Explanation: In Joshua 2 Rahab delivered the Israelite spies from the men of Jericho. It was Rahab's (God given) thoughtful insight into the nature of God and of what he was doing through his people Israel that led her to turn in faith (Hebrews 11:31) to God and join his covenant people. This had consequences that went far beyond the deliverance of the spies whom she helped. She became an ancestor of King David, and through David, an ancestor of Christ.
      Joshua sent two spies to reconnoiter Jericho. They lodged in the house of a harlot named Rahab. But someone told the king that the men were in Rahab's house. In response, the king ordered Rahab to turn the men over to him. But Rahab hid them and told the king that they had left. The kings men pursued them (1-7).
     While the men were hunting the spies, Rahab expressed her faith in the LORD and entered into an agreement with them to keep their whereabouts secret; and in return the spies agreed to spare Rahab and her family if they stayed in her house when the attack began (8-14).
     Rahab then let the men down by a scarlet cord which she kept hanging from the window to mark her house to keep it safe from attack. She then sent the spies out by another way to avoid their pursuers. When the spies returned from their mission they told Joshua all these things and expressed their confidence that the LORD would deliver the land into Israel's hands because the inhabitants fainted because of them (15-24).
     [ Sermons: William Still. Eric Alexander. Various. ]
     [ Illustration: I have chosen the painting above to represent Rahab because it depicts a woman who, according to some interpretations, is a prostitute. ]

     ¹⁵ Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. ¹⁶ And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. ¹⁷ And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. ¹⁸ Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. ¹⁹ And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. ²⁰ And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. ²¹ And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. ²² And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not. ²³ So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them: ²⁴ And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

---

Home | DAWN Archive

Tomorrow's Picture: TBA

     ADDITIONAL AD LIB MATERIAL: Prose, Poetry, Writers, Visual Artists, Music, DAWN, and ILLUMINATION. ILLUMINATION features a compact, Illuminated Bible. DAWN, the page you are presently visiting, features a new image and explanation daily.

Please Email Comments and Questions To

AD LIB ARTS EMAIL
copyright 2017, Scott Souza