with Paul and his audience, he told them that Faith alone will give them salvation. At the same time one needs faith in order to truly do the work. 22They departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. Maybe because Abraham is talked about a lot in earlier portions of Scripture, the author wanted to use a different example this time. In Joshua 2 Rahab is presented as an example of a righteous Canaanite. This is remarkable since she is introduced as a , a prostitute and she betrays her own city to the enemy by lying to the authorities. This was around 1400 B.C. Most commonly he refers to this as bearing good fruit. But we read and hear about themand believe. This is very important to consider and should not be ignored. There are so many lessons to be gleaned from this woman of the Old Testament, so many pearls of wisdom that we could glean from the story of Rahab in the Bible. She feared God because she knew of His power and faithfulness to His people. It touched me, so I would recommend it to anyone. The same would go for anyone else. He sees what we do and He cares about us as individuals and He wants to see our lives transformed. She refused to betray them to the king of Jericho, and when he demanded them, she hid them on the roof of her house with stalks of flax that she had laid in order to dry. Ancestry and family life: Joshua 3:12-13. According to Moore (2016), Rahab is introduced in the Bible as a prostitute. Her reception of the spies, the artifice by which she concealed them from the king: their escape, and the saving of Rahab and her family at the capture of the city in accordance with their promise, are fold in the narrative of ( Joshua 2:1 ) As regards Rahab herself, she probably repented, and we learn from ( Matthew 1:5 ) that she became the wife of Salmon the son of Naasson, and the mother of Boaz, Jesses grandfather. And eventually, she was no longer known as the harlot who hid the spies but as the wife of Salmon, the mother of Boaz, and the ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:516). Not only did Rahab believe God, she confessed that He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath (Joshua 2:11). did Abraham, Barak, Samuel, Jonathan, Solomon, Mordecai/Haman, Elisha, and John the Baptist. She lied to the king's soldiers concerning the whereabouts of the spiesand sent them off in the opposite direction. He chose to save her, Rahab, from before the beginning of the world. "Foreign women are the ones who sexually tempt you and lure you to give up your own god," says Hanna Tervanotko, a religion professor at McMaster University. However, it is not uncommon to question her being referenced as a righteous woman because of her being a prostitute, recorded in the same chapter. Are there times when we should lie for a good reason? God does not desire that any one of us perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Do something, LORD. Paul Pauls intention was to reassure Gentiles that they do not need to follow Jewish customs. We can choose to follow God or the world. The Bible lists Rahab the harlot as an ancestor of Jesus Christ. No, they all heard of what the LORD had done for the Jews in Egypt. Jacob Place your bet on the winning team Rahab correctly believed that the Jews would defeat Jericho because of Gods power. Rahab showed this action when the Israelites took over Jericho. Rahab, as a name of Egypt, occurs once only without reference to the exodus: this is in ( Psalms 87:4 ) In ( Isaiah 30:7 ) the name is alluded to. While James is writing to a Jewish Christian population. Zavada, Jack. Rahab is the best example because she came from a background who first did not know about God. The spies were glad that Rahab saved their lives. Even though Rahab had been a bad woman in the past, now she was helping Gods people! Rahab and the spies did not know it yet but, in the future, Rahab would marry an Israelite and her descendants would follow God. In fact, hundreds of years later, one of her descendants would be Jesus Christ. He is the God of heaven, meaning He has all power. When and whereshe lived:She lived at the time of Joshua when the Israelites finally entered the Promised Land. Then she let them down by a rope out of her window (her house was on the city wall). We can repent and change. The Book of Joshua in the Old Testament says that the Israelite spies lodged in the home of Rahab, who in the original Hebrew text is identified as a zonah or prostitute. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! How Is God Not a Respecter of People? 3:9-11, ESV). James believes that just because believers are free from the law because of Jesus, they still have to live under Gods moral order, or as James calls the royal law (Jobes, 221). Isaac Khalil Do you think Rahab was an innkeeper or a prostitute? I think James could of used Rahab due to the fact she put her faith into works. The outworking of faith is needed for any Christian, and shows your faith in who God is. It is like Matthew is showing us that Jesus was born of sinners and took on our own sin in order to save us from sin. Matthew 25:35-36 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Vicki Willoughby is a member of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in Arkansas. It requires faith in a big God (Joshua 2:11). So they went, and The king of Jericho was told, Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.. Atmosphere of Victory | 28th June, 2023 - Facebook WebThe first mention of Rahabs husband, Salmon, is in the book of Ruth. Rahab welcomed the two Israelite spies that Joshua had sent to Jericho (verse 1). Rahab was heard by El Shama, the God who hears me, God heard Rahab and kept His promise to Rahab. Did Rahab Rahab was shrewd and hid the Israelite spies on her roof, and then telling them to hide in the hills before returning to Joshua. In other words, You will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16). 