Rahab and the Spies
Joshua 2
Joshua 2
Joshua 2. In this chapter we have the historical account of the two spies Joshua sent in to view the land, the works and faith of Rahab who protected them from the officers of the king of Jericho, and the resulting promise of protection of Rahab and all in her house during the impending judgment on Jericho. It is a tremendous example of how faith recognizes the coming judgment of God on this world, identifies with the people of God, and by faith escapes the judgment. It is a beautiful type of the power of the gospel. We see in this chapter an example of the surprising grace of God. The fact that this woman this immoral Gentile woman, of a Canaanite people doomed to destruction, would be justified by faith, brought in amongst the people of God and given a place in the royal line of the Messiah, is absolutely astonishing. It is an example of God going outside the limits of the present dispensation to bless. This chapter is very close to the hearts of those of us who , like the Ephesians , were saved from a Gentile background. If Joshua 1 answers to Ephesians 1, then Joshua 2 answers to Ephesians 2, where we have the work that God has done to prepare the building materials for the church; i.e. the Gentiles who were afar off (Eph. 2:11-12). Rahab’s faith in contrast with her unbelieving countrymen is highlighted in the New Testament; “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 1:31). James also uses Rahab as an example of faith, showing that her faith was witnessed by works; “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?” (James 2:25). Prophetically, the two spies sent into Canaan are a type of the Jewish remnant, and Rahab is a type of the nations who receive the remnant as messengers of the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14 ). As a result the nations who shelter and receive the messengers will be blessed of the Father and enter the kingdom, while the rest will be cast into everlasting fire (Matt. 25:31-46).
The Spies Sent Forth (2:1)
CHAPTER 2
1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent from Shittim two spies secretly, saying, Go, see the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into a harlot’s house, named Rahab, and they lay down there.
v.1 The Spies Sent Forth, Rahab’s House. Joshua himself had been one of the twelve spies sent in by Moses forty years earlier. Of the twelve, only two spies had brought back a good report (Joshua and Caleb). Now, perhaps informed by that experience, Joshua sends two spies across the Jordan into the land of Canaan, specifically to the city of Jericho. The name Jericho means “fragrance” and is a type the world in its beauty and attractiveness to the flesh; “the situation of this city is pleasant” (2 Kings 2:19). Jericho was the first obstacle in the path of Israel once they cross the Jordan, a type of a great battle in the life of a believer who is seeking to lay hold of their spiritual inheritance. The first place the spies come is into a harlot’s house; it is not a surprise to find one in such a grossly immoral city. We might question the choice of these men to come to such a house, however there are several things to consider. First, all these events were ordered by God, and we see that it was a provision of the Lord that they found this woman. Second, her house was by the wall, and it was therefore close to the edge of the city and a natural entry point. Third, we find in v.4 that Rahab had “taken” these men, and concealed them, which may suggest that they were already spotted by the counter-insurgents, and she quickly reached out to rescue them.
Spies and Messengers. The two men sent by Joshua to view the land are referred to in two ways: as spies (Hebrews 1:31) and as messengers (James 2:25). Like these men, we too have a two-fold ministry in this world. On one hand we are spies, passing through an enemy land which will soon come under judgment. On the other hand we are messengers of grace, bringing a message of pardon to a perishing world.
Rahab’s Faith and Works (2:2-14)
2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, men have come hither to-night from the children of Israel to search out the land. 3 And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that have come to thee, who have come into thy house: for they have come to search out all the land. 4 And the woman had taken and concealed the two men; and she said, Yes, the men did come unto me, but I knew not whence they were; 5 and it came to pass when the gate had to be closed, at dark, that the men went out: I know not whither the men have gone. Pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she had taken them up to the roof, and secreted them under the stalks of flax, which she had laid out on the roof. 7 And the men pursued after them the way to the Jordan, to the fords; and when they who pursued after them had gone out, they closed the gate.
vv.2-7 The King’s Thwarted Pursuit. Immediately upon entering the city, a counter network is stirred into action. The King of Jericho is correctly informed of the intention of the two spies. He sends directly to the house of Rahab, commanding her to bring forth the messengers. We find that she had hidden the men; this was an act of faith! She did what none of her countrymen were willing to do, and this is what she is commended for in both the Epistle to the Hebrews and that of James. Rehab then gives a false answer to the king’s man. This was a lie, and God does not condone her lies in this chapter. Her faith in receiving the messengers and sending them out another way was what she has commended for in the New Testament, while no mention is made of her lies. This was an immoral woman living in an immoral city where they worshiped false gods. Should we expect anything else from such a person? This is exactly the beauty of the gospel. Christ said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). See 1 Corinthians 6:11. This is what we all were by nature and by practice before God and his grace reached down to us. The longer we spend in our unconverted lifestyle, the more entrenched these behaviors become. Many personalities have a certain bent, toward this or that sin. Paul says it was a commonly known thing that the Cretans were liars (Tit. 1:12). Perhaps, for Rahab, such as she was, lying came as naturally to her as breathing. Why do we lie? Often it is to manipulate the narrative to our advantage. Thanks be to God, the gospel does more than deliver us from the penalty of our sin, it also delivers us from the power of sin in our lives. She did not hide them in the house, but on the rooftop.1
8 And before they had lain down, she went up to them upon the roof; 9 and said to the men, I know that Jehovah has given you the land, and that the dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard that Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red sea before you when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 We heard of it, and our heart melted, and there remained no more spirit in any man because of you; for Jehovah your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
vv.8-11 The Report Believed. All the Canaanites said heard the report of the Red Sea being dried – which was Jehovah publicly flighting for Israel – as well as the defeat of the Amorite kings beyond the Jordan; she could say “we have heard” and “our heart melted”. They were all filled with fear but rehab was filled with the fear of Jehovah. She gives a clear statement of faith in the deity of Jehovah; “he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath”. Her faith even laid hold of the intention of what she had heard of the Lord’s purpose to bring them into the land; ” I know that Jehovah has given you the land”. The language of faith is, “I know”. She laid hold of the fact that God was for His people, and demonstrated by her life that she wanted to be identified with them. Like the Syro-Phoenician woman, she doesn’t brashly claim what was not hers by right. She speaks of Jehovah “your God”. Nevertheless, her faith rose up to seek something from God, counting on Him to bless without any deserving on her part (Heb. 11:6).
