Sermons

Joshua 2 - "I know..."

April 21, 2013 Speaker: Series: Hebrews

Topic: Sunday Worship Passage: Joshua 2:1–2:24

[Text: Joshua 2] “I know…”

Two weeks ago, we continued preparing for the book of Hebrews by seeing the danger of unbelief. Today, we’ll see how faith – simple belief – saved a shamed woman. In the face of a dark future for her people, she believed in Yahweh and found a place of rest in the household of God.

[Read Joshua 2 and Pray]

So what does Rahab have to do with the book of Hebrews? A lot, actually.

Rahab was a prostitute; we might not need to argue too hard to agree that her way of life had carried her outside of the bounds of how God said life works best. But while her sexual sin is significant, the main problem she and the original audience would have recognized stems from another issue; she’s a citizen of the wrong city, a member of the wrong people and, as such, is in a desperate, helpless position.

Her people, a subgroup of the Amorites who lived in the land of Canaan, were a people whose deep, willful sin had been rising before the face of Yahweh for over 400 years. Long before this story, back in Genesis 15, Yahweh had said to Abraham,

“Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.”

[That’s Israel’s time in slavery in Egypt.]

“But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions…”

[That’s the Exodus under Moses.]

“And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” (Gen. 15:13-16)

For four centuries, God’s patience had held back His anger as Rahab’s people had lived out the full expression of human rejection of God. Like in the days before Noah’s flood, Rahab’s people lived lives defined by selfishness, by murder over an insult, by exchanging true worship of the transcendent God for the fleeting pleasure of sex. Rather than offering themselves to God as living sacrifices out of love for him, they tried to control their tribal gods – petty little deities that looked more like men than gods – they tried to control their gods by burning their own children as sacrifices, thinking that such an offering would surely get them a good harvest this year.

But now in this story, the four hundred years of God’s patience have ended. Now Israel’s years of wandering in the wilderness have come to an end and they stand poised to enter into the Land, warriors fighting with the Yahweh, the Divine Warrior, at the lead. He was giving them the very land He was about to strip from the hands of Rahab’s people in judgment.

And like all her people, she was helpless against the coming storm. She was helpless against herself in her sin and brokenness. She was helpless as one belonging to the city of destruction[1] just days away from being wiped off the face of the earth, as it remains to this day. She had worshiped the wrong things; she lived in the wrong city; she belonged to the wrong people. In other words, Rahab’s story is the story of every one of us.

Every one of us was born in the city of destruction. Every one of us belonged at one time to the wrong people – children of darkness and sons of disobedience. Every one of us has worshiped something other than the God of heaven and earth, substituting sex or food or family or self in the place of the One True God. We may not have burned our sons in the fire, but have we hurt our families to serve our idols of wealth or power or comfort? We may not have sold ourselves on the street, but have we given ourselves as lovers to sin, willingly rejecting our faithful God for things we think will fill us up and make us happy? Francis Schaeffer said it well; “We are all prostitutes. We are all harlots. Each one of us is a whore in the idolatry of our hearts.”[2] Rahab was harlot by profession. We are harlots in our rebellion against our Creator.

But grace comes. And grace comes even to us harlots. And it always comes the same way – through faith – hearing and believing the Word of God in Christ and then acting in line with that belief; embracing a better people, a better city, a better God who calls us out of darkness and into His light.

For we who know we belong to the wrong people, to the wrong city, and know that we are helpless, Rahab stands as a witness. That’s how the book of Hebrews will talk about her. It says, “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies” and her faith, her belief in God is commended as what saving faith really looks like. So, let’s listen to Rahab in the midst of her helplessness and see where she looks, so that we, too, may look with her and live.

The scene opens at Shittim. It was at there just a few years before that the people of Israel (as Numbers 25 puts it) “began to whore with the daughters of Moab” as they left Yahweh and worshiped the gods of Moab. Now back at Shittim, Joshua sends two spies into the Land once again to scout out the way Yahweh was preparing for them.

