Rahab: A Hero of Faith and Redemption
Rahab the prostitute—what an unlikely hero of faith! Rahab’s story is an inspiring example that demonstrates how our human résumé is much less important than the condition of our heart before God. When God sent Samuel to anoint King David, God told Samuel that humans look at the outside, but God looks at the heart (see 1 Samuel 16:7). On the outside, Rahab’s life was messy, but she showed herself to be a person of amazing faith.
Rahab Chooses God Over the King
Rahab is first mentioned in Joshua 2. The Israelites are camped on the east side of the Jordan River, poised to enter the Promised Land. Their leader, Joshua, sends two spies to look over the land. Arriving in Jericho, the spies enter the house of Rahab the prostitute. When the king of Jericho learns that there are Israelite spies in his city, he sends messengers to Rahab’s house, telling her to hand the men over. Instead of obeying the king, Rahab lies to protect the spies. Why did Rahab defy the king’s orders?
Before we answer that question, let’s notice a parallel between Rahab and the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, in Exodus 1. Pharaoh had ordered the midwives to kill Hebrew baby boys (see Exodus 1:16). Like Rahab, Shiphrah and Puah deceived Pharaoh to protect life. While deception on its own is, of course, not good, these stories both show us that protecting life is of higher importance. Love of God and love of neighbor are, after all, the greatest commandments (see Matthew 22:37–40).
Shiphrah and Puah disobeyed Pharaoh because they feared God (Exodus 1:17). Rahab defied the king’s orders for the exact same reason: She feared God rather than the king of Jericho. Speaking to the spies, Rahab offers a powerful profession of faith: “. . .the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below” (Joshua 2:11). Rahab invokes the name of the God of Israel, Yahweh, and declares Israel’s God to be sovereign over all.
Rahab and the Scarlet Cord: A Passover Parallel
Reading further in Joshua, we learn that Rahab had a request for the spies. She asked them to spare herself and her family when the Israelites conquered Jericho. They promised to honor her request on certain conditions: She was to leave a scarlet cord in the window through which she helped the spies escape, and make sure all her family members were in her house with her. The spies said that any people who were out in the streets would perish (see Joshua 2:17–19).
These might seem like puzzling conditions until we read them alongside God’s Passover directions to the Israelites in Exodus 12. Those instructions included putting the blood of a lamb on the doorframes of the Israelites’ homes, and no one leaving their homes (see Exodus 12:22). This comparison makes the Rahab story even more striking. Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute, becomes, in a sense, an honorary recipient of the Passover promise. The scarlet cord in the window parallels the red blood on the doorframes, and the command for her family to be in the house with her echoes God’s directions to the Israelites back in Egypt. Amazing!
What Rahab Reveals About God’s Heart
Rahab’s story challenges us to confess our reluctance to welcome outsiders and “messy” people. Too often, we are quick to judge and reject. When we do so, we risk missing the amazing testimony of God’s work in others’ lives. Just as Jesus was compassionate towards people with messy lives and those on the margins of society, we should follow Jesus’ lead today by showing hospitality and love to those that society often ostracizes. We may find ourselves amazed at the lives God is working in. Christians are called to be people who are willing, and eager, to welcome others.
Rahab doesn’t silently disappear from the pages of Scripture after the Jericho story. In the New Testament, the author of Hebrews names Rahab as a hero of faith: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient” (Hebrews 11:31). Furthermore, Matthew 1:5 names Rahab in the genealogy of Jesus Christ!
Rahab reminds us that our faith is more important than our past, or the mistakes we have made, and faith is more important than bloodline. What an encouraging reality of God’s kingdom!
For several years, I taught a Bible class on the Old Testament for high school juniors. The theme of my class was “Might from the Margins,” a phrase I took from a book with the same title by Dennis Edwards. Of all the wonderful examples of this inspiring theme, Rahab was always my favorite to teach, and—judging by the reflection and artistic assignments I invited my students to complete on a character of their choosing—Rahab was among the students’ favorites as well. Rahab shows us a core gospel truth: God invites us to put our faith in him, leave our past behind, and join his amazing story of redemption.
Adapted from the study material from the NIV Application Bible based on the NIV Application Commentary series.