11 When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyones courage failed because of you, for the Noah We probably have not noticed how closely related Rahab and Ruth are, especially considering that Rahab made her entry in the early chapters of Joshua while the book of Ruth comes after Judges, which makes them seem hundreds of years apart. AIBA T he account of Boaz and Ruth, which took place during the time of the judges, is one of the great love stories of the Bible (against the backdrop of some interesting archaeological corroboration for the period ). Topics Covered: Christian Living, Bible Study, Life Lessons. He uses the same aorist passive of as James 2:21 and Romans 4:2, both referring to Abraham being declared righteous. Rahab became the mother of Boaz, great grand-mother to King David, part of the lineage of Jesus. No software to install. Faith is demonstrated by your works and it is often debated if you can have faith without works. Rahab showed belief and loyalty to God that was often lacking among the Israelites themselves. She was beginning to show a faith in God, but that didnt mean her choices were all immediately right or she would be perfect right away. Jesus said, Wisdom is justified by her children (Matthew 11:19). The context of the messages of Paul and James is what contrasts; Paul writes in light of the Law of Moses that was practiced in the first century and what the recipients of the letter of Galatians were use to (Jobes, 172). "The fact that Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy in Matthew makes her an Moore, S. R. (2016). Was her lie justified? (NIV), Joshua 6:25But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho--and she lives among the Israelites to this day. 6 Valuable Lessons from the Life of Samuel, 10 Verses from James to Deepen Your Faith. Her faith in the God of Israel would have meant nothing if she hadnt acted on it. But her request was that her entire family could be spared. People assume that Jericho's ancient walls were erected to keep out enemy armies, but there are other theories for how the walls functioned, including as a bulwark against periodic floods that washed sediment down from the surrounding highlands. She knew the best way to avoid the soldiers hunting for them and make it back safely. 1 Timothy 1:10, Colossians 3:9-10, Proverbs 12:22, Exodus 20:16. Why did the spies go there? Not only is Rahab a woman rare enough in the Bible but she's also a foreigner and a prostitute, not exactly the resum for a biblical hero. While we can wonder why Rahab was used, we can never know for sure because the Bible and the authors simply do not tell us. Ezra Rahab was one of those unexpected characters in the Bible. Even though she made her living as a sex worker, she was selected for high honor in the Faith Hall of Rahab Saves the Spies | Children's Bible Lesson Not only was she a courageous woman of faith willing to risk her life to hide these spies she was willing to put her life on the line to save her family. There are several applications: a) Thank God that He saved you in the midst of your sin. and 6,000 B.C.E., and the first archeological evidence of Israelites in the region wasn't until around 1,200 B.C.E., many thousands of years later. For her courageous faith, this woman with a bad reputation was enrolled among the faithful in the book of Hebrewsthe only woman, besides Sarah, named there (Hebrews 11:31). Was it sinful for Rahab to lie? When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. They were the lowest parts of society. I believe that the reason Rehab is honored is because she had faith in God because of the spies, even though she may not have known who God was. Her story is full of lessons that can help us in our own lives today. As followers of Jesus, we are called to more than just believing. How I have always understood it, is that Pauls address of justification by faith not works speaks to those who have just converted or are surrounded by converts. Rahab lived in Jericho. Rahab the Prostitute - Spy for the Israelites - Learn Religions She protected them by hiding them under piles of flax that were drying on her roof (verses 4, 6). His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). The spies reported how it had fared with them ( Joshua 2:1-7 ). I truly believe James and Paul are talking about two different things that relate to one another. 4. James is concerned with the legs of faith rather than its head alone. Matthew 1:5-16. My question in James 2:25 is similar: why does James use Rahab as an example of someone who was considered righteous? Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Joshua 2:1-7 NIV. She was an ancestor of both King David and Jesus Christ. After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. Douay-Rheims Bible Arise, arise, put on strength, O thou arm of the Lord, arise as in the days of old, in the ancient generations. What are applications we can make from this? Liar In which verse or verses did Rahab lie (2:4-5)? 