Joshua 2:1-13: a reflection

1Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there. 2The king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy out the land.” 3Jericho’s king sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land.” 4The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from. 5About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. 8Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof. 9She said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. 12Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true sign; 13and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.”

When Joshua sends spies into Jericho, they take refuge in the house of Rahab, a prostitute, an unlikely person in every way. Yet when the king's men come searching, Rahab hides the spies and protects them, at great risk to herself. And she tells them why: she has heard of what the God of Israel has done, the parting of the Red Sea, the victories over kings, and she has come to believe: the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above and on earth below. Out of that faith, she acts, and asks to be spared.

Notice who this believer is, and what her faith does. Rahab is an outsider, a woman of ill repute, the last sort of person one might expect to have faith in the God of Israel. Yet she heard of what God had done, and she believed, confessing him as God of heaven and earth; and her faith was not mere words, but showed itself in action, in the risk she took to protect the spies and align herself with God's people. God's grace reached this unlikely woman, and her faith acted.

That is a striking picture of God's grace and of living faith. Rahab reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace; the outsider, the person of poor reputation, the last one anyone would expect, can come to faith and be received by God, as Rahab was, who is honored in Scripture and even numbered among the ancestors of Christ. And her faith shows that genuine faith acts, showing itself in deeds and risk, not mere words. Do not think anyone, including yourself, beyond the reach of God's grace; he receives the unlikely, as he received Rahab. And let your faith, like hers, be a living faith that acts, aligning itself with God and his people at whatever cost. God's grace reaches the unlikely; and true faith shows itself in action, as Rahab's did.

Lord, when the spies came to Jericho, they were sheltered by Rahab, a prostitute, an unlikely believer in every way; yet she had heard of what you had done and believed, confessing you as God of heaven and earth, and her faith showed itself in the risk she took to protect them. Thank you for this picture of your grace and of living faith. Rahab reminds me that no one is beyond the reach of your grace; the outsider, the person of poor reputation, the last one anyone would expect, can come to faith and be received by you, as Rahab was, honored in Scripture and numbered among the ancestors of Christ. And her faith shows that genuine faith acts, in deeds and risk, not mere words. Keep me from thinking anyone, including myself, beyond the reach of your grace; you receive the unlikely, as you received Rahab. And let my faith, like hers, be a living faith that acts, aligning itself with you and your people at whatever cost. Thank you that your grace reaches the unlikely; make my faith one that acts.