12 And now, I pray you, swear to me by Jehovah, since I have dealt kindly with you, that ye will also deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a certain sign, 13 that ye will let my father live, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that belong to them, and deliver our souls from death.
vv.12-13 Plea for Protection. Before the two men laid down, Rahab made her plea for protection. Her faith rose up to include not just protection for herself, but also for her father’s house. She even asked for a sign.
14 And the men said to her, Our lives shall pay for yours, if ye do not make this our business known; and it shall be when Jehovah shall give us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
v.14 Promise of Protection. The two spies gave their promise for her protection. It is amazing that they had no prior authorization from Joshua to make such a promise. Nevertheless, they acted according to the character of the god they served, and their faith was rewarded. They risked their own lives on the matter. It is wonderful to see that Joshua give to these two men as a personal mission to “go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her” (Joshua 6:22-23).
The Spies’ Escape and Assurance Given (2:15-21)
15 And she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was upon the city-wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 16 And she said to them, Go to the mountain, that the pursuers may not meet with you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned; and afterwards go your way.
vv.15-16 Rahab Helps the Spies. Rehab let the men down through her window, for her house was on the city wall, by a scarlet cord. She instructed the man to flee to the mountains and wait there three days until the pursuers had given up the Chase. Prophetically, the faithful Jewish remnant as the messengers of the gospel of the kingdom will be sheltered and protected by the believing Gentiles in the mountains (Matt. 24:15-17; Isa. 16:3-4) for three and a half years during the persecution of Antichrist.
17 And the men said to her, We will be quit of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind in the window this line of scarlet thread by which thou hast let us down; and thou shalt gather to thee in the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household; 19 and it shall be, that whoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, — his blood shall be upon his head, and we shall be innocent; but every one who shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be upon our head, if any hand be upon him. 20 And if thou make known this our business, we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 21 And she said, According to your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet line in the window.
vv.17-21 Assurance Given: The Scarlet Line. The very cord that Rahab used to let the men down would be the sign of her salvation. The fact that the cord was scarlet in color is a beautiful type of deliverance by the blood of Christ . Just as the blood on the door posts and lintel of the houses of the Israelites in Egypt marked them as shielded by the blood of the Passover lamb, so this scarlet line in Rahab’s window marked her house for salvation! There were conditions on the protection of her house. Her whole family could be saved, but they must stay within the doors of her house. Left the house, their blood would be on their own head, and the two spies would be free of their oath. Second, if rehab disclosed any details about the spies and what had gone on, they would also be free of their oath. As soon as the men were gone, “she bound the scarlet line in the window”. She did not wait until the people came into the land, as the men had recommended, or until she saw the city surrounded by armies. This is shows the urgency and the seriousness with which she took the coming judgment, as well as the assurance of faith that lays hold on God’s offer of salvation. These men were diligent during the sack of Jericho to come to Rahab’s house and take care of her and those in her house (Jos. 6:23).
Who were the two spies? The Bible does not tell us the name of these two spies. However, it does tells us that Salmon was the man who later married Rahab (Joshua 6:25; Matthew 1:5). However, this does not necessarily mean Salmon was one of the spies, as Jewish tradition claims. It does mean that Rahab was the great-great-grandmother of King David, and was in the royal line of the Son of David, the Messiah Himself! Grace is surprising!
The Return of the Spies (2:22-24)
22 And they went, and came to the mountain, and remained there three days, until the pursuers had returned; and the pursuers sought them all the way, and found them not. 23 And the two men returned and came down from the mountain, and went over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and related to him everything that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, Of a surety Jehovah has given the whole land into our hands, and even all the inhabitants of the land faint because of us.
vv.22-24 The Return of the Spies. The two men followed rehabs wise instructions, and escaped the pursuers, and came back to Joshua. They brought their good report to Joshua, with the assurance that the Lord would indeed give the land into their hands. The salient detail was that the confidence of the inhabitants of Canaan had been shaken. The Canaanites were afraid of Israel! Oh how we need this reminder! The enemy trembles before the believer who is walking in communion. Why? Not because of our own strength, but “because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).