10For we have heard how the Lord (K)dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and (L)what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you (M)utterly destroyed. From my perspective and understanding, I feel that Paul views salvation as a result of ones faith. Though the avenue is different because the avenue is in Jesus, these Jews, once they understood who Jesus was, were believing. Paul on the other hand is pushing the fact that we need to be disciples and go outside the four walls of the church to reach people and show them what a Christ-like life looks like. She hid the spies in a stack of flax, where no one would think to look. Lessons From Rahab in the Bible - Life, Hope and Truth Rahabs life teaches us that even if we have been living a sinful lifestyle, we can leave that way of life behind. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. When I was thinking about this, I was wondering if the fact that Rahab believed even though she had only heard about what happened has anything to do with this. Scholars often pass over this verse as if it was an appendix to the argument and not of any real importance. Without her faith there was no reason for her to do what she did. Thereupon she let them down by a cord through the window, her house being built upon the town wall, and gave them directions to make good their escape (Joshua 2:1-24). Joshua 2:1-21; 6:17, 22, 23, 25; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25. Ruth Its a living testament of the power of our God, and how He can use even the messiest of histories for an incredible purpose. ( James 2:25 ). The actions she did showed her faith. My first thought is to consider the difference in audience and their circumstance. In this case, its literally true. With that being said I feel like if James were to construct our theology, we would have a deeper understanding of the spiritual side of things relying on our spirit man to lead us in the direction that the Lord wants us to go. . Her actions allowed the spies to safely escape the city and return to their people with information on Jericho. James writes to Jews who have accepted Jesus as Messiah, fulfilling something they have been anticipating for generations, who have likely lived their whole lives in action-based worship/obedience to YHWH. In 2019 he published a commentary. As 1 Corinthians 6 shows, this life is incompatible with a life following after God. After she helped them escape, she believed that God would rescue her and her family. "If they created that story of the miraculous destruction of Jericho it would really inspire people to believe in the greatness of their ancestors and in the power of the God who led them," says Ruby. In a similar way, doubt and faith can be either complimentary or contradictory. order a paperback version of the Character Studies book from Amazon. Ephesians 2:10 says For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works (emphasis added). Her house doubled as an inn and was visited often by travelers, so the two spies lodging there wouldnt have aroused much suspicion ordinarily. Rahab was a mother who raised her son Boaz to be a righteous man and considerate and later to be the wife of Ruth. with James, he stayed in Jerusalem where the people know the Law. It is interesting that Rahab is used as an example by James. That belief led to faith, and that faith allowed God to use her. The spies may have wished to find a quiet nights rest out of the publics eye in this shady area of town and rented a room at her house. James uses this example of not just having faith but having faith along with works(Jobes, 174). Profiles of Faith: Rahab - From Harlot to Heroine Hezekiah The author writes: "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. Rahab risked her own life to help the two spies. "Can that faith save him?" 2. (wide ), a celebrated woman of Jericho who received the spies sent by Joshua to spy out the land, hid them in her house from the pursuit of her countrymen, was saved with all her family when the Israelites sacked the city, and became the wife of Salmon and the ancestress of the Messiah. Additionally, when we examine Rahabs past as well as her identity, James stress of faith not by works, but also placing an importance on works that our faith might not be dead is realized. WebRahab is one of only two women listed in the honor roll of the faithful in chapter 11 of Hebrews. In this statement, she was forsaking her own gods as worthless. Had she been caught, she probably would have been executed along with the spies. The story of Rahab is one about faith. The Bible tells us that we cant please God without faith: 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). Simply put, Rahab was a prostitute, a lady of the night. Both the Hebrew term zanah and the Greek word porne used to describe her mean harlot, a woman who offers herself to men. Quick! WebRahab Character Bible Study Background and Lessons. Even though she is still identified as Rahab the harlotbecause thats who she was when she encountered the Israelite spiesshe didnt stay a harlot. Rahab looked after the spies; Ruth looked after Naomi, the mother of her first husband. Rahab was a prostitute. Thanks for the good work you do. 2), and it is stated that her faith and hospitality has saved her (1 Clem. In addition, Rahab was the mother of Boazby Salmon (Matthew 1:5). This active faith in God is what saved Rahab and her family.Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my fathers 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 (verses 12-13). Rahab and her family were safe when Jericho fell because Rahab had taken action when confronted with her faith. Some of the thoughts I have as to why James may have chose to list Rahab as a righteous figure may be her redemption story from prostitute to savior, a desire to incorporate a male and female example, and also that Rahab could have been a well known figure in the Jewish community because of the weight of her actions on the nation of Israel. Both Paul and James say that a person is saved by faith and that their faith should be evident through the good works they do. Unless you do the will of God then He does not know you (Matthew 7:23). We must realize that Gods victory over Satan is assured. Rahab the Prostitute. John D. Barry, et al. People have tried to find contradictions in the Bible to disprove its inerrancy and ultimately disprove its authority. To answer the question, I think that James would have made for an interesting center of our theology as far as soteriology and justification is concerned. And yet, Matthew lists them among the generations from Abraham to the Messiah. Where James writes to Jewish converts to Christianity. Rahab knew what was coming because the Lord had been working on her heart, she knew that the Lord had already given this city to them. Read her statement of faith. Its not enough to just have faith and believe in Godwe have to act on it through obedience. I think that is easy to see the apparent contraction. This was the point James was trying to make. These are the only real details that the Bible gives us of her story before her encounter with the Israelite spies. Used by permission. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The passage is talking about false prophets and mentions twice that one will know them by their fruit (vs 16, 20). Later, when Joshua and the army appeared and attacked the city, only Rahab and her family survived. The problem of Rahabs lie to protect Joshuas spies is a popular query in the study of Christian ethics. While Paul it appears interpreted works as fallowing the Jewish Law, one simply needs to believe in Christ and repent to be saved. However, the spies were spied upon. So Rahab requested that when Joshua and his army came to take Jericho, she and her whole family would be shown favor and allowed to live. The fruit of Rahabs womb was Boazthe same Boaz who redeemed and married Ruth the Moabite (Ruth 4:9-13; compare Matthew 1:5). Why? It is after having gained salvation that James speaks of faith apart of works being dead. God used Rahab for a story for redemption, using her in spite of her past for great works, including being a part of brining Gods greatest gift into the world through His Son (Matthew 1:5). Moses had died and they were now led by Joshua, a mighty warrior. In Matthew, Jesus just finishes saying what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart in verse 18, and then the story moves on to a Canaanite woman who speaks to Jesus and is commended by Jesus for having great faith (ESV). Abraham used as an example of someone righteous based on what they do (Gen 15:16; 22). Only Rahab and her family were saved from destruction, due to her expressing her faith in action. Yet this Canaanite "woman of ill-repute" demonstrated so much faith in the God of Israel that she and her family were the only citizens of Jericho spared by Joshua's army when the city was razed to the ground. The relationship between Paul and James writings can be viewed as contradictory, or complimentary. WebWho was Rahab in the Bible? She shows us that God Hears Our Prayers. Rahab and her family were spared and she went on to live in Israel "to this day. Who Was Pontius Pilate, Before and After Jesus' Crucifixion. "That story of a conquest is much more about faith than events that occurred at the time. I think that the argument made that Rahab chose God over her own country, and that the author of James is simply showing that actions are required to have real faith makes a lot of sense. Through their works one demonstrates their faith. However, less well known is Rahab was loyal to Israel and faithful to her word. Halley's Bible Handbook suggests she may have been a temple prostitute, which in Canaanite eyes was an acceptable line of work (2000, p. 190). I think if we had James and not Paul to be Christians with, we would have vastly different lives. 23:27; Deut. Place in history:Matthew 1:5. She didnt fully understand Gods way of life while living as a harlot in Jericho. Rahab is one of only four women named in the genealogy, the others being Tamar (wife of Judah), Ruth (who married Rahab's son Boaz), and Mary, the mother of Jesus. James explains that faith must be accompanied by action (2:17). It was the time of the barley harvest, and flax and barley are ripe at the same time in the Jordan valley, so that the bundles of flax stalks might have been expected to be drying just then" (Geikie's Hours, etc., ii., 390). There is some speculation that she might have been an innkeeper instead because the consonants are the same for both occupations: "znh." ", "There is nothing in Rahab's story that would prove that it's historically accurate," says Tervanotko, "but it represents some interesting views that this community had about foreigners. In all honestly I dont understand how people think James contradicts Paul and vice versa. The first part Ra might come from the Egyptian god Ra. Derrick's writing has appeared on influential Web sites, and he is a contributing writer for The Christian Post. In my opinion, Paul sharply contrasts from this thinking because Paul does not favor works or deeds in any manner. Rahab; i.e., "broad," "large"). Elijah Nehemiah This may be why James used her as a reference because this is a perfect example of someone exercising their faith with their actions. They could have very easily been writing from different perspectives of references (Jobes, 2011, pg. Good mother She did an admirable job raising Boaz who turned out to be very righteous and considerate.

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