Rahab, called a harlot, by man and not by God as you will see in today’s lesson and was one of the mothers in the seed line of Jesus Christ. We know that seed line was kept pure by the hand of God. My hope today is to teach that God’s word is true, but not always is it God’s word that is written in our bible. Important in understanding God’s word that others are speaking, and not always correctly. This is rightly dividing the Word of God. Let’s begin our study in the book of Joshua chapter 2 and verse 1 reads.
Josh.2:1] And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
Man called her a harlot, not God.
Josh.2:2] And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
[3] And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
[4] And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:
[5] And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
[6] But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
This proves right here she was not a harlot, but a vender of fine linen. Flax is used for fine linen, and she must have been the best in town. But notice that the king went directly to her. Why? Because she was of the tribe of Judah. This will be proven later, for now know that she is an Israelite.
Josh.2:7] And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
[8] And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
[9] And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
[10] For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
[11] And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
[12] Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:
[13] And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
[14] And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
[15] Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
[16] And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.
[17] And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
[18] Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.
This scarlet thread is the key in knowing that she is of the tribe of Judah. Let’s go to Genesis 38 and read when Judah’s wife gives birth to twins.
Gen.38:27] And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
[28] And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first,
[29] And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
[30] And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
This be upon thee she said, the first born was Pharez the second born was Zarah. But notice the scarlet thread. Back to Joshua 2 and verse 19 reads.
Josh.2:19] And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
[20] And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
[21] And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
[22] And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
[23] So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:
[24] And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.
Let’s skip down to Ch.6 and begin reading with verse 22.
Josh.6:22] But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
[23] And the young men that were spies went in, and brought Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
[24] And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
[25] And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
A strong and wise woman who secured her father’s household. Paul would speak of her in that great faith chapter of Hebrews. Let’s go to Hebrews chapter 11 and read verse 31.
Heb.11:31] By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
And also, James would bring her up in chapter 2 verse 25 and it reads.
James 2:24] Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
[25] Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
[26] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Again, only man called her a harlot. But, don’t overlook faith without works is dead. Now, Rahab would marry Salmon and we will finish this lesson in the book of Ruth. Ruth 4 verse 13 reads.
Ruth 4:13] So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
[14] And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
[15] And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
[16] And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
[17] And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
[18] Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
Pharez was the first born, that scarlet thread.
Ruth 4:19] And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
[20] And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
This Salmon married Rahab. The one who used the scarlet thread to save her fathers’ house.
Ruth 4:21] And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
[22] And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
In the Strongs’ you will find Rahab; H7343 in the Hebrew and G4460 in the Greek. Married Salmon, an ancestor of David and of Christ; commended for her faith in the book of James
A woman full of faith and good works. A woman who saved the two spy’s and in doing so saved her fathers’ house, and married into the seed line of Jesus Christ. She was not a harlot, but called a harlot, by man. Men get jealous of successful woman in business. But know this, this woman was in the line umbilical cord to umbilical cord from Eve to Mary to our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.