Day: April 8, 2019

Hi everyone and welcome to day 2 of “Women of The Genealogy of Jesus”. to re-cap where we left off yesterday with Tamar. To show you where we are in the line of genealogy for Jesus it is as follows:

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah (which brings us to Tamar), Perez the son of Judah & Tamar, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Salmon (which brings us to today’s lesson on Rachab aka as Rahab).

You can find the story of Rahab in Joshua chapter 2 in your Bible. If you recall my one prior blog and how I discussed meeting women who felt they couldn’t be loved by God because of things they did? This was a story I loved to sharing with them.

God sent his son Jesus to forgive us of our sins. He was the ultimate sacrifice in a time prior when people would take items to a temple and a priest as a sacrifice for forgiveness. God gave his only Son so that we can have everlasting life as long as we believe in him and ask for that forgiveness. There’s only one way into heaven. One, that’s it. That’s to ask Jesus to be your personal Lord & Savior.

So what does Rahab have to do with this plan? I’m so glad you asked!

Rahab lived in Jericho and her family owned an inn/tavern. Not an upscale spot but more of the “red light district” type of establishment. (Oh the look of shock and horror on your faces 😳).

One night two men came into her Inn and started asking questions. She immediately suspected they were spies from a Hebrew encampment close-by. Rahab knew with the encampments close and now spies snooping around that an attack on Jericho was imminent. (Wasn’t there a song about the walls of Jericho coming down?). Rahab’s main goal was to keep herself and her family safe. During that night a knock came to the door and two guards stood asking if she’d seen 2 Hebrew spies. She already made up her mind that she was siding with her “guests”. Earlier that same night she hid the strangers on her roof under bundles of flax. The guards didn’t even look under the bundles and left. (that never would happen today, they’d have had a dog sniffing around). She told the guards the two men disappeared into the darkness after leaving the Inn.

So why would she risk her life for 2 people she just met? She began to bargain with the strangers and acknowledged she knew an attack was going to happen. In exchange for saving their lives and not telling the guards where they were she asked that when Jericho was attacked that her and her family would be safe, not harmed or molested and have safe passage during the attack.

After the spies returned and gave Joshua the news he agreed to the terms agreed upon with Rahab. Soon a trumpet blew, the people shouted and the walls of Jericho fell down. Not one person or animal was saved except those belonging or related to Rahab.

The spies still weren’t out of danger so they asked Rahab to help them escape her home through a window upstairs. She told them to leave and hide in the hills for 3 days until it was safe. The Hebrew men asked if she would leave the red cord hanging from her window that they used to climb down as a sign for the Hebrew Army to know which home to spare.

In the book of Matthew where the Bible describes the genealogy of Jesus, you’ll see that Rahab married Salmon. Unfortunately the Bible doesn’t specifically say when they were married. Only during verses regarding genealogy is it pointed out.

So what did we learn from Rahab? “By Grace we are saved through faith”. Maybe the two spies were witnesses to hear Rahab’s story and to ask forgiveness of her ways and by having faith she was spared. She lived a changed life and ended up being an ancestor to King David who Jesus descends.

Never ever think that you’re not worthy of Gods love and forgiveness. Thank you again for allowing me to share this beautiful story.