What is beautiful about this is that although Joshua viewed this as a military expedition preparing for an attack, Yahweh had orchestrated this to be a rescue mission, to save one of His people who just happened to be born in Canaan. So, it’s only fitting that the Israelites, themselves “recovering prostitutes,” should be sent by God to another prostitute, to rescue her from the coming wrath.

If you’ve ever seen a spy movie, you know that spying is dangerous business; it’s all about information and misinformation, secrets and shadows. So, it shouldn’t surprise us that the spies of Israel avoid the busy inns that were probably a bit like the Prancing Pony in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, where everyone was interested in everyone else’s business and a strange accent would draw a lot of attention. Instead they went to the place where eye contact is avoided and no one asks for names – a house in the red-light district where those who want to remain anonymous can stay in the shadows.

But the king of Jericho had eyes in the streets. Although they must have been blinded by God for the spies to enter the city in the first place, the eyes of the watchmen or ears of some citizen must have discovered that Israelites were among them. Soon, the king’s men had come to Rahab’s door.

How fast did the spies’ hearts beat? How long did they hold their breath as the listened to the conversation between Rahab and the men who would have quickly slit their throats for spying out their city? But what they may have seen as their plans unraveling and the imminent end of their mission and their lives, God was using as an opportunity for one of His people, Rahab, to demonstrate her faith.

V. 4 tells us that even as she stood there talking to the men of Jericho, Rahab had already hidden the spies. And as she tells the king’s men a story (sending them on a long wild-goose chase) she shows that her natural loyalty toward one’s own country and people has ended. Already her loyalty and identity has shifted because she has heard and believed something about this Israelite people and their God, Yahweh.

Before we talk about what she believes and how she lives it out, we need to talk, at least for a moment, about the issue of Rahab’s lie and disobedience to her king. Now, Christians throughout the centuries have differed on whether it was right for her to lie or not. Some say this story as an example of “the ends justify the means” and have used it as justification for evil things in the name of religion. Others say it was truly sin, but sin that was forgiven and covered over by the grace of God.

Still others have called this an example of “situational ethics” where the moral law could be set aside so that good could triumph. But I would urge caution here. You and I should be very wary when we hear the term “situational ethics” (which is often just a Christian-ized version of “the ends justify the means") because that isn’t really a category that the Scriptures use. Righteousness – not the consequences of an action – righteousness is what God cares about. So, was Rahab’s deception and disobedience righteous or not?

Comparing it to Exodus 1:15-21 is helpful to answer that question. In that passage, the Hebrew midwives lied to Pharaoh and disobeyed his order to kill the Hebrew boys. In the end, it says that because of this, “God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.” The lie and disobedience was righteous in the sight of God – not to earn their salvation, of course – but because it flowed from hearts that believed in Yahweh and feared Him more than Pharaoh.

Far from being wrong in this situation (because we see that Rahab’s lie came from a fear of God rather than the king of Jericho) we need to interpret this as being a part of Rahab’s faith being lived out. I say this with conviction; Rahab’s speech here is the righteous outworking of her faith in Yahweh. It is beautiful and right. Another writer said it this way,

“There are times when we must speak the truth, but other times when it would be clearly wrong to do so. There are times when the statement of truth is unrighteous, pharisaical, and cowardly. My speech is to be ruled by the law of love on behalf of my neighbor. Rahab’s speech and actions are ruled by the desire to honor God, by her commitment to love her neighbors (the spies), and by her casting her lot with the people of God (a people who as yet have no land of their own).

We should also notice that human authority is never absolute – and that is why it is good, faithful and honoring to God for Rahab to disobey her king.”[3]

So, Rahab sent the men of Jericho away.

She and the spies were now in the same boat. Now death would have come to each of them if discovered. But Rahab came to the men on the roof and declared a beautiful confession of faith that stands today as a witness for you and me; to encourage us in our faith as it encouraged the spies to endure in our own belief in God.

