesting facts, weird facts and useless facts. The Gates also symbolized entry into the kingdom of God and were often mentioned in biblical passages. Raphael had art in his blood. She pleaded for the lives of her family. The story of Rahab is one about faith. A woodpecker's tongue actually wraps all the way around its brain, protecting it from damage when it's hammering into a tree. She shows that with forgiveness there is no need to live in guilt and stay in our sinful ways. Rahabs story is a picture of Gods plan of redemption, available to anyone who will believe Him by faith. The scarlet cord was used by Rahab to indicate to the Israelite spies which house belonged to her and her family so that they would not be harmed when the city of Jericho was destroyed (Joshua 2:18-19). All for the HOPE of a new life, with the One True God and His people. Its not the tree that stands out, but the stories attached to it, each pointing to the faithfulness of God and His love for us. As a result, Rahab became an instrument of Gods plan for His people. Rahab found God, ran to Him, and didn't let ANYTHING keep her back. The name of God is not mentioned in the book- this is the only book of the Bible in which God is not named. Many scholars refer to it when theyre looking for cultural context, changes in Hebrew OT/NT law, or when they come across what seems to be a contradiction within scripture. Have We Turned Our Favorite Preachers and Teachers into Idols? Diana makes her home in San Diego, California. This has really open up my eyes to the goodness of God. In the Old Testament, they are seemingly unrelated. That note on having kids, I thought the same too but then God brought to remembrance the many women that he blessed with children in old age. Among the many stories that are interwoven in that wonderful section of the Bible, the woman of the scarlet cord takes her honored place. In addition to founding three churches, and the call as Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Dr. Milton is a retired Army Chaplain (Colonel). Still, she boldly asked them to spare her life. Rahab was a prostitute who lived in the city of Jericho during the time when the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land. }); While the Canaanites were living large and partying doing all the things that were grotesquely sinful things (child sacrifices, idol worship, pagan rituals including but not limited to sexual perversions), God was faithfully bringing the Israelites to the land He had promised them in Genesis 15:18-21 and Exodus 33:1-3. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. But we see Rahab taking a bold step towards her destiny leaving her past behind. Image credits: Adam Brill. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Rahabs profession may have been seen as shameful by some, but she is still remembered as a heroic figure in biblical history. The Bible tells us that we cant please God without faith: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV). Welcome to our Family. Matthew calls her Rahab, mother of Boaz. Image credit: BublikHaus/Shutterstock. She exercised it. The Bible tells us that she married an Israelite named Salmon (father of Boaz) and had a son named Boaz. Polar bear fur is actually clear, and their skin is black. COPYRIGHT 2023 Tanner Ministry Outlets, LLC. This page may contain affiliate links. Rahab was from Jericho. How does Rahabs story foreshadow the gift of the gospel. 2. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. No matter what our past may look like, we can always find new life and purpose in Him.
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