God's Glory Church

In Hebrews 11 we find a glorious list of names of those who fought the “good fight of faith” as heroes and heroines. How could the harlot Rahab be included in this list? Isn’t the “title” given to her in the Holy Scriptures very unflattering?

We meet the image of Rahab not only in the epistle to the Hebrews, but the Apostle James also mentions her name in his epistle. When he names Abraham as the representative of all the Israelite believers, Rahab acts as the representative of all the Gentile believers: “Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, receiving the spies and sending them away another way?”, James 2:25.

In Hebrews 11:31 we read, “It was by faith that Rahab the harlot, when she received the spies in peace (and led them another way), did not perish with the unbelievers.” Finally, we even find the name Rahab in the genealogy of Jesus! She was given the greatest honor of becoming the Lord’s ancestress: “Salmon begat Boaz by Rahab; Boaz begat Obed by Ruth; Obed begat Jesse,” Matthew 1:5. If Scripture mentions her so often, let us look carefully at the example of this woman.

This is an extremely extraordinary story. In her parents’ house, she could not hear anything about faith in the true God, since they belonged to the idolatrous race of the Canaanites. Her parents could not raise her in the faith, since they were pagans. Rahab, it must be assumed, did not receive the proper moral education and very early found herself on the slippery path of sin.

Rahab not only grew up in a pagan family, but she lived in a city where everyone around her was an unbeliever. In all of Jericho there was not a single person who believed in God. If believers lived in the city, then, undoubtedly, God would find ways and means to save them! Jericho, full of abominations and sins, is ripe for judgment. It was in the midst of this depravity that Rahab’s faith blossomed. There is inherited sin, but there is no inherited faith – we see this in the example of Rahab.

The faith of Rahab is worthy of astonishment, considering that she, in essence, had no means by which she could acquire the knowledge of the truth. She had no Bible, no book of songs, no catechism… She heard no sermons and attended no meetings or houses of worship, but read her faith from the pages of the street. When the women gathered at the wells with water, the conversation inevitably turned to the extraordinary people who came out of Egypt and how they walked along the dried up bottom of the Red Sea. How during the day a pillar of cloud shows him the way, and at night a pillar of fire, how the king of Egypt, who pursued these people with all his army, was drowned in the sea, how the kings who tried to stand in his way were destroyed. And this people will soon find themselves at the gates of Jericho and there is no chance of fighting with them and overcoming them, because God Himself, the Creator of heaven and earth, is leading them!

Rahab drew her knowledge from these courts and gossip. The anxiety and fear of the inhabitants of Jericho increased day by day, and the reason for their horror was that God Himself was leading this people and giving them victory over their enemies. Then Rahab began to ask this unknown God, so that He would not pass by the disaster that threatened her and her family, so that He would help her put an end to her sinful past…

Amazing nature – this Rahab! She, in fact, knew so little and believed so much! In fact, it is usually easier and easier for criminals and sinners to come to faith than for “decent” people. It was Rahab’s corruption that pushed her to know the truth and aroused in her a strong desire to receive salvation.

When she recognized the living God, she changed completely. We read that she hid the Israelite spies on the roof in sheaves of flax. Where could she have gotten the sheaves if she had not turned to an honest working life? Wonderful God! He chooses not the righteous, wise and rich, but sinners, tax collectors, fornicators and the last drunkards, in order to show the world an inexpressible miracle of mercy! Hiding from the wise, He allows babies to find Himself!

When Rahab believed, she did not sit idly by, she did not idle, but she did something. The Apostle James says that faith itself is dead if it does not have works. There is no need to talk much about your faith, since true repentance speaks for itself. A person who believes becomes completely different.

Rahab became completely different. This is evidenced not only by the sheaves of flax on the roof, which we have already talked about, but also by the hospitality with which she received the spies. Rahab did everything she could through deeds, she showed her new faith and thanks to her works of faith, the spies were saved, Rahab herself was saved and all her loved ones were saved.

Some, having become believers, look out and look for an opportunity to do something great for the Lord. But since this great thing does not come, then in endless waiting they neglect the small and remain fruitless. The Lord uses only those who are faithful in small things and are not afraid to do what others simply do not undertake!