In v. 9 she says, “I know…”

Do you remember the Scripture reading from Hebrews? “(F)aith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, emphasis mine). When Rahab says, “I know…” she is declaring what she believes is certainly true.

“I know,” she says, “that Yahweh has given you the land….” She says this when Israel hasn’t even set foot in Canaan and their two spies are hiding in fear of being captured and killed. But Rahab’s faith is the conviction that the promises of God about the Land are true and will come to pass even if it looks uncertain for now.

Then she points to the evidence. Her faith is informed by what she’s heard about Yahweh. She and all of her fellow Canaanites have heard about everything that happened to this point; Yahweh leading Israel out of Egypt, Israel passing through the Red Sea Yahweh had dried up in front of them, the utter destruction of two kingdoms on the outskirts of the Land who had risen up against Israel.

In one way, the word about Yahweh had the same affect on all of them, including Rahab. She doesn’t distance herself from her countrymen when she says in v. 11, “As soon as we heard it, our hearts melted and there was no spirit left in any man….” She was just as helpless as her countrymen in the face of such a powerful and purposeful God. It seems they all heard the same news. They all knew that war was coming and that Yahweh was fighting for His people.

But there was one difference between Rahab and her countrymen – the difference was their response to what they’d heard. The men of Jericho rejected it, prepared for war and were ready to kill the spies of Israel. But Rahab – Rahab believed and embraced what she heard. In light of everything she heard and believed, she makes a beautiful confession of faith, one that the spies themselves would have recognized because (according to Deut 4:39) all the people of Yahweh were supposed to confess the same. In v. 11 she says what she believes; “…Yahweh your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” In one statement, she has rejected her old gods and confessed that Yahweh alone is God.

And her faith doesn’t stop there with a mere assent to the facts. Remember, even demons believe God is one – they believe and shutter in fear because they are not saved by merely assenting to the facts. Saving faith must keep going. It must act in line what it believes.

So, Rahab asks something of the spies. She asks them to swear by Yahweh that just as she has dealt kindly with them, they will deal kindly with her father’s house. Literally, she asks for hesed to be given, just as hesed was given to them. Hesed is covenantal language. It’s steadfast love and loyalty and kindness and mercy all wrapped up into a single word. And so, Rahab – helpless and needy, born in the wrong city and belonging to the wrong people – Rahab the prostitute looks in faith to Yahweh to act through His people, to show mercy and kindness and steadfast love to her and her family. She has rejected the gods of Canaan for the One True God. Now, her faith is longing for a better people and a better city.

And her faith is not in vain. Listen again to the words of the spies and hear as they eagerly accept her into the people of Israel. In v. 14 they say, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when Yahweh gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”

The conditions they add to this covenant are not insignificant. Those of Rahab’s family had to abide by the restriction that they remain in her house or else their blood would be on their own head. And Rahab herself had to endure in her faith, keeping the secret of the spies.

And endurance in faith would have meant more for Rahab than just silent lips. The expression of her faith had to continue as she kept the sign of her faith visible: the scarlet cord.

That scarlet cord hanging from her window in the wall of Jericho was the continued evidence of her faith in Yahweh. So long as that cord was displayed for the people of Israel to see – crimson red against the sun-tanned bricks of Jericho’s wall – it proved that her hope was neither in the walls of Jericho nor in the strength of her people, but in Yahweh and His mercy toward harlots who put their faith in Him.

As the spies returned to Joshua, following the round-about way Rahab sent them to avoid the men of Jericho, they faithfully reported to Joshua all that had happened to them. But did you catch how the very words of Rahab echoed in their report? They said with her, “Truly Yahweh has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.” Rahab’s faith – her conviction that what God said was true was true – her faith had bolstered the spies’ own faith, giving them great confidence in their God as they entered into the Land.

Not long after, the storm came, Yahweh threw down flat the walls of Jericho without Israel so much as lifting a finger (just their voices). But we know that the faith of Rahab endured because although the walls of Jericho fell, the house of Rahab, built into that wall, remained. And Joshua sent men to Rahab’s house to rescue her and all her family with her from the violence. Joshua 6:25 says, “…Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy our Jericho.”

