Free Grace Women

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)

In this installment of our series on the Hebrews Hall of Faith (see previous parts here) we are looking at Rahab, a prostitute who hid Israelite spies, saving them from capture by Jericho’s king, who somehow had found out that they had entered the city.

Although she was a Gentile and a harlot, Rahab nevertheless is honored by being listed among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. Her name also appears in the epistle of James, the only example cited alongside the Father of the Faith, Abraham (James 2:23-25). On top of that, she became one of a few select women who are listed in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). Quite astonishing, isn’t it?

Why was this Gentile woman so honored by God? After all, she merely helped two Israelite men escape death. 

Reading the passage in Joshua 2, we may discover some interesting facts about the personality of Rahab:

• She knew that God was all powerful.

She says in Joshua 2:11: “ the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. “

• She knew that God was reliable and kept His promises.

She made a deal with God’s people, accomplishing her end of the bargain and trusting that they would accomplish theirs later: “Swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.” Then she said, “According to your words, so be it” (Joshua 2:12, 14, 21, italics added).

• She was intelligent and courageous.

She devised a clever plan for how to save the Israelite spies and confuse the servants of Jericho’s king (see Joshua 2:4-7; 15-16)

• She acted upon her faith by taking risks.

By making a deal with the Israelites she put herself and her family at risk of being killed beforehand by the king of Jericho if he found out about her betrayal, but she believed God would protect her.

• She was motivated by love towards her family.

Even when we are scared and desperate, love and care for others may push us to act upon our faith since love “believes all things” (1 Cor 13:7).

• She knew God even though she was a Gentile.

Being a Gentile didn’t stop her from believing in the One True God. The revelations she received through the verbal accounts concerning the nation of Israel were enough for her to believe the truth.

• Her faith had nothing to do with her being a prostitute. In fact her profession is announced in both Hebrews and James. That alone makes her appearance in the Hall of Faith extraordinary and tells us that it’s not our sinlessness that grants us God’s favor, but His mercy and grace alone available through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (see Romans 5:1-2, Hebrews 4:14-16).

What did Rahab believe God for?

Our God is above all and He grants people all kinds of blessings. The most important blessing ever given by Him is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through whom we have eternal life received by faith as a present possession. As Paul wrote to Timothy:

However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. (1 Timothy 1:16)

In Hebrews 11, however, we are presented with examples of people who believed in Him for something other than eternal life. Rahab believed God would save her and her household from physical death while Jericho was being overtaken . And not only did she believe, but she acted upon her faith and brokered a deal with the jewish spies, and hid them. 

It’s important to note that both Hebrews 11 and James 2 (where Rahab is given as an example to follow) talk about active faith, or faith accompanied by works. This means that the result of such an attitude is a reward, not a free gift. Rewards are part of the sanctification process of a born-again person, which involves active participation by the believer in response to the teachings of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. This is different from salvation (and glorification) , which are accomplished  by God Himself, without any effort on the part of the believer.

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)

Why did the rest of Jericho’s inhabitants perish?

The Bible says “they didn’t believe” (Hebrews 11:31). While they believed God was “God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11), but sadly they didn’t seek Him. Since Rahab eventually was rewarded in the form of a deal with the Israelites and eventually saved from death in the destruction of her city, we should conclude that she had been seeking Him and His help in light of the approaching destruction. 

We can’t know for sure, but it is probable that God would have preserved the lives of other inhabitants of Jericho as well,  if they had adopted the same attitude as their famous compatriot. Similar to the people in the days of Noah, they didn’t believe in God for salvation from physical destruction.

Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.  And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. (Joshua 6:17b; 23a NKJV)

Conclusion: 

Rahab is an example of one who sought God with faith and was greatly rewarded for it (Hebrews 11:6). She also acted upon what she believed. Eventually she and her household were delivered from physical destruction and she received a place of honor in the Hall of Faith and in the genealogy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That is an example worth following, especially when we face difficult times. May we all cling to the power and mercy of our God, and not to our own understanding (Prov 3:5-6).