Rahab of Jericho - A Long Way from Jesus?
A life of redemption. An example of faith which leaves a legacy.
Rahabs life story begins with a description of her as a prostitute. What an intro! Stay with me though as she proves that it isn't necessarily how we start that matters but instead how we decide to live and what is remembered after we die.
Fact File:
Name - Rahab
Records - Joshua chapter 2, Joshua 6:22-25, Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:30-31, James 2:24-26
Occupation - Prostitute, Wife, Mother
Origin - Jericho (i.e. not an Israelite)
Key Truths - Faith can change your destiny forever. Also an example that God can work through whomever is willing.
Rahabs is a great story. An outsider, who heard about the God of the Israelites and believed that he is supreme and she wanted in on His good graces. Our God is all knowing and I can't help but think that he led those two Israeli spies in the direction of Rahab knowing her heart was ready for change. In a commentary I once read about Women of the Bible, it notes how Rahab even in the New Testament was still referred to as a prostitute. At first, it seems to warrant some side eye... why not give a girl a break? LOL. She wasn't a hooker her whole life! But flip that idea on it's head and it's a reminder of what God saved her from.
One of the meanings of redemption is "to be free from the consequences of sin", another is "to save by the payment of a ransom". God literally took Rahab out of a life of sin as a prostitute and a citizen of Jericho - a city about to be spectacularly destroyed and graphed her into a new family tree that led to royalty and in time the saviour of the world - Jesus (in case you wondered).
We see in James that Rahab is used as an example of someone who had faith and did something about it. In Hebrews 11: 30 & 31 Rahabs faith is referred to again. She made it into the "Faith Hall of Fame" as some Christians refer to Hebrews 11. Yet in both cases her past as a prostitute is also recalled. I propose that this is no slight matter. God saw the faith that Rahab had and gave her an opportunity to act on that faith. God really doesn't need us to 'clean up' our lives before we are ready to know Him. We couldn't be close to perfect on our own, even though we tried very hard. God is willing and more than able to meet us where we are and make you and I examples of women who don't have a perfect past but lean on Him to give us true significance.
Rahab used to be a prostitute but that isn't the end of her story. Rahab was the mother-in-law of Ruth but that isn't the end of her legacy. Rahabs family tree includes King David, it includes Hezekiah, it eventually goes to Joseph the husband to Mary - the mother of Jesus. Jesus - God in the flesh. One of the ancestors in the family He chose to be associated with had a woman with a dodgy past, who trusted that the Almighty God she had heard of was the true God and her ticket to be in right standing with that God.
The only thing separating anyone from a life renewed is what we choose to believe about God and what we do about what we believe.
"So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not faith alone."
James 2:24 [N.L.T.]