In chapter 2 of Joshua, we meet a woman by the name of Rahab. She is described as a prostitute. Obviously, she has a not so moral choice of work. But she has heard of these people and their God who goes before them and leads them and fights their battles for them and who comes out victorious! She can see that these people are special and that there is something different about them. So, she hides two spies in her home that Joshua has sent into her city of Jericho. The king of Jericho gets word that the two spies entered her house and demands she bring them out. She tells the king that they are not there, but have left and so the king leaves to pursue after them.....but Rahab had hid the two spies on her roof! She goes up to the roof and speaks with the two spies. She knows their God is the God of heaven and earth and simply asks that when the land of Jericho is overtaken that she and her family be delivered from death. The two spies promise to honor her wishes as long as she does not tell the king of their whereabouts. They tell her to tie a scarlet cord in her window and she and her family will be saved when the city is conquered so long as they stay inside the house. Then the two spies depart and report back to Joshua.
Rahab is a brave woman! It is amazing to see how God again keeps His promise in providing for the children of Israel and continually goes before them to provide a way and work everything out according to God's plan. And God uses a woman that most would consider not worthy to even be used by God! A harlot, a prostitute, a woman who had chosen a wrong path for her life. Yet, God used her in a mighty way and consequently preserved her life and the life of her family.
Do we ever feel unworthy of being used by God? Do we ever feel like our sin is so great that we are useless before our mighty King of Kings? Our sin ought to make us feel that way when we stand before God, but there is forgiveness at the cross! Rahab proclaims that God is ruler of heaven and earth! She believes! Therefore, her life was saved! Jesus Christ had not yet come to die on the cross, but I do find it amazing that she was to hang a scarlet cord out of her window in order to be saved from certain death. The symbolism cannot be overlooked! Just as Jesus Christ had to die in our place, hanging on a wooden cross and shedding his precious blood, this scarlet cord had to hang from this window in order to save the life of this sinners family. Have you proclaimed the Name of the only One who can save your life from certain death? I am not talking of physical death, but rather spiritual, never ending, eternal death. This death is like no other, for it means an eternity apart from your creator and a death of eternal darkness and horror like nothing you will ever experience. If you have not accepted the gift that God gave to you when his precious Son, Jesus Christ, died in your place on the cross, you can do it today! Admit that your sin is too great, ask for forgiveness, realize who God is and follow him all the days of your life!
If you are a believer and feel you have sinned so greatly that you cannot be used by God, take heart! God used this prostitute! Ask for forgiveness and follow God! He can still use you too! I do not believe Rahab continued her former ways after her life was saved. I do believe she followed God for the rest of her life.