So, why does the writer to the Hebrews bring all this up? How would Rahab’s story encourage his audience (or us, for that matter)?

If Francis Schaeffer is right, if “(w)e are all prostitutes. We are all harlots.” If you and I have worshiped the wrong things, lived in the wrong city, belonged to the wrong people, then we need to hear the news of the Gospel and respond in the same way as Rahab. Because what happened to Jericho is a foreshadowing of what the Scriptures say is still coming at the end of this age, indeed, perhaps sooner for some.

The news that has gone out into the world is that Yahweh is on the move again and – by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus – He is leading His people through the wilderness to their true home. He has won redemption for His people, freedom from slavery to sin. He has adopted them as His people in Christ, even as His very own children!

And that glorious news draws out from people the same two responses that it did in Jericho. Some hear the news and reject it and desire to remain as king over their own little failing kingdom. But those who reject the True King, Jesus, cannot by their rejection remove him from his throne. When the walls come down, what will become of them?

But there is hope for harlots like us. There is hope for all those who hear the good news of Jesus, the God who goes before His people in power, leading them through the waters of death into resurrection life with Him. There is hope as the Gospel comes to us and, by the work of His gracious Spirit, that Gospel is believed and embraced and acted upon.

If you have called yourself “sinner” and set your hope in Jesus, just like Rahab set her hope in Yahweh, then the call is to continue in that faith and live in line with that faith. Because now, in Christ, you are not who you once were. Through faith in Christ you belong to a better people, a better country, a better King! In confidence you can say with all the saints,

“…we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Cor. 5:1, emphasis mine)

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6, emphasis mine)

“For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” (1 Thess. 1:4, emphasis mine.)

“And if you call on him as Father…conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:17-19, emphasis mine)

And as you grow in your confidence in Christ, hearing and knowing that he died and lives for you – forgiving you, sanctifying you, keeping you safe in him – then endure in that faith and let the scarlet cord hang from your window. Let the evidence of your faith be evident for all to see as you live out your faith in the good works God has prepared for us. Believe and work, keeping those two things in the proper order. Remember, the scarlet cord was simply the evidence of Rahab's faith, it did not save her. Her salvation, like ours, came “by faith.”

Rahab was rescued by the gift of faith Yahweh gave to her and she found her true place in His grace – a place of peace, a place of rest, a place of belonging as she was welcomed in the people of God without shame.

Indeed, Rahab is honored in the Story of Redemption. As she came to Yahweh and to His people, the harlot found a husband and this Canaanite woman, so far from God at one time, became the great-grandmother of the man after God’s own heart, King David. And Rahab is honored all the more as she became the ancestress of Jesus himself.

God is not ashamed to be called her God. And He is not ashamed to be called your God, either. He has given His Son, Jesus. Do not refuse him. Look in faith to him. Look to him as the threats and temptations and griefs of this life would entangle you and know for certain that although the walls of this world fall around you, he has brought you into his kingdom that cannot be shaken.

[Pray – Father, with great joy we praise you for giving us your word. We praise you, Triune God, for giving us the gift of faith to hear the Gospel and believe it. For those who do not yet believe, we pray that your Spirit would give them ears to hear and hearts that do not reject your word to their own harm. And for those who believe, help us to endure in our faith in Jesus. And help us, Holy Spirit, to work out our faith in good works that are pleasing in your sight, walking as your children and ambassadors in this place. We put no confidence in ourselves, O Lord, but we put all our hope in him who died and now lives and is coming soon. In him, we will never be put to shame.]

[Benediction]

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:14-21)

 

 

 

[1] Analogous to Bunyan’s “City of Destruction” in Pilgrim’s Progress, where “Christian” is born.

[2] Quoted in Jerram Barrs’ Through His Eyes: God’s Perspective on Women in the Bible, 88. The original text can be found in Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2004), 79-80.

[3] Jerram Barrs, Through His Eyes, 97.

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