Rahab, An Unexpected Hero of Faith

Near the beginning of the book of Joshua, we meet Rahab. She harbored the two spies who Joshua sent to scope out Jericho. The king of Jericho heard that spies had infiltrated the city and entered the house of Rahab, a prostitute. So the king sent men to command her to bring them out.

Let us read what happened next in Joshua 2:4-6,
"(Rahab) had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)"

Why did Rahab lie and hide the spies who were foreigners to her land with a mission to take over her city?

We read in verses 9-11 that Rahab tells Joshua's spies that she knows the Lord has given the land to the Israelites. And all who lived in her country had heard how the Lord delivered them through the Red Sea and gave them victory over the Amorites... because of this she knows that the God of the Israelites is the God in heaven and on the earth below.

Rahab lived in a city with pagan idols and gods. She would have witnessed that those carved images could not and had not performed any such miracles. It was fully evident that the God of the Israelites was a true God. She had faith in the God of the Israelites.

In fact, because of her faith, she is listed among those commended for their faith in Hebrews 11 as we read in verse 31,

"By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient."

Some may question why she would be commended for her faith and considered to be a heroine when she lied to the king of Jericho.

First, let us remember that she was a Gentile who did not live under the laws of Moses which is obvious because she was a prostitute.

Secondly, and most importantly, we know that God looks at the intent of our hearts. Our Lord tells us in Jeremiah 17:10,

“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

And God provides more insight in 1 Samuel 16:7 as he speaks to the Prophet Samuel,
"...The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Rahab's heart and intentions were honorable to God because she didn't lie to the King of Jericho to protect herself or to bring harm to someone else. Rather, she lied to protect the lives of others who she knew were God's people. In fact, she risked her very own life and the lives of her family to save lives of others.

In addition, God did not consider Rahab as being disobedient, because, as Hebrews 11:31 states, "she welcomed the spies"...and thus... she "was not killed with those who were disobedient" to God. This action of welcoming the spies was attributed to her demonstrating her faith in God. It was because of her faith that she pleased God. As we read in Hebrews 11:6,
"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists (like Rahab did) and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

So it is highly appropriate that Rahab is listed among the great heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.

There is one other place in the bible that honors Rahab. Before we go there, let us go back to the conquer of Jericho.

Rahab was instructed by the spies to hang a red cord from her window so she and her family would be spared when the Israelites took Jericho. After the destruction of Jericho, Rahab would have assimilated with the Israelites and obviously put away her sinful past and obeyed God fully through keeping the laws given to Moses. How do we know this?

Let us now go to Matthew 1:5-6 where we learn that Rahab married an Israelite named Salmon and gave birth to Boaz. In order for Salmon to be permitted to marry Rahab, she would have had to leave her life as a prostitute, assimilate into the culture of the Israelites and obey God's laws.

Rahab's story doesn't end here. She and her husband had a son named Boaz who would marry Ruth. This family lineage would continue on to the birth of King David AND to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Not only is Rahab the great, great grandmother of King David, but she is in the genealogy of Jesus.

If we were to meet Rahab in the streets of Jericho, we would never have expected that this prostitute would one day be commended for her faith in God and be honored in the genealogy of King David and in the genealogy of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. Rahab was truly an unexpected hero of faith.
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