Rahab

All right. Well, let's start it off with a word of prayer asking God to give wisdom and to our thoughts and our words are gracious father how we thank you again to worship you what a joy in a pleasure that is or that's something that is going to be with us for all eternity and we will worship you.

Around the throne of grace for all time. Father is we open your word. May your spirit be here to God and give wisdom and understanding and Clarity to our minds and I thought about who you are and how you operate in our lives and your desire for each of us. Father may your spirit take hold of me for father. I don't want to speak anything apart from your desire in your will for my life and the lives of each one here for the father. It is you that are the power and the strength and we're simply servants. Doing what you've called us to do bless us in this. Oh Lord in Jesus name. Amen. Well, we finish the series on the seven churches. I enjoyed it. I hope you did too. We're going to start a new series that is going to take a look at 6 different ladies from the Old Testament and how God worked in their lives and we'll see from them different pictures of God's work in the lives of you and I and people around us and how he reaches out to them. We're taking a look at the life of Rahab today and I'll tell you a little bit about her. She was one of the people of the Land of Israel before Israel moved in she lived in Jericho, which was the first city of Conquest for the people of Israel before they go in there. She has an interesting life, you know, some of you have had questions in your lives about people that are out in the middle of nowhere that have never heard the word and how in the world is God going to deal with those lines that don't have the opportunity and I think that Rahab is kind of a picture of the way God deals with those things. Here she was She was a a person that was in the land that Israel was coming into to take over and defeat really destroy the people that were there. Okay, and she realizes you know, I'm one of these people that they're coming to destroy.

But there's something else about her life. She's looked at is real and who they are and the Seas look at their God and somehow she said in your heart. I want to know that God. Okay, so think of somebody that is out in the middle of nowhere and they look at the stars. They look at the creation around them and they think in their hearts. God has brought this about how in the world am I going to know this God and if you read the stories of missionaries from the mid-eighteenth Century Ford, you will hear episodes in their lives of people that all of a sudden they come across and these people are ready to hear and receive the good news of God. Because it had a heart that has been open to hear that. And you know when there's a hard open remember what we read this morning All Those whom God has given into my hand. Will be mine. every one of them

God knows every person he is going to save and he will make that effort that will bring about redeemed lives in the hearts of people. You know, sometimes we don't think about that in terms of rahab's wife, but imagine what she has gone through the concerns of her life. And where God leads her. And we can be excited about those things started off by reading the first 7 verses of chapter 2 of Joshua. That's where we're going to be today chapter 2 of Joshua and we're going to take a look at this story of Rahab. That's such a great and intense story and a wonderful story of God's Redemption for those who truly desire to know him. Okay. Verse 1 chapter 2 then Joshua, son of nun secretly sent two spies from shittim go look over the land. He said especially Jericho and so they win and they enter the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. Think about that of all the places they could have stayed in Jericho. Where did they go? They went to the Inn of Rahab. the prostitute The king of Jericho was told look some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land and so the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab. Bring out the man who came to when entered your house because they've come to spy out the whole land but the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said yes these men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk when it was time to close the city Gates the men 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 hitting them under stalks of flax. She had laid out on the roof. So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that led to the Fords of Jordan and as soon as the pursuers had gone out the gates were shut. Okay, interesting story. There's a little line going on there and we're not going to face that issue at this point that is part of our Lives. We do those things but it was a passage that demonstrated several things and we're going to take a look at those things notice that There were were options that were placed on rahab's life here. Okay. She knew exactly who these people were. She know where they knows where they had come from and she knows what is coming up on her people. Okay, so make no mistake about that. She's not telling the truth when she tells him I didn't know them. I didn't know where they came from. All those thing on that was a lie, but she was doing it to preserve their lives. All right. In fact in Hebrews, it talks about the people of faith in that were in the Old Testament and guess what Rahab is one of those people? Hebrews 11:31, it says by faith The Prostitute Rahab and yes, it does say prostitute Rahab. So no getting away from that consequent. Remember that when God calls a person he doesn't call them because they've been great people he calls them because they're Sinners and in need of repentance and that's what he's doing with Rahab here. Okay. She was a prostitute. She needed to repent and come to know the Lord, okay. So by faith The Prostitute Rahab because she welcomed the spies was not killed with those who are disobedient. Okay, she welcomed those fly. She knew who they were. She welcomed them in. And most of you know the story of Rahab and that we'll get to that eventually but it's a beautiful story of or willingness to serve God she had choices to make you and I have choices to make about God and what we do with him. We have to make the choice on whether we truly believe him and then whether we will truly serve him as we talked in Sunday school this morning we talked about coming to God we take him as Lord and Savior not just savior. And when we taking this Lord, we are proclaiming our willingness to honor him as the Lord Of Our Lives that's a choice that you and I all have to make in our lives. And so she had a choice to make the Israelites had to make this Choice a number of times and that God challenge them a number of times and making those choices even before they came into the land of Israel. They make that choice. Yes. We are going to follow God and we're going to do what he's called us to do and then after they went in and they made most of the conquest of the land they sat down with Joshua and Joshua challenges them once again, He says you have to have a choice to make here now make that choice. Here's what he says Joshua 24:15, but if serving the lord seems undesirable to you then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve whether the gods of your forefathers served beyond the river or the gods of the amorites in whose land you are now living but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord we will serve the Lord. It's not just okay, I believe in the Lord but I serve the Lord and that's what we're called to do. Okay Rahab right off. The bat said I believe in the god.