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I really appreciate this. The love to others more than myself is very important. Rahab’s faith in God to save the spies of Israel led her and her family to be saved.
Wow! This is so amazing how the teaching of Rahab has made me to understand and do the right thing that will please my God. Thank you so much for this.
This is one great story of human quality/virtue aligned with God’s will that is embedded in one’s heart not seen by outsiders! A powerful story to remind us all not to judge people by their looks but by the fruits of their hearts.
“While deception on its own is, of course, not good, these stories both show us that protecting life is of higher importance. Love of God and love of neighbor are, after all, the greatest commandments (see Matthew 22:37–40).” This makes me thankful for all of the people that protected and helped the Jews during the Holocaust.
I am always amazed at how God extends His grace to the undeserving. What comes to mind is the Scripture that alludes to God using the dispiced to show Himself strong.
Thank you for this lesson in how God can use “cracked vessels” for His purposes if we are willing.
Before I read the story of Rahab, I was quick to rebuke. After understanding God’s love and sovereign plan for all His people, I will seek mercy more than judges. Finding Rahab’s name in the list of heroes of faith taught me that I will meet some faces I had written off in heaven.
God is more interested in our future than our past.
So Profound and encouraging
These words are so true. How can you show love especially as a Christian, if you don’t have it in your heart for those around you? I too like this article, mostly when you ask about Rahab, the first thing you hear is she was a prostitute, but she was more than that. She had a loving heart and most of all, for God.
Thank you for this. This has really been an eye opener for me. My husband is not fully saved and still lives in the world drinking and having a “good time” with his biker friends. I’ve been pushing them away wanting nothing to do with them as I thought iron sharpens iron and who you hang out with you become. But lately it has been in my heart to draw them in with love and show them the love of Jesus without shoving my religion down their throats. How can you win someone over for Christ if you can’t show love. This message was the confirmation I needed for what I was struggling with lately. Thank you and thank you for this revelation.
Dear Mercia, The Lord knows your heart, and He knows what you are going through. He has seen your efforts in winning your husband to Him. Please, be assured that the Lord has heard your prayers, and you are not alone in this journey. He will prove Himself faithful to you. I encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing. Show him God’s love and remember, that you are the window through which he and his friends will see Christ. The battle is the Lord’s. I will leave you with this verse: “And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” (1 Corinthians 7:13-16, NIV) God bless you.
Very inspiring.
Woooow! This is so touching…every word as I read it pierced into the core of my soul and couldn’t help but it bought tears to my eyes. A powerful reminder indeed that God’s love breaks barrier, past, ethnicity, color and gender. Incredible!! What an amazing God we serve. Hallelujah!!
Thanks for the article on Rehab! It gave me great encouragement to know that my past choices don’t define me! God saw beyond that and welcomed me back with loving arms! And that speaks hope very loudly!
This speaks of the redemptive powers of God and who He can use to fulfill his purposes.
Thank you for this opportunity to learn more about God’s word and how he can use whomever he wants.
Love beyond all
God is merciful and He fully forgives our sins. Our past is wiped away and we start new when we commit to serving the Lord.
In many Bible stories we realize that God uses the most marginalized characters to achieve His objective, maybe because they’re not too proud to disobey His orders! The same is the case with the Samaritan woman, Zacchaeus the tax collector, and even Rahab the Canaanite prostitute!
God’s faithfulness is from everlasting to everlasting. Thank you Lord for saving me. Fill your love in my heart.
How powerful that a prostitute is mentioned, and has been deemed a hero of faith! Imagine a prostitute hearing the word of God, and saying, yeah what about a lowly prostitute as myself?
God works in mysterious ways. Our ways and His ways are different. He looks from the inside.
I am blessed, encouraged, and inspired through this amazing experience of Rahab. This Bible story reveals how God can choose any person regardless of their behaviour, race, status, or even nationality. Rahab was a gentile and a prostitute, yet God used her to protect and defend the Israelite spies.
I never thought of reading, hearing, or seeing any good thing from the life of Rahab whom the Scriptures refer to as a prostitute. Thank you for this expository. It’s very inspiring and helpful to me in my ministry.