I believe in him, I believe that he's done what he said he will do but now I have the opportunity to choose to either serve him or reject him and call the king and let him know that these spies are here while she chose. To hide the spots that was probably a death sentence if they actually found a spies because she was doing something that was illegal for the kingdom to hide the spies the game to spy out the land but she made her choice and that choice was a step of service. We are each called to that James talks about that in chapter two of his book. He says, you know Show me your show me that you believe I'll show you by works what I believe and he then he goes on in that explanation to get down to Ray Hab James 225e says in the same way was not even Rahab The Prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction. You see it's the effort that we put in the truly reveals the faith that we have in the Living God. It's not our words that we say, it's what we do that makes a difference in our relationship with the Living God. And so she offers protection for the spies. It's interesting. The Bible goes through this opportunities now and then of protection and there are other women that have protected those in need some of them are kind of different women. I'll give you one example David's wife Michal. She married Michal Saul's daughter and yet saw was out to get David he was going after him and he was so upset with David. He sent his men to David's house to grab him and bring him into the into the throne room and have him slaughtered there. And so rather than have him do that they get to the door. And is there at the door? It says 1st Samuel 19 12, so my Colette David down for the window in E-flat and escaped. Michael was protecting David just as Rahab was protecting the spies as they came to Jericho to look out the lamp. Okay. So here we are. She has these fines she has them available. And now she Begins the negotiation process of how she is going to get out of this death sentence that has been proclaimed upon the people that are in the land and so let's read about that verses 8 through 14. It says before the spies lay down for the night. She went up to the roof and said to them. I know that the Lord has given this land to you and the great fear of you has fallen on us and so all who live in the country are melting in fear because of you. Okay, kind of helping the spies understand. Okay, that's the truth. We are being feared by the people we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt and what you did to siho nanog the two kings of the amorites east of the Jordan whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you for the Lord. Your God is the God in heaven above and on the earth below sea, that's her Declaration of faith in the Living God. Okay, she gets to that now then please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family because I've shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and my mother and my brothers and sister and all who belong to them and that you will save us from death. And the Spy said our lives for your lives the Menace scherder. If you don't tell what we're doing, we will treat you kindly and Faithfully when the Lord gives us the lamb. In other words. They were God's Representatives here to to Rahab declaring God's faithfulness. Think about that declaring God's faithfulness to her. Okay. She desires to be free and she knows that Israel is coming to conquer the land and that they are going to destroy the people of the land. Why because she's seeing what they did to the Egyptians when they left Egypt she saw what they did to sign home and the kings of the amorites that they destroyed all of them. There's no hope for me unless I negotiate a peace here, you know, I need to negotiate a peace. It's not the first it's the first of several that negotiated. Peace. You might remember the gibeonites this crowd. They they knew Israel was coming in the destroyed and so they put on old clothes and got old shoes and they took gifs and they they they they plan that they went a different way and came back to Israel a different way to negotiate a peace with them cuz they knew that if Israel knew that they were in the land that they were going to destroy then they wouldn't negotiate a peace. So here they come they go to negotiate a peace with them and they show all the Raggedy raggedy clothes that they haven't and the gifts that they brought from there in from far away. They're negotiating. They're negotiating relationship with God. Well what Joshua should have done is going to God and said, okay, what do I do about these people in God would have informed him don't make a treaty with them cuz they're part of the land you're supposed to go in and possess but he didn't do it. Here's what happened. Then Josh Whip made a treaty with the gibeonites them the gibeonites the let them live and the leaders of the assembly ratified it bio. I didn't see God. Okay, why is it important to go to God because you never know when you're going to follow into a mistake. Well, ultimately this brought about a great victory for the Israelites because the other nations were upset with the gibeonites for making this relationship. They went to attack to give you nights given eyes cried out to his real save us and then six of the kingdoms of fell in a single day to the hand of Israel because of that and there were several other relationships over time that the gibeonites went through but eventually they were brought into the family of Israel. Okay, there has to be an understanding and notice what Rahab is saying that the spies, you know, we've been watching you for the last 40 years. We've watched you as you came up out of Egypt. We watched you as you marched around the desert as you went through the various tribes of the East. And destroyed and we've watched you as you come to the River Jordan and are ready to cross over. We know what you're going to do and we are terribly afraid. Okay, I understand. I've watched this at people and they're afraid. You know it is what Miriam predicted if we went back to Exodus chapter 15, the Israelites of just come across the Red Sea on dry ground. And then the Egyptians were caught in that Sea and the drowned and they're celebrating and as Miriam sings this song she says these words Exodus 15:14. The Nations will hear and tremble anguish will grip the people of philistia will eventually it was the Philistines that they saw their rat but it was a little bit later on but this is Jericho that is trembling. Before the people of Israel as they March are ready to March into the promised land and take it. There is fear there is fear that is there. Why is there so much fear in this? Well, they've seen a few Conquest. Why are they terribly afraid? They've got these huge towns with these giant walls that surround them why they being so afraid of this people that is just kind of wandered out in the desert for 40 years. Well, here's why in Deuteronomy chapter 2 verse 25 Moses again explaining. What is happening in the world says these words this very day. Hey God speaking this very day. I will begin to put the terror and the fear of you on all the Nations under Heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble in English because of you is he God was telling the people of Israel that this was going to happen. And that rahab's confirmation of this was just simply that yeah, the people are afraid of you. God has put the fear of God into them where they realize you're coming to conquer now the interesting aspect about this is that any one of the people of Jericho could have done what Rahab did it was only rahab's heart was stirred to do the right thing. You know and there are times in our lives when we reach out and we try to help people see the truth, but God has to move the heart and God moved the heart of Rahab to reveal this. Will they finally come to a bargain? In the end of this stuff this a work that they're going through. You know, Rahab once is her family to survive not only herself, but she wants her family to survive and she knows that they won't if she doesn't make this bargain so she comes to bargain. Let me and my family live and the spies agree. Okay, you can live by God's word you can live. And that's God's word for each and every one of us, you know, we're all called to be obedient to the word of God is real was called to obedience, you know in Deuteronomy that great book of Moses describing God's direction for their lives. He goes through and he tells them what they have to do to follow him. And if you do this, he says if you do what I ask you to do then I will bless you. And we've seen that in the life of Israel there were times when there was great blessing and times when there wasn't and ultimately times when they totally turned away and God brought destruction upon them. In Deuteronomy, 28 one and God says this if you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the Earth.

And there were times that you know, they kind of went back and forth all the way through judges. They get to the first king and he's not a really a good King then they get to David and he's a gang that desires to follow God and the nation Rises up and becomes one of the leaders in the world and then under Solomon. They rise to the point where they are above all other nations think about that they were way up there. From that point on that kind of faltered and fell down.

But God bless them because they were blessing god with their obedience to him. And that's a point for all of us. We need to be blessing god with our obedience to his word. If we want His blessings and His blessings aren't always not really very often wealth and riches and and you know, what a new car and and you know health and all of those things the real blessing that he gives is the relationship you have with him. That's the blessing that God really wants to give each and every one of us. Well, anyway, they go on with all of this and they finally come to an agreement and dust finish it off reading verses 15 through 21. It says so she let them down by a rope through the window for the house. She lived in was a city wall. Now. She had said to them go to the hills. So the pursuers will not find you hide yourself three days until they returned and then go on your way. The men said you were this old you made us where will not be binding on us and let us when we enter the land you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down and unless you have brought brought your father and mother your brothers and all your family into your house. If anyone goes inside your house end of the street is what blood will be on his own head. We will not be responsible as for anyone who is in the house with you is blood will be on our head if a hand is laid upon him. But if you tell what we are doing we will be released from the oath you made to us. Agreed she replied let it be as you say and so she sent them away and they departed and she tied that scarlet cord in the window.

In that a great bought and really a picture a little picture of the plan of God's Redemption to the lives of people, you know, and I think what a great agreement gonzague rement with Mankind in their desire to honor him. You know those who come in. That's God's green mint with the people of Israel. And it's God's agreement with you and and me he calls us live in obedience and trust in him in the things we do in our lives that great call to the Israelites the blessings Deuteronomy 11:27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today and it goes through all these enormous blessings that he will pour out on them and God says to you and to me I will bless if you honor me and do what I've called you to do. today You know serve me do what I've called you to do. And so I think it's interesting that it says she stuck that cord out there right away that red cord the picture of Salvation the picture of the red the blood that covers Our Lives. That needs to stand out in our lives shouldn't it? Shouldn't that Redemption that we've received through Jesus Christ be expressed in everything about our lives. Well, she wanted to make sure that that cord was out there and it was safety. From that cord that cord is the willingness to honor and serve God. We need that in our lives. Romans 3:25 talks about that. It says God presented him Jesus Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his Justice because it is forbearance. He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. Those sins Rahab we're unpunished as she said against God. Did she deserve to live know you've sinned against God do you deserve to live?

But for the grace of God through his willingness to sacrifice his son Jesus Christ on the cross to shed his blood for your sins. We have that salvation.

When we accept it and present it in our lives. And that's what she did when she laid that cord out and said here. I believe I believe that I'm going to be saved. Because I've made an agreement with the Living God and that's whether agreement was she accepted. It was between her and God these men said the agreement, but she knew it was with God that that agreement would take place.

We see in Joshua 625 the answer to this.

I don't have this on the line there guys, so you don't have to look at this but in 6:25, it says by Joshua spared Rahab The Prostitute with her family and all he belonged to work because she hit the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho Jesus Lives among the Israelites.

Another great picture a great picture of God's grace and mercy to those who are willing to obey him and follow his commands. She stuck out that cord. And they lived imagine that. imagine that happening

She was supposed to.

She was supposed to hide in the house. And so she called her family. She called her friends. Anyone who gathered in their house? And think about that she was supposed to hang on just that the court out right away. But Israel didn't come right away. They had to cross the river. They had to circumcise themselves. They had to go to Jordan March around it for 7 days, and she's got that cord out. They're trusting in the end. It'll all come about

But she called on the name of the Lord. She asked him. for salvation And God says if somebody calls. And I respond I will save them. Peter says this a next to 21 talking after he has received the Holy Spirit into his life. He says that anyone who calls Oman upon the name of the Lord will be saved. She called upon the Living God and she was safe, but she held fast to that chord being out there that connection to the Living God imagine the people walking around what she could have gone through as she walks. Nothing happened the first day nothing happened the second day the third day what's going on there marching around and nothing's happening. the seventh day The March around and everything crumbles. Everything in Jericho falls down, except one house. 1 house That's it. All the rest are gone. At one house and that alone salvation came. But she held on. It's what the Bible tells us to Hebrews 4:14 therefore since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens Jesus the son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. She held firmly to the faith that she had in the Living God to rescue her and her family.

And it's a call to each and every one of us. We can all learn from the lesson of Rahab because she was one.

Who is outside of the faith she wasn't saved because she grew up in a Christian family. She wasn't saved because she attended church every week. She wasn't saved because she knew God's word really well.

Why would she say? Because she was willing to step out and serve a living God and do what he called her to do.

She was saved because she demonstrated a faith in the Living God. And I think that calls to each and every one of us to what we do about the Living God.

God wants more than yeah, I believe he's gone, and he's a savior. You know I'm saved and you know, I can go live my life as I want Edison what God's looking for. God's looking for people who are willing to step up to do more to know him and honor him with their lives in this world. It's time for each and every one of us to examine Our Lives. Am I doing what God has called me to do. Am I serving him as I ought to serve him? Have I really committed my life to the living gone or am I just kind of going along with the crowd?

Is he truly my God? I think it requires us to examine ourselves day by day. Am I doing that which is right and pleasing to him? We see that in the life of Rahab. What a great commitment to the Living God. from one Who is called out of Cent just like everyone of us we've been called out of sin? And we've been called to a righteous life to live before the Living God. osprey a gracious Father in Heaven as we come now at the end of this message of Rahab of that great servant of the Living God who was willing to step out and go bien dit to trust her life into your hands. And you redeem voucher. Father help us to be faithful and true in this time of desperation in our world to be willing to step out into stand firmly in you. Father if there are those here who need to know you was Lord and Savior I pray that you would be stirring their hearts right now to step out. Had to come forward and know you as the Living God and if there are those in this room that have been just complacent in their walk a pathetic in their walk with you. Did they would decide today to stand up? And I serve you. May you guide us O Lord. May you draw Us near to you and this time of upheaval in our land that we would walk in the truth of your life. In Jesus name we ask these things. Amen Let stand